William Henry Rorke (October 23, 1910 – August 19, 1987), known professionally as Hayden Rorke, was an American actor best known for playing Colonel Alfred E. Bellows on the 1960s American sitcom '' I Dream of Jeannie''.

Early life

Rorke was born in

Brooklyn 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 ...

, New York in 1910. He was the son of screen and stage actress

Margaret Hayden Rorke Margaret Hayden Rorke (June 19, 1883 – March 2, 1969) was an American color standards expert, actress, and suffragist who was for nearly 40 years the managing director of the Textile Color Card Association of the United States. She is kno ...

,Rorke's obituary in the ''Los Angeles Times'' says, "His mother ... was a longtime textile industry figure and created colors used in the inaugural ball gowns of both Eleanor Roosevelt and Mamie Eisenhower." and he took his stage forename from her maiden name."'I Dream Of Jeannie' Star Barbara Eden Unbottles Her Tragic Life in Memoir", pp. 153-154, 173
/ref> Rorke attended

Brooklyn Preparatory School Brooklyn Preparatory School, commonly referred to as Brooklyn Prep, was a highly selective Jesuit preparatory school founded by the Society of Jesus in 1908. The school educated generations of young men from throughout New York City and Long Isla ...

, a Jesuit school, where he served as president of the Dramatics Society and the Student Government, and was a member of the Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. He continued his education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began his stage career in the 1930s with the Hampden Theatrical Company. During

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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, he enlisted in 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 ...

, where he made his film debut in the musical ''

This Is the Army ''This Is the Army'' is a 1943 American wartime musical comedy film produced by Hal B. Wallis and Jack L. Warner, and directed by Michael Curtiz, adapted from a wartime stage musical with the same name, designed to boost morale in the U.S. duri ...

'' starring Ronald Reagan, for which he was uncredited as the stage manager and as a soldier in the background.

Acting career

Following the war, he left the Army and worked in small parts on Broadway, returning to Hollywood for the film ''

Lust for Gold ''Lust for Gold'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Ida Lupino and Glenn Ford. The film is about the legendary Lost Dutchman gold mine, starring Ford as the "Dutchman" and Lupino as the woman he loves. ...

'' (1949), again uncredited. However, it was an opening, and in later films, beginning with ''

Rope of Sand ''Rope of Sand'' is a 1949 adventure-suspense film noir directed by William Dieterle, produced by Hal Wallis, and starring Burt Lancaster and three stars from Wallis's '' Casablanca'' - Paul Henreid, Claude Rains and Peter Lorre. The film intro ...

'', he is listed in the credits, although he again shows up uncredited in the films ''

Kim Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese f ...

'' (1950) and '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950), as well as a couple of later films such as the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning ''

An American in Paris ''An American in Paris'' is a jazz-influenced orchestral piece by American composer George Gershwin first performed in 1928. It was inspired by the time that Gershwin had spent in Paris and evokes the sights and energy of the French capital ...

'' (in those days, small roles were often uncredited). He played the role of crooked businessman and murderer Arne Mason in episode 90 "Word of Honor" of the television series ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'' in 1952. He also appeared in episode 125 entitled "The Perfect Crime" of that television series in 1953. He continued to make movies, taking on supporting roles in films. Rorke also went uncredited as Clark Kent's psychiatrist in the "Adventures of Superman" episode "The Face and the Voice". In 1957, Rorke played Steve, the film agent, in the television series '' Mr. Adams and Eve'', starring Howard Duff and

Ida Lupino Ida Lupino (4 February 1918Recorded in ''Births Mar 1918'' Camberwell Vol. 1d, p. 1019 (Free BMD). Transcribed as "Lupine" in the official births index – 3 August 1995) was an English-American actress, singer, director, writer, and producer. T ...

(then married in real life) as a fictitious acting couple residing in Beverly Hills, California. He played several guest roles on television, including Colonel Farnsworth in the short-lived 1964 sitcom ''

No Time for Sergeants ''No Time for Sergeants'' is a 1954 best-selling novel by Mac Hyman, which was later adapted into a teleplay on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a popular Broadway play and 1958 motion picture, as well as a 1964 television series. The book chro ...

'', based on the

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his character ...

film of the same name, but starring

Sammy Jackson Sammy Jackson (August 18, 1937 – April 26, 1995) was an American actor, known particularly for his roles reflecting rural life, and a country music disc jockey, although he also played pop-standards during 1983 at Los Angeles's KMPC. He als ...

. He also appeared in three episodes of ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' between 1960 and 1963. In his first role, he played the title character, Jay Holbrook, in "The Case of the Flighty Father" and as Walter Caffrey in "The Case of the Violent Vest". Rorke also appeared in television programs such as ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along wit ...

'', ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'', '' Thriller'' (where he also plays a psychologist), ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...

'', ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...

'', '' Bonanza'', ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was o ...

'', ''

Mister Ed ''Mister Ed'' is an American television sitcom produced by Filmways that aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966. The show's title character is a talking horse which orig ...

'', ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'', ''

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', was a half-hour television situation comedy broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in ...

'', ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family f ...

'', and ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

''. Rorke was best known for his role as Dr. Bellows, the

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

medical officer in the television sitcom '' I Dream of Jeannie''. Bellows was constantly trying to figure out why Tony Nelson ( Larry Hagman), an astronaut under Bellows' supervision, often behaves strangely, and to decipher the madcap antics, but he never figures out what is actually going on. Bellows usually winds up making himself look like a fool in front of his own superiors. Rorke's last film was reprising his role in the television reunion movie '' I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later'' (1985). In the early 1980s, Rorke returned to the theater, making a number of live stage appearances. In May, 1980, he starred with

Joan Caulfield Beatrice Joan Caulfield (June 1, 1922 – June 18, 1991) was an American actress and model. After being discovered by Broadway producers, she began a stage career in 1943 that eventually led to signing as an actress with Paramount Pictures. In th ...

at the old Showboat Dinner Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida, in ''

The Pleasure of His Company ''The Pleasure of His Company'' is a 1961 comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Debbie Reynolds, directed by George Seaton and released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on the 1958 play of the same name by Samuel A. Taylor and Cornelia Otis S ...

''. He also acted in ''Mr. Roberts'' in St. Louis, Missouri.

Personal life and death

Rorke's ''I Dream of Jeannie'' co-star

Barbara Eden Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and producer best known for her starring role as Jeannie in the sitcom '' I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965-1970). Other notable roles include Roslyn Pierce opp ...

described him as a "prince" who was a good friend to all and always managed to keep up the spirits of the ''Jeannie'' cast, even in difficult circumstances. Eden also wrote in her 2011 biography ''Jeannie Out of the Bottle'' that Rorke was "unashamedly gay," and that he lived with his partner, television director Justus Addiss (of ''

'', among others), for many years in Studio City, along with their menagerie of dogs, until Addiss' death on October 26, 1979. The couple would often invite the cast over for parties. Rorke died of multiple myeloma at his Toluca Lake home in 1987 at age 76. He was survived by two brothers.

Television

*'' ''The Lone Ranger'' (1950) 1x35 "Bullets for Ballots" *''

'' (1952) 1x21 ''New Neighbors'' as Tom O'Brien *''

The Burns and Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', was a half-hour television situation comedy broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in ...

'' (1957) 7x21 "Going to Palm Springs" as a psychologist *'' Mr. Adams and Eve'' (1957–1958) regular cast as Steve *''

'' (1960) 3x26 "The Case of the Flighty Father" as Jay Holbrook and (1961) 4x24 “The Case of the Violent Vest” as Walter Caffrey *'' Target: The Corruptors!'' (1961) 1x11 "Silent Partner" as Smith, (1962) 1x30 ''License to Steal'' *''

'' (1963) 1x36 "Jethro's Friend" as Wilkins *'' I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965-1970) regular cast as Dr. Alfred Bellows *''

Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

'' (1975) 5x02 "The Deadly Conspiracy" as Knox *''

'' (1977) 1x08 "The Understudy" as Mr. Humbertson

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1943) - Soldier / Stage Manager (uncredited) * ''

'' (1949) - Floyd Buckley (uncredited) * ''

'' (1949) - Ingram * ''

Sword in the Desert ''Sword in the Desert'' is a 1949 American war film directed by George Sherman. It was the first American film to deal with the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and marked the first significant feature film role for Jeff Chandler. Plo ...

'' (1949) - Capt. Beaumont * ''

'' (1950) - Major Ainsley (uncredited) * '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) - Graham (uncredited) * '' Inside Straight'' (1951) - Carlson * ''

Father's Little Dividend ''Father's Little Dividend'' is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor. The movie is the sequel to '' Father of the Bride'' (1950). Plot In this sequel to '' Fat ...

'' (1951) - Dr. Andrew Nordell * '' Double Crossbones'' (1951) - Malcolm Giles * ''

Francis Goes to the Races ''Francis Goes to the Races'' is a 1951 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Leonard Goldstein, directed by Arthur Lubin, that stars Donald O'Connor, Piper Laurie, and Cecil Kellaway. The distinctive voic ...

'' (1951) - Rogers * ''

The Prince Who Was a Thief ''The Prince Who Was a Thief'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Rudolph Mate and starring Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie. A technicolor swashbuckler, it was the first film Curtis featured in as a star. It was produced and distributed b ...

'' (1951) - Basra * '' The Law and the Lady'' (1951) - Tracy Collans * ''

'' (1951) - Tommy Baldwin (uncredited) * ''

When Worlds Collide ''When Worlds Collide'' is a 1933 science fiction novel co-written by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie; they also co-authored the sequel ''After Worlds Collide'' (1934). It was first published as a six-part monthly serial (September 1932 through Fe ...

'' (1951) - Dr. Emery Bronson * ''

Starlift ''Starlift'' (a.k.a. ''Operation Starlift'') is a 1951 American musical film released by Warner Bros. in directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer. The film stars Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Ro ...

'' (1951) - Chaplain * '' Room for One More'' (1952) - The Doctor (scenes deleted) * ''

Wild Stallion ''Wild Stallion'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan and Martha Hyer. The film's sets were designed by the art director Martin Obzina. Cast *Ben Johnson as Dan Light *Edgar Bu ...

'' (1952) - Maj. Cullen * ''

Skirts Ahoy! ''Skirts Ahoy!'' is a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine and Joan Evans. It was shot in Technicolor. The film follows the adventures of several women who join the WAVES with sequences fil ...

'' (1952) - Doctor * '' Above and Beyond'' (1952) - Dr. Ramsey * '' Rogue's March'' (1953) - Maj. Fallow * ''

The Story of Three Loves ''The Story of Three Loves'' (also known as ''Equilibrium'') is a 1953 American Technicolor romantic anthology film made by MGM. It consists of three stories, "The Jealous Lover", "Mademoiselle", and "Equilibrium". The film was produced by Si ...

'' (1953) - Mr. Thomas Clayton Campbell, Sr. (segment "Mademoiselle") (uncredited) * ''

The Stars Are Singing ''The Stars Are Singing'' is a 1953 Paramount Pictures musical directed by Norman Taurog and starring Rosemary Clooney, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Lauritz Melchior. Plot The screenplay concerns a 15-year-old Polish girl (played by Alberghetti) ...

'' (1953) - Congressman Nolte (uncredited) * '' Confidentially Connie'' (1953) - Prof. Simmons * '' The Girl Next Door'' (1953) - Henry Fields * ''

South Sea Woman ''South Sea Woman'' is a 1953 American black-and-white action-comedy-drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo and Chuck Connors. It is credited as being based on the play ''General Court Martial'' by William ...

'' (1953) - Prosecution Lt. Fears * ''

Project Moonbase ''Project Moonbase'' (a.k.a. ''Project Moon Base'') is a 1953 independently made black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Jack Seaman, directed by Richard Talmadge, and starring Ross Ford, Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke. It co-stars Larry ...

'' (1953) - General Greene * ''

The Robe ''The Robe'' is a 1942 historical novel about the Crucifixion of Jesus, written by Lloyd C. Douglas. The book was one of the best-selling titles of the 1940s. It entered the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list in October 1942, four weeks later ...

'' (1953) - Caluus - Slave Auction Bidder (uncredited) * '' Lucky Me'' (1954) - Tommy Arthur * ''

Drum Beat A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments. As such a "beat" consists of multiple drum strokes ...

'' (1954) - President Ulysses S. Grant * ''

The Eternal Sea ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. After an American naval officer loses his leg at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, h ...

'' (1955) - Capt. William Buracker * ''

All That Heaven Allows ''All That Heaven Allows'' is a 1955 American drama romance film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by Ross Hunter, and adapted by Peg Fenwick from a story by Edna L. Lee and Harry Lee. It stars Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson in a tale about the soci ...

'' (1955) - Dr. Dan Hennessy * ''

Tip on a Dead Jockey ''Tip on a Dead Jockey'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Taylor and Dorothy Malone. It is based on ''The New Yorker'' 1954 short story by Irwin Shaw. Plot Phyllis Tredman is shocked when her husband ...

'' (1957) - J.R. Nichols (uncredited) * ''

This Happy Feeling ''This Happy Feeling'' is a 1959 (or 1958) American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards adapted from the F. Hugh Herbert play ''For Love or Money''. Edwards regretted Universal-International's eleventh hour decision of a name change, but the ...

'' (1958) - Mr. Booth * ''

The Restless Years ''The Restless Years'' is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and the drama and relationships faced by young adults. It was created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for N ...

'' (1958) - Mr. Booth * '' Stranger in My Arms'' (1959) - Marcus Beasley * ''

Pillow Talk Pillow talk is the relaxed, intimate conversation that often occurs between two sexual partners, sometimes after sexual activity, usually accompanied by cuddling, caresses, kissing, and other physical intimacy. It is associated with honesty, se ...

'' (1959) - Mr. Conrad * ''

I Aim at the Stars I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plural ...

'' (1960) - U.S. Army Major * ''

Midnight Lace ''Midnight Lace'' is a 1960 American neo noir mystery thriller film directed by David Miller and starring Doris Day, Rex Harrison, and John Gavin. The plot centers on a woman who is threatened by an anonymous stalker but has a hard time convin ...

'' (1960) - Dr. Garver * '' Parrish'' (1961) - Tom Weldon * ''

Tammy Tell Me True ''Tammy Tell Me True'' is a 1961 American Eastmancolor comedy film directed by Harry Keller and starring Sandra Dee and John Gavin, Charles Drake, Virginia Grey and Julia Meade. The film was based on Cid Ricketts Sumner's 1959 novel of t ...

'' (1961) - Joshua Welling * '' Back Street'' (1961) - Charley Claypole * ''

Pocketful of Miracles ''Pocketful of Miracles'' is a 1961 American comedy film starring Glenn Ford and Bette Davis, produced and directed by Frank Capra, filmed in Panavision. The screenplay by Hal Kanter and Harry Tugend was based on Robert Riskin's screenplay for ...

'' (1961) - Police Captain Moore * ''

Spencer's Mountain ''Spencer's Mountain'' is a 1963 American family drama film written, directed, and produced by Delmer Daves from the 1961 novel of the same name by Earl Hamner Jr. and starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara The supporting cast features early a ...

'' (1963) - Colonel Coleman * '' The Thrill of It All'' (1963) - Billings * '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (1964) - Malcolm Broderick * '' A House Is Not a Home'' (1964) - Bill Cameron * ''

I'd Rather Be Rich ''I'd Rather Be Rich'' is a 1964 romantic comedy film with musical aspects directed by Jack Smight, produced by Ross Hunter and starring Sandra Dee. The film focuses on a dying man who wishes to meet his granddaughter's fiancé, but he is unavail ...

'' (1964) - MacDougall * ''

Youngblood Hawke ''Youngblood Hawke'' is a 1962 novel by American writer Herman Wouk about the rise and fall of a talented young writer of hardscrabble Kentucky origin who briefly becomes the toast of literary New York City. The plot was suggested by the life o ...

'' (1964) - Mr. Givney * ''

The Night Walker ''The Night Walker, or The Little Thief'' is an early seventeenth-century stage play, a comedy written by John Fletcher and later revised by his younger contemporary James Shirley. It was first published in 1640. Authorship The play enters th ...

'' (1964) - Howard Trent * ''

The Barefoot Executive ''The Barefoot Executive'' (also known as ''The Rating Game'') is a 1971 American comedy film starring Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn, Wally Cox, Heather North, Harry Morgan, and John Ritter (in his film debut), about a pet chimpanzee, named Raffles, ...

'' (1971) - Clifford * ''

The Moneychangers ''The Moneychangers'' is a 1975 novel written by Arthur Hailey. The plot revolves around the politics inside a major bank. Plot summary As the novel begins, the position of CEO of one of America's largest banks, ''First Mercantile American'', ...

'' (1976, TV Mini-Series) - Lewis Dorsey * '' I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later'' (1985, TV Movie) - Dr. Alfred Bellows

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rorke, Hayden 1910 births 1987 deaths Male actors from New York City American male film actors American male television actors Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Deaths from multiple myeloma American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American gay actors Deaths from cancer in California United States Army personnel of World War II LGBT people from New York (state) 20th-century American male actors People from Brooklyn Military personnel from New York City Brooklyn Preparatory School alumni 20th-century LGBT people