David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years.

Early life and career

Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen Matilda (née Mason) and John David McMeekan. His mother died when he was four. He grew up in Bloomingdale, Michigan. Wayne attended

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the tr ...

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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

began, Wayne volunteered as an ambulance driver with the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

in North Africa. When the United States entered the war he joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

. Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the

leprechaun A leprechaun ( ga, leipreachán/luchorpán) is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. ...

in '' Finian's Rainbow'', for which he won the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre s ...

and 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 David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca'' (1940), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Picture. E ...

to play Irish characters in the film '' Portrait of Jennie'' (1948). In 1948, Wayne was one of 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founde ...

. He was awarded a second Tony for Best Actor (Dramatic) for '' The Teahouse of the August Moon'' and was nominated as Best Actor (Musical) for '' The Happy Time''. He originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy '' Mister Roberts'' and also appeared in '' Say, Darling''; '' After the Fall''; and '' Incident at Vichy''.

Film and television career

In films, Wayne most often was cast as a supporting player, such as the charming cad and singer/songwriter/neighbor opposite Spencer Tracy and

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in '' Adam's Rib'' (1949). He portrayed the child killer, originally played by Peter Lorre, in the remake of '' M'' (1951), a chance to see him in a rare leading role, even rarer as a villain. Wayne also appeared in four films with

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

(more than any other actor): '' As Young as You Feel'' (1951), '' We're Not Married'' (1952), '' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) (although he shared no scenes with Monroe), and '' How to Marry a Millionaire'' (1953) where he did have scenes with Monroe. He costarred in '' The Tender Trap'' (1955) with Frank Sinatra,

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

, and

Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in '' Come to ...

. In 1955, Wayne starred in the NBC comedy '' Norby''. Wayne appeared in the late 1950s on ABC's '' The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom'' and the '' Twilight Zone'' episode " Escape Clause". He starred as Darius Woodley in two 1961 episodes of NBC's ''The Outlaws'' starring

Barton MacLane Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC ...

. Also in 1961, Wayne appeared in the Bell Telephone Company-produced driver safety film ''Anatomy of an Accident'', about a family outing tragically cut short by a car accident. He played the Mad Hatter, one of the recurring villains in the 1960s

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...

''. In 1964, he guest-starred in the series finale, "Pay Now, Die Later", of CBS's drama ''

Mr. Broadway Mr. Broadway may refer to: * ''Mr. Broadway'' (TV series), an American adventure and drama television series * ''Mr. Broadway'' (film), a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film * '' Mr. Broadway: Tony's Greatest Broadway Hits'', a 1962 album by T ...

'', starring Craig Stevens as

public relations Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...

specialist Mike Bell. In the storyline, Wayne's character, the wealthy John Zeck, hires Bell to prepare Zeck's obituary before his death. Also in the 1960s, Wayne was a radio host on NBC's magazine program '' Monitor''. As Young as You Feel trailer 1

Wayne was known for his role as Dr. Charles Dutton in Michael Crichton's '' The Andromeda Strain'' (1971). He also appeared as Uncle Timothy Jamison in the NBC

sitcom A sitcom, a Portmanteau, portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troup ...

'' The Brian Keith Show'' and played Charles Dutton in ''

The Good Life The Good Life or Good Life may refer to: Film * ''The Good Life'' (1996 film), a Spanish film by David Trueba * ''The Good Life'' (1997 film), an American crime comedy film * ''The Good Life'' (2007 film), a Canadian-American film by Stephen ...

'', also on NBC. Wayne made a guest appearance in a leading role for a 1975 episode of ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' titled "I Have Promises to Keep". He co-starred with Jim Hutton in the 1976 television series '' Ellery Queen'' (as Inspector Richard Queen). In 1973 on Mannix season 6 episode 22 Wayne played a hobo being hunted by the men mistaking him for a different hobo who witnesses a criminal still alive after staging his own death. In 1978, Wayne played James Lawrence in the ABC drama ''

Family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

'', and he played Digger Barnes in four episodes of the CBS soap opera ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

''. (Wayne's friend Keenan Wynn replaced Wayne in the role of Digger Barnes.) Wayne co-starred in the role of Dr. Amos Weatherby in the 1979–82 television series '' House Calls'' with Lynn Redgrave and later Sharon Gless.

Personal life

Wayne was married to Jane Gordon in 1941 and had two daughters, Susan Wayne Kearney and Melinda Wayne, and a son, Timothy. Timothy disappeared and was presumed drowned during a rafting trip in August 1970. Wayne's wife, daughter of opera vocalist

Jeanne Gordon Jeanne Gordon (born Ruby May Gordon, January 26, 1885 – February 22, 1952) was a Canadian contralto opera singer active during the early 1900s. Gordon was born as Ruby May Gordon in Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada on January 26, 1885, to David Al ...

, died in 1993. Susan died in 2019; her remains were cremated and given to her family. Wayne was a lifelong Democrat who supported

Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I (1835–1914), U.S. Vice President (1893–1897) and Congressman (1879–1881) * Adlai Stevenson II (1900–1965), Governor of Illinois (1949–1953), U.S. presidential candida ...

's campaign during the 1952 presidential election.

Death

On February 9, 1995, ten days after his 81st birthday, Wayne died in his

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, home from complications of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...

. His remains were cremated and distributed to his family.

Awards

Wayne won two

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

s, one in 1947 for '' Finian's Rainbow'' and one in 1954 for '' The Teahouse of the August Moon''.

Filmography

Features: *''

Stranger on the Third Floor ''Stranger on the Third Floor'' is a 1940 American film noir directed by Boris Ingster and starring Peter Lorre, John McGuire, and Margaret Tallichet, and featuring Elisha Cook Jr. It was written by Frank Partos. Modern research has shown tha ...

'' (1940) as Cab Driver (uncredited) *'' Portrait of Jennie'' (1948) as Gus O'Toole *'' Adam's Rib'' (1949) as Kip Lurie *'' The Reformer and the Redhead'' (1950) as Arthur Colner Maxwell *''

Stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Comedy *Stella (comedy group), a comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain Characters *Stella (given name), including a list of characters with th ...

'' (1950) as Carl Granger *'' My Blue Heaven'' (1950) as Walter Pringle *'' Up Front'' (1951) as Joe *'' M'' (1951) as Martin W. Harrow *'' As Young as You Feel'' (1951) as Joe Elliott *'' With a Song in My Heart'' (1952) as Don Ross *''

Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie "Wait 'Till the Sun Shines, Nellie" is a 1905 popular song with music written by Harry Von Tilzer and lyrics by Andrew B. Sterling. History "Wait 'Till the Sun Shines, Nellie" has been recorded many times and is now considered a pop standard. ...

'' (1952) as Ben Halper *'' We're Not Married!'' (1952) as Jeff Norris *'' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) as Horace (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") *'' The I Don't Care Girl'' (1953) as Ed McCoy *'' Tonight We Sing'' (1953) as Sol Hurok *'' Down Among the Sheltering Palms'' (1953) as Lt. Carl G. Schmidt *'' How to Marry a Millionaire'' (1953) as Freddie Denmark *'' Hell and High Water'' (1954) as Tugboat Walker *'' The Tender Trap'' (1955) as Joe McCall *'' The Naked Hills'' (1956) as Tracy Powell *'' The Three Faces of Eve'' (1957) as Ralph White *''

The Sad Sack ''The Sad Sack'' is a 1957 comedy film based on the Harvey Comics character of the same title, created by George Baker. The film stars Jerry Lewis and Peter Lorre and was released by Paramount Pictures. Plot Private Meredith Bixby simply cann ...

'' (1957) as Corporal Larry Dolan *'' The Last Angry Man'' (1959) as Woodrow 'Woody' Thrasher *'' The Big Gamble'' (1961) as Samuel Brennan *'' The Andromeda Strain'' (1971) as Dr. Charles Dutton *''The African Elephant'' (1971, Documentary) as Narrator *'' Huckleberry Finn'' (1974) as The Duke *'' The Front Page'' (1974) as Bensinger *''

Tubby the Tuba Tubby is a nickname and surname and may refer to: People Nickname * Tubby Clayton (1885–1972), Anglican clergyman, founder of the Christian movement Toc H * Michael Lindsay Coulton Crawford (1917–2017), Second World War Royal Navy officer an ...

'' (1975) as Pee-Wee the Piccolo (voice) *'' The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975) as Col. T.R. Clydesdale *''A Place to Be'' (1979, Documentary) as Narrator *'' The Prize Fighter'' (1979) as Pop Morgan *'' Finders Keepers'' (1984) as Stapleton *''The Survivalist'' (1987) as Dub Daniels Short Subjects: *''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Awards'' (1951) as Himself *''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life'' (1952) as Himself *''Anatomy of an Accident'' (1961) as John Avery *'' John F. Kennedy: 1917-1963'' (1979) as Narrator

Television work

*'' Great Catherine'' (1948, TV Movie) *'' Norby'' (1955) as Preston Norby / Pearson Norby (canceled after 13 episodes) *'' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'', "One More Mile to Go" (1957) as Sam Jacoby *''

The Strawberry Blonde ''The Strawberry Blonde'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland, and featuring Rita Hayworth, Alan Hale, Jack Carson, and George Tobias. Set in New York City aroun ...

'' (1959, TV Movie) as Biff Grimes *'' The Twilight Zone'', " Escape Clause" (1959) as Walter Bedeker *''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'' (1960) ('The Shad Bennington Story') as Shadrack Bennington *'' Naked City'', "The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish" (1962) as Herbert Konish *'' Teahouse of the August Moon'' (1962 TV movie) as Sakini *''Kings of Broadway'' (1962, TV Movie) (unsold pilot) *''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was rena ...

'', "The 31st of February" (1963) as Andrew Anderson *''Cowboy and the Tiger'' (1963, TV Movie) as Narrator (unsold pilot) *''

Lamp At Midnight ''Lamp At Midnight'' is a play that was written by Barrie Stavis, and first produced in 1947 at New Stages, New York. The play treats the 17th Century Galileo affair, which was a profound conflict between the Roman Catholic Church and Galileo Gali ...

'' (1966, TV Movie) as Father Firenzuola *''

'' (1966, guest villain, episodes 13, 14, 69, 70) as The Mad Hatter *''Arsenic and Old Lace'' (1969, TV Movie) as Teddy Brewster *'' The Boy Who Stole the Elephant'' (1970, TV Movie) as Colonel Rufus Ryder *'' Night Gallery'', "The Diary" (1971) as Dr. Mill (segment "The Diary") *'' Mooch Goes to Hollywood'' (1971, TV Movie) as Himself (uncredited) *''

'' (1971–1972) as Charles Dutton *''The Catcher'' (1972, TV Movie) as Armand Faber *''The Dark Side'' (1972) (unsold pilot) *'' The Streets of San Francisco'' (1972, TV Series) as Wally Sensibaugh *'' Banacek'' ("Ten Thousand Dollars a Page") (1973) as Walter Tyson *'' Hawaii Five-O'' ("30,000 Rooms and I Have the Key") (1974) as Horus *''Return of the Big Cat'' (1974, TV Movie) as Grandpa Jubal *'' Barney Miller'' ("Bureaucrat") (1975) as E. J. Heiss *''

'' ("I Have Promises to Keep") (1973-1975) as Reverend Byrne / Judge Warfield *'' It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman'' (1975, TV Movie) as Dr. Abner Sedgwick *'' Ellery Queen'' (1975–1976) as Inspector Richard Queen *'' Once an Eagle'' (1976, TV Mini-Series) as Col. Terwilliger *''In the Glitter Palace'' (1977, TV Movie) as Nate Redstone *''

Hunter Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, et ...

'' ("Yesterday Upon the Stair") (1977) *'' Black Beauty'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) as Mr. Dowling / Narrator *'' Loose Change'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) as Dr. Moe Sinden *''Murder at the Mardi Gras'' (1978, TV Movie) as Mickey Mills *''

'' (1978) as Digger Barnes *''The Gift of Love'' (1978, TV Movie) as O'Henry / Narrator *'' The Girls in the Office'' (1979, TV Movie) as Ben Nayfack *'' An American Christmas Carol'' (1979, TV Movie) as Merrivale *''

Eight is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, w ...

'' (1980) as Matt *'' House Calls'' (1979–1982) as Dr. Amos Weatherby *'' Matt Houston'' (1984) S2/Ep20, “Blood Ties” as Bill Houston *''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The ser ...

'' (1985, TV Series) as Cyrus Leffingwell *'' Newhart'' (1985, TV Series) as Mr. Pittman (episode "Pirate Pete") *''

The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty W ...

'' (1986) as Big Daddy *'' Poker Alice'' (1987, TV Movie, based on the frontier gambler Poker Alice, with

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

in the starring role) as Amos (final film role)

Stage appearances

*''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has ...

'' (1935) (

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U ...

) *''Escape This Night'' (April 22 – May 1938) (Broadway) *''Dance Night'' (October 14–16, 1938) (Broadway) *''The American Way'' (January 21 – September 23, 1939) (Broadway) *''The Scene of the Crime (March 28 – April 4, 1940) (Broadway) *'' The Merry Widow'' (Revival) (August 4, 1943 – May 6, 1944) (Broadway) *''Peepshow'' (February 3–26, 1944) (Broadway) *'' Park Avenue'' (November 4, 1946 – January 4, 1947) (Broadway) *'' Finian's Rainbow'' (January 10, 1947 – October 2, 1948) (Broadway) (replaced by Philip Truex in February 1948) *'' Mister Roberts'' (February 18, 1948 – January 6, 1951) (Broadway) (replaced by

Larry Blyden Ivan Lawrence Blieden (June 23, 1925 – June 6, 1975), known as Larry Blyden, was an American actor, stage producer and director, and game show host. He made his Broadway stage debut in 1948 and went on to appear in numerous productions on ...

in 1950) *'' The Teahouse of the August Moon'' (October 15, 1953 – March 24, 1956) (Broadway) (replaced by

Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...

in 1954) *''

The Ponder Heart ''The Ponder Heart'' is a novella written by Eudora Welty and illustrated by Joe Krush, originally published in ''The New Yorker'' in 1953, and republished by Harcourt Brace in 1954. The plot of ''The Ponder Heart'' follows Daniel Ponder, a wealthy ...

'' (February 16 – June 23, 1956) (Broadway) *''The Loud Red Patrick'' (October 3 – December 22, 1956) (Broadway) *'' Say, Darling'' (April 3, 1958 – January 17, 1959) (Broadway) (replaced by Eddie Albert in 1959) *'' Send Me No Flowers'' (December 5, 1960 – January 7, 1961) (Broadway) *''Venus at Large'' (April 12–14, 1962) (Broadway) *'' Too True to Be Good'' (Revival) (March 12 – June 1, 1963) (Broadway) *'' After the Fall'' (January 23, 1964 – May 29, 1965) ( ANTA Washington Square Theatre) *''Marco Millions'' (February 20 – June 18, 1964) ( ANTA Washington Square Theatre) *''But For Whom Charlie'' (March 12 – July 2, 1964) ( ANTA Washington Square Theatre) *'' Incident At Vichy'' (December 3, 1964 – May 7, 1965) ( ANTA Washington Square Theatre) *'' The Yearling'' (December 10–11, 1965) (Broadway) *''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the pe ...

'' (July 1966) Lincoln Center (Role; Capt. Andy) *'' The Happy Time'' (January 18 – September 28, 1968) (Broadway)

Radio appearances

Notes

References

External links

* * *
David Wayne as The Mad Hatter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wayne, David 1914 births 1995 deaths Male actors from Michigan American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male stage actors American male television actors Deaths from lung cancer in California Donaldson Award winners People from Traverse City, Michigan Theatre World Award winners Tony Award winners 20th-century American male actors Western Michigan University alumni California Democrats Michigan Democrats 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers United States Army personnel of World War I