Paul Douglas Fleischer (April 11, 1907 − September 11, 1959), known professionally as Paul Douglas, was an American actor.

Early years

Douglas was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, Pennsylvania, the son of Margaret (Douglas) and William Paul Fleischer. He attended

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

and participated in dramatics as a student there.

Career

Douglas worked originally as an announcer for

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 Entertainmen ...

radio station

WCAU WCAU (channel 10) is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, airing programming from the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Mount Laurel, New Jerse ...

in Philadelphia, relocating to network headquarters in New York in 1934. Douglas co-hosted CBS's popular

swing music Swing music is a style of jazz that developed in the United States during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It became nationally popular from the mid-1930s. The name derived from its emphasis on the off-beat, or nominally weaker beat. Swing bands ...

program, ''The Saturday Night Swing Club,'' from 1936 to 1939. He also appeared on the CBS network broadcast of the 1937 World Series between the New York Giants and New York Yankees alongside France Laux and Bill Dyer. He also served as host and commercial pitchman for

Chesterfield Cigarettes Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette, named after Chesterfield County, Virginia. The brand is owned by conglomerate Altria and produced by its subsidiary Philip Morris USA. History A blend of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, Chesterfields were int ...

on swing band leader

Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...

's 1940-42 CBS radio series. He made his

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 ...

debut in 1936 as the Radio Announcer in Doty Hobart and Tom McKnight's ''Double Dummy'' at the

John Golden Theatre The John Golden Theatre, formerly the Theatre Masque and Masque Theater, is a Broadway theater at 252 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the Golden Theatre was de ...

. In 1946 he won both a

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 theatre, Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945� ...

and a

Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 Aug ...

for his portrayal of Harry Brock in

Garson Kanin Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films. Early life Garson Kanin was born in Rochester, New York; his family later relocated to Detroit then to New York City. He attended ...

's '' Born Yesterday''. Douglas began appearing in films in

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

. He may be best remembered for two baseball comedy movies, ''

It Happens Every Spring ''It Happens Every Spring'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Ray Milland, Jean Peters and Paul Douglas. Plot A college professor is working on a long-term scientific experiment when a baseball comes through the ...

'' (1949) and '' Angels in the Outfield'' (1951). He also played

Richard Widmark Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) ...

's police partner in the

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...

thriller '' Panic in the Streets'', frustrated newlywed Porter Hollingsway in ''

A Letter to Three Wives ''A Letter to Three Wives'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy-drama which tells the story of a woman who mails a letter to three women, telling them she has left town with the husband of one of them, but not saying which one. It stars Jeanne Cr ...

'' (1949), Sgt. Kowalski in ''

The Big Lift ''The Big Lift'' is a 1950 American drama war film on location in the city of Berlin, Germany, that tells the story of " Operation Vittles", the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift, through the experiences of two U.S. Air Force sergeants (played by Montgom ...

'' (1950), a con man-turned-monk in '' When in Rome'' (1952), businessman Calvin B. Marshall in ''

The Maggie ''The 'Maggie (released in the U.S.A. as ''High and Dry'') is a 1954 British comedy film produced by Ealing Studios. Directed by Alexander Mackendrick and written by William Rose, it is a story of a clash of cultures between a hard-driving Ame ...

'' (1954), and businessman Josiah Walter Dudley in ''

Executive Suite An executive suite in its most general definition is a collection of offices or rooms—or suite—used by top managers of a business—or executives. Over the years, this general term has taken on a variety of specific meanings. Corporate off ...

'' (1954). Douglas was host of the 22nd annual

Academy Awards 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 ...

in March 1950. Continuing in radio, he was the announcer for ''The

Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He was noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a d ...

Show'', and the first host of NBC Radio's ''

The Horn & Hardart Children's Hour ''The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour'' (later known as ''The Children's Hour'') was a variety show with a cast of children, including some who later became well-known adult performers. It had a long run for more than three decades. The program w ...

''. In April 1959 Douglas appeared on ''

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' as Lucy Ricardo's television morning show co-host in the episode "Lucy Wants a Career". In 1955 he appeared in the play "The Caine Mutiny" but his union placed him on probation for allegedly saying, "The South stinks. It's a land of sowbelly and segregation," which offended Southern audiences. Douglas claimed that he was misquoted. Douglas starred in ''

Clash by Night ''Clash by Night'' is a 1952 American film noir drama directed by Fritz Lang and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe and Keith Andes. The film is based on the 1941 play by Clifford Odets, adapted for the screen ...

'' in 1952 with Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas was originally cast in the 1960 episode of ''

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, su ...

'' called "

The Mighty Casey "The Mighty Casey" is episode thirty-five of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. Its title is a reference to the baseball poem "Casey at the Bat". It originally aired on June 17, 1960 on CBS. Opening narration Plot " ...

", a role written for him by

Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ' ...

based on his character in ''Angels in the Outfield''. Douglas died the day after production of the episode had been completed. He had been in his last stages of illness during filming, and his severe physical state was apparent on film. (The crew incorrectly assumed that his condition was the result of heavy drinking.) The episode – which was a comedy – was deemed unairable. It was, however, resurrected some months later, and Douglas's scenes were re-shot with

Jack Warden Jack Warden (born John Warden Lebzelter Jr.; September 18, 1920July 19, 2006) was an American character actor of film and television. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Shampoo'' (1975) and '' Heaven Can Wait ...

Personal life

Douglas was married five times – to Elizabeth Farnum, Susie Wells, and Gerri Higgins, and to actresses

Virginia Field Virginia Field (born Margaret Cynthia Field; 4 November 1917 – 2 January 1992) was a British-born film actress. Early years An only child, born in London, her father was Sir John Field. He was the judge of Leicester County Court Circuit. H ...

and

Jan Sterling Jan Sterling (born Jane Sterling Adriance; April 3, 1921 – March 26, 2004) was an American film, television and stage actress. At her most active in films during the 1950s (immediately prior to which she had joined the Actors Studio), Sterlin ...

.Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume''. Perigee Books. . pp. 355–356. Douglas and Field had a daughter, Margaret. The couple divorced in 1946. He married Sterling on May 12, 1950. They had a son, Adams, born October 20, 1955.

Death

Douglas died of a heart attack (

myocardial infarction A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...

) at his home in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

, on September 11, 1959, at the age of 52. Douglas had appeared in adverts for

Chesterfield cigarettes Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette, named after Chesterfield County, Virginia. The brand is owned by conglomerate Altria and produced by its subsidiary Philip Morris USA. History A blend of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, Chesterfields were int ...

, and tobacco smoking is well recognized to be a common association with

coronary artery disease Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial ischemia, or simply heart disease, involves the reduction of blood flow to the heart muscle due to build-up of atherosclerotic pla ...

. He died a day after he finished filming scenes for ''the Twilight Zone'' episode "

". As with ''Angels in the Outfield'', he played a manager frustrated by a losing team. Most of his scenes were re-shot with

as the manager. Douglas appeared in the episode's final shot, in the distance with his back to the camera. Film director

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holl ...

and his longtime co-writer I. A. L. ('Izzy') Diamond had just offered him the role of Jeff Sheldrake in the

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

movie ''

The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David ...

'' that went to

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

instead. Wilder later said: "I saw him and his wife, Jan Sterling, at a restaurant, and I realized he was perfect, and I asked him right there in the parking lot. About two days before we were to start, he had a heart attack and died. Iz and I were shattered."

Complete filmography

*''P's and Cues'' (1935, Short) - Narrator *''Calling All Tars'' (1936, Short) - Semaphore Signalman (uncredited) *''

Margin for Error ''Margin for Error'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Lillie Hayward and Samuel Fuller is based on the 1939 play of the same title by Clare Boothe Luce. Plot When police officer Moe Finkelstein (Milt ...

'' (1943) - Policeman at Front Desk (uncredited) *''

'' (1949) - Porter Hollingsway *''

'' (1949) - Monk Lanigan *''

Everybody Does It ''Everybody Does It'' is a 1949 comedy film starring Paul Douglas, Linda Darnell and Celeste Holm. In the film, a businessman's wife tries to become an opera star, failing miserably due to her lack of talent. When it turns out that her totally unt ...

'' (1949) - Leonard Borland aka Logan Bennett *''

'' (1950) - Hank Kowalski *''

Love That Brute ''Love That Brute'' is a 1950 American comedy film, comedy crime film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Paul Douglas (actor), Paul Douglas and Jean Peters. The film is a remake of ''Tall, Dark and Handsome'', a 1941 film also distributed by ...

'' (1950) - E.L. 'Big Ed' Hanley *'' Panic in the Streets'' (1950) - Capt. Tom Warren *''

Fourteen Hours ''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel. The film won critical accla ...

'' (1951) - Police Officer Charlie Dunnigan *''

The Guy Who Came Back ''The Guy Who Came Back'' is a 1951 film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Joseph M. Newman, and starring Paul Douglas, Joan Bennett, and Linda Darnell. The screenplay was written by Allan Scott, based on story by William Fay. Plot Injur ...

'' (1951) - Harry Joplin *''

Rhubarb Rhubarb is the fleshy, edible stalks ( petioles) of species and hybrids (culinary rhubarb) of ''Rheum'' in the family Polygonaceae, which are cooked and used for food. The whole plant – a herbaceous perennial growing from short, thick rhizo ...

'' (1951) - Man on Park Bench (uncredited) *'' Angels in the Outfield'' (1951) - Aloysius X. 'Guffy' McGovern *'' When in Rome'' (1952) - Joe Brewster *''

'' (1952) - Jerry D'Amato *''

We're Not Married! ''We're Not Married!'' is a 1952 American anthology romantic comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25 ...

'' (1952) - Hector C. Woodruff *'' Never Wave at a WAC'' (1953) - Andrew McBain *''

Forever Female ''Forever Female'' is a 1953 black and white film directed by Irving Rapper. It stars Ginger Rogers and William Holden. It won a Golden Globe in 1954. Plot The reviews are in and a new play starring Beatrice Page and produced by Harry Phillips i ...

'' (1953) - E. Harry Phillips *''Calling Scotland Yard: Falstaff's Fur Coat'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''Calling Scotland Yard: The Missing Passenger'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''Calling Scotland Yard: The Final Twist'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''Calling Scotland Yard: Present for a Bride'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''

'' (1954) - Josiah Walter Dudley *''

'' (1954) - Calvin B. Marshall - the American *''Calling Scotland Yard: The Javanese Dagger'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''Calling Scotland Yard: The Sable Scarf'' (1954, Short) - Commentator *''

Green Fire ''Green Fire'' is a 1954 American CinemaScope and Eastmancolor adventure drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Andrew Marton and produced by Armand Deutsch, with original music by Miklós Rózsa. The picture stars Grac ...

'' (1954) - Vic Leonard *''

Joe MacBeth ''Joe MacBeth'' is a 1955 British–American crime drama, directed by Ken Hughes and starring Paul Douglas, Ruth Roman and Bonar Colleano. It is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's ''Macbeth'', set in a 1930s American criminal underworld. The ...

'' (1955) - Joe MacBeth *''

The Gamma People ''The Gamma People'' is a 1956 British-American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by John Gossage, directed by John Gilling, that stars Paul Douglas, Eva Bartok, and Leslie Phillips. The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures and e ...

'' (1956) - Mike Wilson *''

The Leather Saint ''The Leather Saint'' is a 1956 American drama film noir sport film, directed by Alvin Ganzer in black-and-white VistaVision, about a priest who boxes. It stars John Derek, Paul Douglas and Jody Lawrance. Plot Although he is a minister, the yo ...

'' (1956) - Gus MacAuliffe *''

The Solid Gold Cadillac ''The Solid Gold Cadillac'' is a 1956 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 (blac ...

'' (1956) - Edward L. McKeever *'' Born Yesterday'' (1956, TV Movie) - Harry Brock *'' This Could Be the Night'' (1957) - Rocco *''

Beau James ''Beau James'' is a 1957 film based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler. The film stars Bob Hope in a rare dramatic role as Jimmy Walker, the colorful but controversial Mayor of New York City from 1926–32. Plot In 1925, New ...

'' (1957) - Chris Nolan *'' Fortunella'' (1958) - Professor Golfiero Paganica *'' Suspicion (TV series)'' (1958) - Comfort for the Grave - Vincente Polito *'' The Mating Game'' (1959) - Pop Larkin *''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''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 ren ...

'' (1959) - Touche - Bill Fleming *"

The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

(1959) - as himself

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Paul 1907 births 1959 deaths Male actors from Philadelphia American male film actors American male television actors Clarence Derwent Award winners Donaldson Award winners People from Greater Los Angeles Theatre World Award winners 20th Century Studios contract players 20th-century American male actors