Jump to content

William LeMassena

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William LeMassena
Publicity Photo of William LeMassena
Born(1916-05-23)May 23, 1916
Glen Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJanuary 19, 1993(1993-01-19) (aged 76)
New Suffolk, New York, U.S.
Other namesBilly LeMassena
William Le Massena
EducationNew York University
OccupationActor
Years active1940–1992

William LeMassena (May 23, 1916 – January 19, 1993) was an American actor.[1] He was best known for his roles in Broadway and off-Broadway productions, the film All That Jazz (1979), and the soap opera As the World Turns (1985–1992).

Early life and career

[edit]

LeMassena was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey on May 23, 1916, the son of Margery L. (1883–1942) and William Henry LeMassena (1874–1944). He graduated from New York University.[1]

LeMassena made his acting debut in the 1940 Broadway production of The Taming of the Shrew, starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. He then became a regular part of the Lunt's unofficial rep company of actors, including Sydney Greenstreet, Thomas Gomez, and Montgomery Clift, with whom he appeared in There Shall Be No Night and Mexican Mural.[2]

In the later part of his career, LeMassena did several seasons of regional work at Meadowbrook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan, and also had a long run in Broadway's Deathtrap. He appeared in Broadway's first all nude play, Grin and Bare It in 1970,[3][4] which closed in less than three weeks.[5]

He appeared as the Heavenly Friend who serves as a guide to Gordon MacRae on his return trip to Earth in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. LeMassena appeared in other roles, however, including a stint towards the end of his life as Ambrose Bingham, on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns.

He also appeared throughout the 1960s in several television adaptations of stage plays on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, including a 1960 production of Shakespeare's The Tempest, starring Maurice Evans, Lee Remick, Roddy McDowall, and Richard Burton (LeMassena was Antonio), as well as a 1967 production of Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, starring Geneviève Bujold in her American television debut as Joan of Arc, and featuring LeMassena as Jean d'Estivet.

He also appeared in the first (and so far, the only) television production of the operetta Naughty Marietta, in the role of Rudolfo.

Personal life and death

[edit]

LeMassena served with the United States Army, 1942–1946.[6][7]

LeMassena was a close friend of Montgomery Clift, with whom he was in a relationship for three years during the early 1940s. Although Clift publicly dated Phyllis Thaxter, he and LeMassena continued to see each other privately during the run of There Shall Be No Night. The relationship ended when LeMassena left to serve overseas. LeMassena said of his relationship with Clift, "…over the course of three years we bared our souls, and found out everything about each other."[8] "Our affair was for me the most beautiful experience in my life."[9]

He died of lung cancer at his home in New Suffolk, New York on January 19, 1993, at age 76.[1]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1956 Carousel Heavenly Friend
The Wrong Man Sang Uncredited
1964 The World of Henry Orient
1970 Where's Poppa? Judge
1979 All That Jazz Jonesy Hecht
1985 Stephen King's Golden Tales Charles Pennywell Direct-to-video
Segment: "Do Not Open This Box"
1989 See You in the Morning Mr. Livingstone

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1955 Max Liebman Spectaculars Episode: "Good Times"
Naughty Marietta Rudolfo Television film
Studio One Episode: "The Voysey Inheritance"
1957 Stanley Francisco Episode: "Stanley and Mr. Phillips' Plot"
J.B. King Episode: "Married Friends"
On Borrowed Time Dr. Evans Television film
1958 Armstrong Circle Theatre James M. Hermann Episode: "The House of Flying Objects"
1960 The Tempest Antonio Television film
1962 The Defenders Mr. Graham Episode: "The Point Shaver"
Golden Showcase Poliakoff Episode: "Tonight in Samarkand"
Naked City Mr. Hanley Episode: "The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish"
The Teahouse of the August Moon Capt. McLean Television film
1963 Naked City Dr. Thomanini Episode: "Howard Running Bear Is a Turtle"
The Patriots Col. Humphreys Television film
Route 66 Mr. Spofford Episode: "Come Home Greta Inger Gruenschaffen"
1964 The Patty Duke Show Mr. Cameron Episode: "The Continental"
1965 Inherit the Wind Radio Man Television film
1967 Saint Joan Jean D'Estivet
1974 Lincoln Senator Remley Episode: "Mrs. Lincoln's Husband"
1982 Rascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn Judge Thatcher Television film
One More Try Judge
1988 Tales from the Darkside Charles Pennywell Episode: "Do Not Open This Box"
1985–1992 As the World Turns Ambrose Bingham Recurring role
Final role

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "William LeMassena, Actor, 76". The New York Times. January 21, 1993. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. ^ Capua, Michelangelo (September 16, 2015). Montgomery Clift: A Biography. McFarland. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7864-8033-3.
  3. ^ Gussow, Mel (March 2, 1970). "Broadway's First All‐Nude Play Due Next Week". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "William LeMassena". playbill. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "DON'T WAIT FOR SMILES". www.paulturgeon.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  6. ^ LaGuardia, Robert (1978). Monty: A Biography of Montgomery Clift. Avon. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-380-01887-1.
  7. ^ Bosworth, Patricia (1978). Montgomery Clift: A Biography. Bantam Books. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-553-12455-2.
  8. ^ LaGuardia, p. 36.
  9. ^ Bosworth, p. 81.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_LeMassena&oldid=1238982077"