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Wendell Holmes (actor)

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For information on Wendell Holmes, the American musician, see The Holmes Brothers.

Wendell Holmes
Press photo from NBC Blue network: Actor Wendell Holmes as Colonel Humphrey J. Flack, 1947
Born(1914-08-17)August 17, 1914
Cheshire, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 27, 1962(1962-04-27) (aged 47)
Paris, France
Other namesOliver Wendell Holmes
Alma materOhio State University
OccupationActor
Years active1934–1962
Spouse(s)Lois Jesson Holmes (1938–?)
Adrienne Marden (1956–1962) (divorced)

Wendell Holmes (August 17, 1914 – April 27, 1962) was an American actor whose career included work in radio,[1] television,[2] Broadway,[3] and film.[4]

Early years

[edit]

Holmes was born Oliver Wendell Holmes in Cheshire, Ohio to Ferdie and Ada Holmes.[5] Census records indicate that by 1930 the family was living in Columbus, Ohio.[6]

Career

[edit]

An article appearing in The Des Moines Register (1941) mentions Holmes being born on a farm and describes his winning a Chautauqua competition at age six, entering high school at age ten, and graduating from Ohio State University at age 18 with a degree in Education. It further states that instead of becoming an educator, Holmes hitch-hiked to New York and began working as an actor, starting his radio career in 1934.[7]

An article appearing in The Daily Dispatch (1949) mentions that Holmes' parents were school teachers and adds to the Chautauqua event by noting it took place in Middleport, Ohio, where a talent scout signed him up for more work.[8]

The same Daily Dispatch article (1949) quotes Holmes as saying at the time, "There are about 5,000 radio actors here, and last year they averaged $16 a week salary. Only about 500 manage to earn a truckdriver's living...When I started in 1934 I got $20 a week for working in 30 shows.[9]"

During the years 1948–49, Holmes appeared as Dr. Watson in the radio adaptation of Sherlock Holmes starring John Stanley, but was credited as "George Spelvin" to avoid confusion between his actual surname and the surname of the show's protagonist.[10][11][12]

Over the years, Holmes acted in more than 40 radio dramas, 50 TV episodes, and 10 movies.

Personal life

[edit]

On June 20, 1938, Holmes married actress Lois E Jesson in Manhattan, New York.[13] Following his divorce (date unknown) from Jesson, Holmes married actress Adrienne Marden in Santa Monica, California, on August 12, 1956.[14]

Wendell Holmes died of what is thought to have been a heart attack in Paris, France, on April 27, 1962.[15]

Radio acting

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Year Title Role Notes
1945 Words at War: "Apartment in Athens" voice actor Radio drama
1947 Colonel Humphrey Flack[16] voice actor Radio drama
1948 The Ford Theater: "Storm in a Teacup" voice actor Radio drama
1948 The Mysterious Traveler: "The Man Who Vanished"[17] voice actor Radio drama
1948 Sherlock Holmes: "The Blue Carbuncle[11] voice actor Radio drama; credited as George Spelvin
1950 Dimension X: "Almost Human"[18] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "And the Moon Be Still as Bright"[19] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "No Contact"[20] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "Mars Is Heaven"[21] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "The Outer Limit"[22] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "The Potters of Firsk"[23] voice actor Radio drama
1950 Dimension X: "The Roads Must Roll" voice actor Radio drama
1951 John Steele, Adventurer: "Counterpoint"[24] voice actor Radio drama
1951 Dimension X: "First Contact"[25] voice actor Radio drama
1951 Dimension X: "The Last Objective"[26] voice actor Radio drama
1952 Best Plays: Arsenic and Old Lace voice actor Radio drama
1952 The Chase: "Career Girl"[27] voice actor Radio drama
1953 The Chase: "A Frame for Murder"[28] voice actor Radio drama
1953 21st Precinct: "The Dog Day"[29] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "The Green Hills of Earth"[30] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "A Logic Named Joe"[31] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "No Contact"[32] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "Mars Is Heaven"[33] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "First Contact"[34] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "Nightfall"[35] voice actor Radio drama
1955 X Minus One: "The Outer Limit"[36] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Chain of Command"[37] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "A Gun for Dinosaur"[38] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Honeymoon in Hell"[39] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Mr. Costello, Hero"[40] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "The Old Die Rich"[41] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Protective Mimicry"[42] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "The Roads Must Roll"[43] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Skulking Permit"[44] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "The Snowball Effect"[45] voice actor Radio drama
1956 X Minus One: "Soldier Boy"[46] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "The Category Inventor"[47] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "Discovery of Morniel Mathaway"[48] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "Man's Best Friend"[49] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "Open Warfare"[50] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "Saucer of Loneliness"[51] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "The Scapegoat"[52] voice actor Radio drama
1957 X Minus One: "Something for Nothing"[53] voice actor Radio drama
1961 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: "The Stock in Trade Matter"[54] voice actor Radio drama

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1941 Always Tomorrow: The Portrait of an American Business Bottler Promotional film, Uncredited
1949 Lost Boundaries Mr. Morris Mitchell Movie
1955 Medic Dr. Welch Episode: "Dr. Impossible"
1955 The Man Behind the Badge Lawrence Deshaw Episode: "The Case of the Dying Past"[55]
1955 The Man Behind the Badge Pawling Episode: "The Case of the Part-Time Cop"
1955 Mr. Citizen Minor role, Episode: "One for the Padre"
1957 Official Detective Wendell Jordan Episode: "Body in the Trunk"
1957 The Court of Last Resort Terry Booth Episode: "The Clarence Redding Case"[56]
1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Henry C. Farnsworth Season 3 Episode 36: "The Safe Place"[57]
1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mr. Herrick, the Prosecutor Season 4 Episode 5: "The $2,000,000 Defense"[58]
1958 The Californians Krego Episode: "Death By Proxy"
1958 Young and Wild Lewis J. Christopher Movie
1958 The Adventures of Jim Bowie Seth Morton Episode: "Man on the Street"
1958 Father Knows Best Dr. Runeberg Episode: "Be Kind to Bud Week"
1958 I Want to Live! Detective Movie
1958 Leave It to Beaver Mr. T.J. Willet Episode: "Music Lesson"[59]
1958 Perry Mason Dr. Forbes Episode: "The Case of the Desperate Daughter"
1958 Perry Mason Howard Evans Episode: "The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant"
1959 Good Day for a Hanging Tallant Joslin Movie
1959 Never Steal Anything Small George Alper Movie, Uncredited
1959 Gunsmoke Betchel Episode: "Doc Quits"
1959 Behind Closed Doors Boris Gorin Episode: "The Geneva Story"
1959 Zorro Storekeeper Episode: "The Brooch"
1959 Zorro Storekeeper Avila Episode: "The Missing Father"
1959 Zorro Episode: "Please Believe Me"
1959 Compulsion Jonas Kessler Movie, Uncredited
1959 Playhouse 90 Judge Ives Episode: "Judgment at Nuremberg"
1959 The Rough Riders Sam Hanks Episode: "Hired Gun"
1959 But Not for Me Miles Montgomery Movie
1959 Edge of Eternity Sam Houghton Movie
1959 The Twilight Zone Cooper Episode: "Escape Clause"
1959 Man with a Camera Carl Ganza Episode: ":Missing"
1959 Special Agent 7 Neeley Episode: "Male Order"
1959 Lawman Cal Nibley Episode: "The Press"
1959 Leave It to Beaver Mr. T.J. Willet Episode: "Beaver's Hero"[60]
1959 Maverick Mayor Uli Bemus Episode: "The Cats of Paradise"
1959 The Texan Marshal Sommers Episode: "Dangerous Ground"
1959 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Lieutenant Holson Episode: "So Tender, So Profane"
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents John B. Halverson Season 5 Episode 19: "Not the Running Type"[61]
1960 Bonanza Judge Scribner Episode: "Death at Dawn"[62]
1960 Hawaiian Eye Dr. Abner Moses Good Episode: "The Kamehameha Cloak"
1960 Leave It to Beaver Andy Hadlock Episode: "Beaver and Andy"[63]
1960 Tales of Wells Fargo Governor Episode: "The Governor's Visit"
1960 Black Saddle Doc Hazen Episode: "Mr. Simpson"
1960 Zane Grey Theater Cobson, Auctioneer Episode: "Never Too Late"
1960 Maverick Colonel Dutton Episode: "Greenbacks, Unlimited"
1960 Perry Mason District Attorney Williams Episode: "The Case of the Bashful Burro"
1960 Startime Rigsby Episode: "Incident at a Corner"
1960 Mr. Lucky David Bullitt Episode: "Hit and Run"
1960 Because They're Young Principal Dolan Movie
1960 Overland Trail Mayor Bill Filmore Episode: "First Stage to Denver"
1960 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Minor role, Episode: "City in Bondage"
1960 Hawaiian Eye Sam Perkins Episode: "Little Blalah"
1960 Peter Gunn Janos Thorwald Episode: "The Semi-Private Eye"
1960 Inherit The Wind Banker, Critic at City Meeting Movie, Uncredited
1960 Elmer Gantry Reverend Ulrich Movie
1960 The Texan Henry Morton Episode: "24 Hours to Live"
1960 Bonanza Judge Rand Episode: "Badge Without Honor"[64]
1960 The Westerner Henry Hadley Episode: "Mrs. Kennedy"
1960 The Great Imposter Surgeon Commander Winston Movie, Uncredited
1960 Shotgun Slade Minor role, Episode: "A Plate of Death"
1960 Grand Jury Taylor Episode: "Condemned"
1961 The Absent Minded Professor General Poynter Movie
1961 Checkmate Mervin Everhardt Episode: "Portrait of a Man Running"
1961 Bus Stop Dean Drayton Episode: "Success Story"
1961 Follow The Sun The Judge Episode: "The Woman Who Never Was"
1961 The Untouchables The Judge Episode: "Loophole"
1961 Dr. Kildare Judge Inley Episode: "Hit and Run"
1961 Leave It to Beaver Mr. Blair Episode: "Beaver's English Test"[65]
1962 Hazel Mr. Wagner Episode: "Hazel's Dog Days"
1962 Leave It to Beaver Mr. Blair Episode: "Farewell to Penny"[66]
1962 Room for One More Judge Episode: "The Anniversary"
1962 Lawman Frank MacStrowd Episode: "The Barber"
1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Sylvester Tupper Season 7 Episode 34: "The Twelve Hour Caper"[67] (final appearance)

Citations

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  1. ^ Terrace p. 80
  2. ^ Pressnell/McGee p. 37
  3. ^ "('Wendell Holmes' search results)". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  4. ^ Andreychuk, Ed (2005). Burt Lancaster: A Filmography and Biography. McFarland & Company. p. 110. ISBN 9780786404360.
  5. ^ "Ohio, County Births, 1841–2003". FamilySearch. March 13, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "United States Census, 1930". FamilySearch. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Descendant of Writer Now Plays on Radio Serial". The Des Moines Register. October 27, 1941. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "At 34, Wendell Holmes Isn't Making as Much as When 6". The Dispatch. May 28, 1949. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  9. ^ "At 34, Wendell Holmes Isn't Making as Much as When 6". The Dispatch. May 28, 1949. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  10. ^ Dickerson, Ian (2019). Sherlock Holmes and His Adventures on American Radio. BearManor Media. p. 258. ISBN 978-1629335087.
  11. ^ a b " "mp3".
  12. ^ Harmon, Jim (2011). Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 175. ISBN 9780786485086.
  13. ^ "Index to Marriages, New York City Clerk's Office, New York City". New York Municipal Archives; New York City; Borough: Manhattan; Volume Number: 5. New York Municipal Archives. June 20, 1938. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  14. ^ "Adrienne Marden and Wendell Holmes Wed". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Texas, Corpus Christi. Associated Press. August 13, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved July 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ "Report of the Death of An American Citizen: Holmes, Oliver Wendell". Foreign Service of the United States of America. Department of State. May 18, 1962. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  16. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2015). Radio Programs, 1924–1984. McFarland. p. 80. ISBN 9781476605289.
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General bibliography

[edit]
  • Andreychuk, Ed. Burt Lancaster: A Filmography and Biography. McFarland, 2005.
  • Presnell, Don and McGee, Marty. A Critical History of Television's The Twilight Zone, 1959–1964. McFarland, 2015.
  • Terrace, Vincent. Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland, 2015.
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