Edward Mulhare (8 April 1923 – 24 May 1997) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

actor whose career spanned five decades. He is best known for his starring roles in two television series: '' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'' and ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...

''.

Early life and career

Mulhare, one of three brothers, was born at 22 Quaker Road,

Cork City Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

, Ireland, to John and Catherine (née Keane) Mulhare. As a child, he received his education at St. Nessan's Christian Brothers School, and later

North Monastery The North Monastery (Irish: ''An Mhainistir Thuaidh''), commonly known as The Mon, is a co-educational education campus comprising Scoil Mhuire Fatima Primary School, North Monastery Co-educational Secondary and Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG located ...

. Mulhare, as a young adult, began schooling at the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

, but eventually decided upon a career in theatre. After acting in various Irish venues including the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochlai ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

, he moved to London, where he worked with

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

and

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...

. He co-starred with Orson Welles in a 1951 production of "Othello" directed by Laurence Olivier, and played in Pygmalion before going to America. In 1955 Mulhare starred as James Finnegan in the first feature film produced in Israel – Hill 24 Doesn't Answer. His best-known stage role was as Professor Higgins in the original

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons f ...

,'' having taken over the role from Rex Harrison in 1957. Mulhare was understudy to Harrison until that time, going on to play the part for three years in New York for 1000 performances, then continuing the role on an international tour, which included an extensive tour of Russia. He continued to perform the role in summer theatres and for touring companies into the 1970s. A notable East Lansing MI university campus performance of My Fair Lady was originally canceled due to blizzard, but played to a packed house of 4000 when word was sent out that any student could get into the performance free, if they could get there. Many showed up on skis; as told by Mulhare and Anne Rogers on The Irv Kupcinet Show in a 1978 interview. Mulhare and Rogers continued their acting partnership, playing King Arthur and Guenevere in Camelot.

Television

His first television appearance was in 1956 in a production of ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de H ...

''. He was a guest panelist in 1958, and again in 1963, on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

television game show ''

What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...

'' By 1965, he was back in Hollywood appearing in films and television shows. He earned a role in the films ''

Von Ryan's Express ''Von Ryan's Express'' is a 1965 World War II adventure film starring Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, and Raffaella Carrà, and directed by Mark Robson. Produced in CinemaScope, the film depicts a group of Allied prisoners of war ( POWs) who cond ...

'' in 1965, ''

Our Man Flint ''Our Man Flint'' is a 1966 American spy-fi comedy film that parodies the ''James Bond'' film series. The film was directed by Daniel Mann, written by Hal Fimberg and Ben Starr (from a story by Hal Fimberg), and starred James Coburn as maste ...

'' in 1966, and ''

Caprice Caprice, from the Italian ''capriccio'', may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''Caprice'' (1913 film), a film starring Mary Pickford * ''Caprices'' (film), a 1942 French comedy film * ''Caprice'' (1967 film), a film starring Richard Harris ...

'' in 1967. He guest-starred in television programs, including the ''

Twelve O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II ...

'' episode "Siren Voices" as Luftwaffe Colonel Kurt Halland. In '' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'', a supernatural sitcom that ran from 1968 to 1970, he starred as Captain Daniel Gregg, and again was something of a successor to Rex Harrison, who had originated the role of "The Ghost" in the original 1947 film. In 1969 Mulhare starred in

Gidget Grows Up ''Gidget Grows Up'' is a 1969 American made-for-television comedy film directed by James Sheldon with stars Karen Valentine, Edward Mulhare and Paul Petersen as well as alphabetically listed special guest stars Warner Anderson, Bob Cummings, Nina ...

, an American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

with Karen Valentine in the title role. He plays Alex Mac Laughlin, a love interest for Gidget. Harlan Carraher, who played Jonathan Muir in The Ghost and Mrs Muir with Edward, has a small part as well. He also guest-starred in "Experiment In Terra", an episode of the original '' Battlestar Galactica''. Mulhare co-starred as Devon Miles, director of the Foundation for Law and Government, on ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986), alongside

David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...

's Michael Knight. In the mid-1980s, Mulhare hosted the television series '' Secrets & Mysteries,'' also called ''Secrets of the Unknown,'' a magazine show that examined historical mysteries and the paranormal.

Later years

He starred in a number of films in his career including '' Megaforce'' and '' Out to Sea''. His final role was on ''

Baywatch Nights ''Baywatch Nights'' is an American police and science-fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the television series, '' ...

'' alongside former ''Knight Rider'' co-star

in December 1996.

Death

A heavy smoker, he died 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 tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

on 24 May 1997, aged 74, at his home 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, ...

. He had been battling the cancer for five months prior to his death. ''

Team Knight Rider ''Team Knight Rider'' (''TKR'') is an American action crime drama television series that was adapted from the ''Knight Rider'' franchise and ran in syndication between 1997 and 1998. ''TKR'' was created by writer/producers Rick Copp and David ...

'' dedicated an episode titled "K.R.O.", to Mulhare's memory (broadcast 27 October 1997). According to the annual magazine, ''Who's Who in TV, 1968-1969'' Mulhare was "a real ladies' man"; however, he remained a lifelong bachelor. He is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Tory Top Road, Cork City, Ireland.

Filmography

*'' Captain Boycott'' (1947) .... Foster's Secretary (uncredited) *'' Giv'a 24 Eina Ona'' (1955) .... James Finnegan *''

'' .... (1956) .... Various *'' The Outer Limits'' (ABC-TV): "

The Sixth Finger "The Sixth Finger" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 14 October 1963, during the first season. Plot Working in a remote Welsh mining town, a rogue scientist, Professor Mathers, discovers a p ...

" (1963) .... Professor of Genetics *''

Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. Synopsis The series follows ...

'' (NBC-TV, 1963): "He Who Can Does" .... Rand Hardy *''

Signpost to Murder ''Signpost to Murder'' is a 1965 American crime film directed by George Englund and written by Sally Benson based on the play by Monte Doyle. The film stars Joanne Woodward, Stuart Whitman, Edward Mulhare, Alan Napier, Joyce Worsley, and Lesl ...

'' (1964) .... Dr. Mark Fleming *'' Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' - Admiral Lord Clydesdale - S1/E23 "The Ben Franklin Encounter" (1965) *''

'' (1965) .... Captain Costanzo *'' Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' - Col. Worthing - S2/E1 "Empire of the Lost" (1965) *''

'' (1966) .... Malcolm Rodney *''

'' (1967) .... Sir Jason Fox *''

Eye of the Devil ''Eye of the Devil,'' also known as ''13,'' is a 1966 British mystery horror film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Donald Pleasence, Sharon Tate and David Hemmings. The film is set in rural France and was fil ...

'' (1967) .... Jean-Claude Ibert *'' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'' (1968) TV Series .... Capt. Daniel Gregg *''

'' (1969) (TV) .... Alex MacLaughlin *''

The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...

'' (ABC-TV series season 1 episode 5) Tower Beyond Tragedy (1972).... Amory Gilliam, (season 3 episode 6) One Chance To Live (1974).... Brian Downing *''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...

'' (1976) (TV) (Season 1, episode 19 "Adventure of the Two-Faced Woman").... Myles Prescott *'' Hunter'' (1977) (TV series)...Season 1, Episode 1 "Bluebird is Back" *'' Battlestar Galactica'' (1979) (TV) .... Season 1, Episode 22 "Experiment In Terra" *''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...

'' (1979) (TV) .... Season 1, Episode 12 "The Man with Jade Eyes" *'' Megaforce'' (1982) .... General Edward Byrne-White *''

'' (1982) TV Series ....

Devon Miles ''Knight Rider'' is an American action crime drama television series created and produced by Glen A. Larson. The series was originally broadcast on NBC from September 26, 1982, to April 4, 1986. The show stars David Hasselhoff as Michael Knig ...

*''

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 series f ...

'' (1986) TV Series .... Season 2, Episode 17 "One Good Bid Deserves A Murder" ....Season 3, Episode 10 "Stage Struck" *''

MacGyver Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot. In both p ...

'' (1986) TV series, Season 2.... Guy Roberts *'' B-17: The Flying Fortress'' (1987) (voice) .... Narrator *'' Secrets & Mysteries'' (1988) TV series .... Host *''

Knight Rider 2000 ''Knight Rider 2000'' is a 1991 American made-for-television science fiction action film based on the 1982–1986 television series ''Knight Rider''. Overview In the year 2000, conventional handguns have been banned, with law enforcement car ...

'' (1991) ....

*'' Spider-Man: The Animated Series" (1994) TV Series (Voice) ....

Spencer Smythe Spencer Smythe is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an adversary of the superhero Spider-Man. A scientist researching robotics and arachnids, he turned to crime to finance his research, an ...

Season 1 Episode 2 "The Spider Slayer" *'' Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart'' (1995) (TV) *''

'' (1997) .... Dr. Lancaster (1 episode) *'' Out to Sea'' (1997) .... Cullen Carswell (final film role)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mulhare, Edward 1923 births 1997 deaths Deaths from lung cancer in California Irish male film actors Irish male musical theatre actors Irish male stage actors Irish male television actors Irish expatriates in the United States Male actors from Cork (city) 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Irish male actors 20th-century Irish male singers People educated at North Monastery