Alan Carney
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Alan Carney (December 22, 1909 – May 2, 1973) was an American actor and comedian.


Biography

Alan Carney was born David Boughal in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, on December 22, 1909. His parents, Edward and Nellie (Kearney) Boughal, were Irish immigrants. He performed in
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
for years. After making his first film, 1941's ''Convoy'', Carney signed a contract at
RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...
and appeared in choice supporting roles in such films as '' Mr. Lucky''. In 1943, Carney teamed up with
Wally Brown Wallace Edgar Brown (October 8, 1904 – November 13, 1961) was an American actor and comedian. In the 1940s, he performed as the comic partner of Alan Carney. Early years Wallace Edgar Brown was born in Malden, Massachusetts, the son of Her ...
as RKO's answer to
Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...
. In addition to their inexpensive starring vehicles, Brown and Carney co-starred in '' Step Lively'', a musical remake of the
Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...
film ''
Room Service Room service or in-room dining is a hotel service enabling guests to choose items of food and drink for delivery to their hotel room for consumption. Room service is organized as a subdivision within the food and beverage department of high-end ...
''. Wally played Chico's part, while Alan Carney filled in for Harpo; the "Groucho" role was essayed by
George Murphy George Lloyd Murphy (July 4, 1902 – May 3, 1992) was an American dancer, actor, and politician. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild fro ...
. The comedy team was also featured on a live
USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tour arranged by the studio. After 1946's '' Genius at Work'', RKO terminated the team's contracts. Alan Carney continued in films and television as a supporting player, working prolifically at Disney Studios in the 1960s and 1970s. One of Carney's best latter-day roles was as Mayor Dawgmeat in the 1959 musical film ''
Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn ...
''. Carney appeared with Wally Brown in ''
Who Was That Lady? ''Who Was That Lady?'' is a 1960 black and white American comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh. The movie was made by Ansark-Sidney, distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Norman ...
'' (1960) and in Walt Disney's ''
The Absent-Minded Professor ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' is a 1961 American science fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the short story "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor, originally published in the May 22, 1943 issue of ''Li ...
'' (1961), but they never appeared in the same scenes together. The duo was slated to be reunited for ''
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer with a story and screenplay by William Rose and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast of comedians, is a ...
'' (1963), but Brown died not long before filming began. Alan Carney made his last film appearance in Walt Disney Productions' ''
Herbie Rides Again ''Herbie Rides Again'' is a 1974 American comedy film and the second installment of ''The Love Bug'' film series made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic (and quite autonomous) 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie. The ...
'', released in 1974 after his death. He died in
Van Nuys, California Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, ...
, of a heart attack at the age of 63 from the excitement of winning the daily double at
Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, the original Hollywood Park Casino was added to the ...
.


Filmography

*''
Gildersleeve's Bad Day ''Gildersleeve's Bad Day'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas from a screenplay by Jack Townley. The picture was the second in the Gildersleeve's series produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, based on the popular ...
'' (1943) as Toad *'' Mr. Lucky'' (1943) as Crunk *''
Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event ''Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Dane Lussier. It is the sequel to the 1942 film '' Mexican Spitfire's Elephant''. The film stars Lupe Vélez, L ...
'' (1943) as Navajo Room Bartender *''
The Adventures of a Rookie ''Adventures of a Rookie'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins. It was the debut of RKO's comedy duo Carney and Brown. A sequel, ''Rookies in Burma'', followed. Plot Three young men from completely different levels of society get th ...
'' (1943) as Mike Strager *''
Gangway for Tomorrow Broadly speaking, a gangway is a passageway through which to enter or leave. Gangway may refer specifically refer to: Passageways * Gangway (nautical), a passage between the quarterdeck and the forecastle of a ship, and by extension, a passage th ...
'' (1943) as Swallow *'' Around the World'' (1943) as Joe Gimpus *''
Rookies in Burma ''Rookies in Burma'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins from an original screenplay by Edward James. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on December 7, 1943, being a sequel to the earlier 1943 ...
'' (1943) as Mike Strager *''
Seven Days Ashore ''Seven Days Ashore'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by John H. Auer and written by Edward Verdier, Irving Phillips and Lawrence Kimble. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Marcy McGuire, Virginia Mayo, Elaine Shepard, Gordon Olive ...
'' (1944) as Orval 'Handsome' Martin *'' Step Lively'' (1944) as Harry *''
Girl Rush ''Girl Rush'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Frances Langford, Barbara Jo Allen, Robert Mitchum, Paul Hurst, Patti Brill and Sarah Padden. The fi ...
'' (1944) as Mike Strager *''
Zombies on Broadway ''Zombies on Broadway'' (or ''Loonies on Broadway'' in the UK) is a 1945 American zombie comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It stars RKO's imitation Abbott and Costello, Alan Carney and Wally Brown, as a pair of men who are tasked with f ...
'' (1945) as Mike Strager *''
Radio Stars on Parade ''Radio Stars on Parade'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Robert E. Kent and Monte Brice, from Kent's original story. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on August 1, 1 ...
'' (1945) as Mike Strager *'' Genius at Work'' (1946) as Mike Strager *''
Vacation in Reno ''Vacation in Reno'' is a 1946 film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Jack Haley, Anne Jeffreys, Iris Adrian, Wally Brown, Alan Carney, and Morgan Conway. Plot Jack Carroll (portrayed by Jack Haley) and his wife (Anne Jeffreys) have an a ...
'' (1946) as Angel *'' The Pretender'' (1947) as Victor Korrin *'' Hideout'' (1949) as Evans *'' Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!'' (1958) as Bartender / Owner (uncredited) *''
Compulsion Compulsion may refer to: * Compulsive behavior, a psychological condition in which a person does a behavior compulsively, having an overwhelming feeling that they must do so. * Obsessive–compulsive disorder, a mental disorder characterized by i ...
'' (1959) as Globe Newspaper Editor (uncredited) *''
Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn ...
'' (1959) as Mayor Daniel D. Dogmeat *''
Who Was That Lady? ''Who Was That Lady?'' is a 1960 black and white American comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh. The movie was made by Ansark-Sidney, distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Norman ...
'' (1960) as Building Superintendent (uncredited) *''
North to Alaska ''North to Alaska'' is a 1960 comedic Western/Northern film directed by Henry Hathaway and John Wayne (uncredited). The picture stars Wayne along with Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, Fabian, and Capucine. The script is based on the 1939 play ' ...
'' (1960) as Bartender (uncredited) *''
Swingin' Along ''Swingin' Along'' is a 1961 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton. The film, which was released by 20th Century Fox, marked the final appearance of the comedy team of Tommy Noonan and Peter Marshall. The film focuses on Noonan as a ...
'' (1961) as Officer Sullivan *''
The Absent-Minded Professor ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' is a 1961 American science fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the short story "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor, originally published in the May 22, 1943 issue of ''Li ...
'' (1961) as First Referee *'' The Comancheros'' (1961) as Stillwater Bartender (uncredited) *''
Son of Flubber ''Son of Flubber'' is a 1963 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The sequel to ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961), Fred MacMurray reprises his role from the first film as ...
'' (1963) as Referee *''
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer with a story and screenplay by William Rose and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast of comedians, is a ...
'' (1963) as a sergeant with the Santa Rosita Police Department *'' Sylvia'' (1965) as Gus *''
Monkeys, Go Home! ''Monkeys, Go Home!'' is a 1967 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The movie stars Maurice Chevalier, Dean Jones, and Yvette Mimieux. Aside from contributing to the soundtrack of Disney ...
'' (1967) as Grocer *''
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin ''The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin'' is a 1967 American Western comedy film directed by James Neilson, produced by Walt Disney Productions, starring Roddy McDowall, Suzanne Pleshette, Hermione Baddeley, and Karl Malden. The film's screenpl ...
'' (1967) as Joe Turner *''
Blackbeard's Ghost ''Blackbeard's Ghost'' is a 1968 American Fantasy film, fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson (director), Robert Stevenson and starring Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones (actor), Dean Jones, and Suzanne Pleshette. It was produced by Walt Disne ...
'' (1968) as Bartender *''
Flap Flap may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Flap'' (film), a 1970 American film * Flap, a boss character in the arcade game ''Gaiapolis'' * Flap, a minor character in the film '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'' Biology and he ...
'' (1970) as Member of Circus Train (uncredited) *''
Wild Rovers ''Wild Rovers'' is a 1971 American Western film directed by Blake Edwards and starring William Holden and Ryan O'Neal. Originally intended as a three-hour epic, it was heavily edited by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer without Edwards' knowledge, including ...
'' (1971) as Palace Bartender *''
Herbie Rides Again ''Herbie Rides Again'' is a 1974 American comedy film and the second installment of ''The Love Bug'' film series made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic (and quite autonomous) 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie. The ...
'' (1974) as Judge with Cigar at Chicken Run (final film role)


See also

* Brown and Carney


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Carney, Alan 1909 births 1973 deaths American male film actors Vaudeville performers People from Brooklyn 20th-century American male actors RKO Pictures contract players