Don Ameche

Don Ameche was an actor know mostly for films in the 1930s and 1940s, radio and TV in the 1950s-1970s, and later the film Trading Places.

Synopsis

During the 1950s, Don Ameche had a successful radio career and then turned to TV direction in the 1960s and 1970s. Ameche made his film comeback in 1983 in the comedic hit Trading Places. Two years later, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cocoon. He continued to appear in films, including Cocoon: The Return and Corrina, Corrina.

Profile

Born Dominic Felix Amici on May 31, 1908 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, actor and director Don Ameche began his career singing and acting in vaudeville. He made his film debut in 1935. Notable films during this period include Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939), Midnight (1939) and Heaven Can Wait (1943).

During the 1950s, Ameche parlayed his appeal into a successful radio career and then turned to television direction in the 1960s and 1970s. His most successful directorial credit was the television drama Julia starring Diahann Carroll. Though he virtually disappeared from the big screen, he enjoyed a successful run on such television hits as International Showtime.

Ameche made his film comeback in 1983, starring opposite Ralph Bellamy in the comedic hit Trading Places. Two years later, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cocoon. He continued to appear in films, including Cocoon: The Return and Corrina, Corrina, until his death from prostate cancer in 1993.

Ameche was married to Honore Prendergast from 1932 until her death in 1986; they had six children.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *