Familiar supporting star: David Wayne
Feb 27, 2019 12:17:54 GMT
jervistetch, BATouttaheck, and 1 more like this
Post by teleadm on Feb 27, 2019 12:17:54 GMT
David Wayne, one of those familiar faces of movies and television from the late 1940s to the late 1980s, usually as a friend to the leading actors, but he did play a few leads himself too.
David Wayne (whose real name was Wayne James McMeekan) was born and raised in Michigan.
He attended Western Michigan University for two years and then went to work as a statistician in Cleveland. He began acting with Cleveland's Shakesperean repertory theatre in 1936.
When World War II began Wayne volunteered as an ambulance driver with the British Army in North Africa. When the United States entered the war he joined the United States Army.
Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the leprechaun in Finian's Rainbow 1947, for which he won the first ever Tony for Actor, Supporting or Featured (Musical). While appearing in the play, he and co-star Albert Sharpe were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to play Irish characters in the film Portrait of Jennie 1948. Though his film debut was as an unbilled cab driver in Stranger on the Third Floor 1940.
In 1948, Wayne was one of 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed Actors Studio.
On the Broadway stage, Wayne won another Tony for The Teahouse of the August Moon 1953, he also originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy Mister Roberts 1948.
An impossible task, but he nearly succeeded in squeezing himself in between Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in Adam's Rib 1949, and singing Cole Porter's "Farewell, Amanda".
Cast against type, in a remake of the German classic M 1951
Wayne's name stood first on the poster for this merry movie from 1952.
Playing the lead in Tonight We Sing 1953, in the biography about impresario Sol Hurok. The girl is Anne Bancroft, by the way.
Snatching Marilyn Monroe for himself in How To Marry a Millionaire 1953.
Best friend of Frank Sinatra in The Tender Trap 1955.
The husband of the troubled wife in The Three Faces of Eve 1957, with Joanne Woodward and Lee J. Cobb.
The Big Gamble 1961, with Juliette Greco and Stephen Boyd. After this the movie roles became fewer, but the television roles became more.
As the Mad Hatter in cult TV-series Batman in four episodes between 1966 and 1967.
The Andromeda Strain 1971, a box office sleeper (it made more money than anyone had anticipated), with Arthur Hill, Kate Reid and James Olson.
Standing behind Dick O'Neill, Charles Durning and Allen Garfield in the hit comedy The Front Page 1974.
The Apple Dumpling Gang 1975, with Harry Morgan, A popular Disney western comedy, that resulted in a sequel, but that one didn't have Wayne.
As the father in TV detective series Ellery Queen, played by Jim Hutton, 1975 to 1976. A highly regarded series that failed in the ratings.
As the original Digger Barnes in four early episodes of Dallas TV-series 1978.
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As the "senile" Dr. Amos Weatherby in TV sit-com House Calls 1979 to 1982, with Lynn Redgrave and Wayne Rogers.
One of his last acting roles, as gurst star on The Golden Girls 1986, here with Rue McClanahan.
Wayne was married to Jane Gordon in 1941 and they had two daughters and a son. A marriage that lasted with her death in 1993.
Their son, Timothy, disappeared and was presumed drowned during a rafting trip in August 1970.
David Wayne left us in 1995 at the age of 81, a victim of lung cancer.
David Wayne acted in over 130 movies and television productions.
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Thanks for watching!
This years marks 105 years since David Wayne's birth.
David Wayne (whose real name was Wayne James McMeekan) was born and raised in Michigan.
He attended Western Michigan University for two years and then went to work as a statistician in Cleveland. He began acting with Cleveland's Shakesperean repertory theatre in 1936.
When World War II began Wayne volunteered as an ambulance driver with the British Army in North Africa. When the United States entered the war he joined the United States Army.
Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the leprechaun in Finian's Rainbow 1947, for which he won the first ever Tony for Actor, Supporting or Featured (Musical). While appearing in the play, he and co-star Albert Sharpe were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to play Irish characters in the film Portrait of Jennie 1948. Though his film debut was as an unbilled cab driver in Stranger on the Third Floor 1940.
In 1948, Wayne was one of 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed Actors Studio.
On the Broadway stage, Wayne won another Tony for The Teahouse of the August Moon 1953, he also originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy Mister Roberts 1948.
An impossible task, but he nearly succeeded in squeezing himself in between Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in Adam's Rib 1949, and singing Cole Porter's "Farewell, Amanda".
Cast against type, in a remake of the German classic M 1951
Wayne's name stood first on the poster for this merry movie from 1952.
Playing the lead in Tonight We Sing 1953, in the biography about impresario Sol Hurok. The girl is Anne Bancroft, by the way.
Snatching Marilyn Monroe for himself in How To Marry a Millionaire 1953.
Best friend of Frank Sinatra in The Tender Trap 1955.
The husband of the troubled wife in The Three Faces of Eve 1957, with Joanne Woodward and Lee J. Cobb.
The Big Gamble 1961, with Juliette Greco and Stephen Boyd. After this the movie roles became fewer, but the television roles became more.
As the Mad Hatter in cult TV-series Batman in four episodes between 1966 and 1967.
The Andromeda Strain 1971, a box office sleeper (it made more money than anyone had anticipated), with Arthur Hill, Kate Reid and James Olson.
Standing behind Dick O'Neill, Charles Durning and Allen Garfield in the hit comedy The Front Page 1974.
The Apple Dumpling Gang 1975, with Harry Morgan, A popular Disney western comedy, that resulted in a sequel, but that one didn't have Wayne.
As the father in TV detective series Ellery Queen, played by Jim Hutton, 1975 to 1976. A highly regarded series that failed in the ratings.
As the original Digger Barnes in four early episodes of Dallas TV-series 1978.
As the "senile" Dr. Amos Weatherby in TV sit-com House Calls 1979 to 1982, with Lynn Redgrave and Wayne Rogers.
One of his last acting roles, as gurst star on The Golden Girls 1986, here with Rue McClanahan.
Wayne was married to Jane Gordon in 1941 and they had two daughters and a son. A marriage that lasted with her death in 1993.
Their son, Timothy, disappeared and was presumed drowned during a rafting trip in August 1970.
David Wayne left us in 1995 at the age of 81, a victim of lung cancer.
David Wayne acted in over 130 movies and television productions.
Thanks for watching!
This years marks 105 years since David Wayne's birth.
