Don Ameche
Don Ameche born Dominic Felix Amici May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon (1985). Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor. Ameche, standing in at a height of 5' 11" (1.8 m) was born May 31, 1908 (Gemini) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA as Dominic Felix Amici to mother, Barbara Edda (Hertel) and father, Felice Amici, a bartender. Has a younger brother Jim Ameche. His father was an Italian immigrant. His mother had German, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry. Americans pronounced his last name incorrectly in Italian ("Ah-mee-see"). So he changed it from "Amici" (correctly pronounced "Ah-mee-chee") into "Ameche", in order to keep the original Italian pronunciation. He had the nickname "The Latin Lover". Married Honore Prendergast on the 6th of December 1932. They had 6 children together. Became a father for the first time at age 25 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Dominic Felix Ameche--aka Don Ameche Jr. on October 3, 1933. Became a father for the second time at age 27 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Ronald Ameche on December 30, 1935. He died on January 2, 2001 in Iowa, aged 65. Became a father for the third time at age 31 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Thomas Anthony Ameche on July 20, 1939. Became a father for the fourth time at age 32 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Lawrence Michael Ameche on July 20, 1940. Became a father for the fifth time at age 36 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Barbara Balinda Ameche on March 13, 1945. Became a father for the sixth time at age 39 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Constance Victoria Ameche on February 22, 1948. His wife of 54 years, died on the 5th of September 1986. He died on December 6, 1993 at the age of 85 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA from prostate cancer.
Known For
Credits
- 2009 · Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing as Self (archive)
- 1997 · Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults as Self (archiveFootage)
- 1997 · The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender as Self (archive footage)
- 1994 · Corrina, Corrina as Grandpa Harry
- 1993 · Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey as Shadow (voice)
- 1992 · Sunstroke as Jake
- 1992 · Folks! as Harry Aldrich
- 1991 · Oscar as Father Clemente
- 1990 · Oddball Hall as G. Paul Siebriese
- 1988 · Things Change as Gino
- 1988 · Cocoon: The Return as Art Selwyn
- 1988 · Coming to America as Mortimer Duke / Homeless Man #2 (uncredited)
- 1987 · Harry and the Hendersons as Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
- 1987 · Pals as Fern Stobbs
- 1986 · A Masterpiece of Murder as Frank Aherne
- 1985 · The Golden Girls as Brother Martin
- 1985 · Cocoon as Arthur Selwyn
- 1983 · Trading Places as Mortimer Duke
- 1982 · Night of 100 Stars as Self
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Stewart Coolidge
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Henry Dobson
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Hollis Witkin
- 1976 · Quincy, M.E. as Harry Whitehead
- 1976 · Good Heavens as
- 1975 · Ellery Queen as Dr. Norman Marsh
- 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- 1972 · Gidget Gets Married as Otis Ramsey
- 1971 · Columbo as Frank Simpson
- 1971 · Alias Smith and Jones as
- 1970 · Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? as Col. Flanders
- 1970 · The Boatniks as Commander Taylor
- 1970 · McCloud as
- 1968 · Shadow Over Elveron as Justin Travers
- 1967 · Rings Around the World as Host/Ringmaster
- 1966 · Picture Mommy Dead as Edward Shelley
- 1963 · Petticoat Junction as Uncle George
- 1963 · Burke's Law as Whitman Saunders
- 1963 · The Greatest Show on Earth as Collie McCullough
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self - Co-Host
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- 1961 · A Fever in the Blood as Senator Alex S. Simon
- 1957 · DuPont Show of the Month as Harry Graves
- 1957 · The Lux Show as Self
- 1957 · Tonight Starring Jack Paar as Self
- 1954 · Climax! as Sam Waterman
- 1953 · Coke Time with Eddie Fisher as
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Panelist
- 1949 · Slightly French as John Gayle
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Henry Orient
- 1948 · Sleep, My Love as Richard W. Courtland
- 1947 · That's My Man as Joe Grange
- 1946 · So Goes My Love as Hiram Stephen Maxim
- 1945 · Guest Wife as Joseph Jefferson 'Joe' Parker
- 1945 · It's in the Bag! as Don Ameche
- 1944 · Greenwich Village as Kenneth Harvey
- 1944 · Wing and a Prayer as Bingo Harper
- 1943 · Happy Land as Lew Marsh
- 1943 · Heaven Can Wait as Henry Van Cleve
- 1943 · Something to Shout About as Ken Douglas
- 1942 · Girl Trouble as Pedro Sullivan
- 1942 · The Magnificent Dope as Dwight Dawson
- 1941 · Confirm or Deny as 'Mitch' Mitchell
- 1941 · The Feminine Touch as John Hathaway
- 1941 · Kiss the Boys Goodbye as Lloyd Lloyd
- 1941 · Moon Over Miami as Phil O'Neil (Credits) / Phil 'Mac' McNeil
- 1941 · That Night in Rio as Larry Martin / Baron Manuel Duarte
- 1940 · Down Argentine Way as Ricardo Quintana
- 1940 · Four Sons as Chris Bern
- 1940 · Lillian Russell as Edward Solomon
- 1939 · Swanee River as Stephen Foster
- 1939 · Hollywood Cavalcade as Mike Connors
- 1939 · Land of Liberty as Alexander Graham Bell (archive footage)
- 1939 · Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 as Don Ameche
- 1939 · The Story of Alexander Graham Bell as Alexander Graham Bell
- 1939 · Midnight as Tibor Czerny
- 1939 · The Three Musketeers as D'Artagnan
- 1938 · Gateway as Dick Court
- 1938 · Josette as David Brassard Jr.
- 1938 · Alexander's Ragtime Band as Charlie Dwyer
- 1938 · In Old Chicago as Jack O'Leary
- 1938 · Happy Landing as Jimmy Hall
- 1937 · Love Under Fire as Tracy Egan
- 1937 · You Can't Have Everything as George Macrae
- 1937 · Fifty Roads to Town as Peter Nostrand
- 1937 · Love Is News as Martin J. Canavan
- 1937 · One in a Million as Bob Harris
- 1936 · Ladies In Love as Dr. Rudi Imre
- 1936 · Ramona as Alessandro
- 1936 · Sins of Man as Karl Freyman / Mario Signarelli