Don Ameche
Known for: Acting
Don Ameche born Dominic Felix Amici May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon (1985). Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor. Ameche, standing in at a height of 5' 11" (1.8 m) was born May 31, 1908 (Gemini) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA as Dominic Felix Amici to mother, Barbara Edda (Hertel) and father, Felice Amici, a bartender. Has a younger brother Jim Ameche. His father was an Italian immigrant. His mother had German, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry. Americans pronounced his last name incorrectly in Italian ("Ah-mee-see"). So he changed it from "Amici" (correctly pronounced "Ah-mee-chee") into "Ameche", in order to keep the original Italian pronunciation. He had the nickname "The Latin Lover". Married Honore Prendergast on the 6th of December 1932. They had 6 children together. Became a father for the first time at age 25 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Dominic Felix Ameche--aka Don Ameche Jr. on October 3, 1933. Became a father for the second time at age 27 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Ronald Ameche on December 30, 1935. He died on January 2, 2001 in Iowa, aged 65. Became a father for the third time at age 31 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Thomas Anthony Ameche on July 20, 1939. Became a father for the fourth time at age 32 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Lawrence Michael Ameche on July 20, 1940. Became a father for the fifth time at age 36 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Barbara Balinda Ameche on March 13, 1945. Became a father for the sixth time at age 39 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Constance Victoria Ameche on February 22, 1948. His wife of 54 years, died on the 5th of September 1986. He died on December 6, 1993 at the age of 85 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA from prostate cancer.
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Columbo
Frank Simpson
1971
Series
The Love Boat
Stewart Coolidge
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Henry Dobson
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Hollis Witkin
1977
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962
Series
Quincy, M.E.
Harry Whitehead
1976
Series
The Golden Girls
Brother Martin
1985
Series
Petticoat Junction
Uncle George
1963
Series
Climax!
Sam Waterman
1954
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
1957
Series
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Series
Burke's Law
Whitman Saunders
1963
Series
McCloud
1970
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Film
Trading Places
Mortimer Duke
1983
Film
Coming to America
Mortimer Duke / Homeless Man #2 (uncredited)
1988
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Series
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
Series
Ellery Queen
Dr. Norman Marsh
1975
Series
DuPont Show of the Month
Harry Graves
1957
Film
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Shadow (voice)
1993
Film
Cocoon
Arthur Selwyn
1985
The Greatest Show on Earth
Collie McCullough
1963
Series
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973
Film
Harry and the Hendersons
Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
1987
Film
Oscar
Father Clemente
1991
Film
Cocoon: The Return
Art Selwyn
1988
Series
Good Heavens
1976
The Lux Show
Self
1957
Film
Corrina, Corrina
Grandpa Harry
1994
Film
Sleep, My Love
Richard W. Courtland
1948
Film
Folks!
Harry Aldrich
1992
Film
In Old Chicago
Jack O'Leary
1938
Film
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Film
Heaven Can Wait
Henry Van Cleve
1943
Film
Greenwich Village
Kenneth Harvey
1944
Film
Girl Trouble
Pedro Sullivan
1942
Film
Sunstroke
Jake
1992
Film
Guest Wife
Joseph Jefferson 'Joe' Parker
1945
Film
You Can't Have Everything
George Macrae
1937
Film
Midnight
Tibor Czerny
1939
Film
Happy Landing
Jimmy Hall
1938
Film
Things Change
Gino
1988
Film
Ladies in Love
Dr. Rudi Imre
1936
Film
Picture Mommy Dead
Edward Shelley
1966
Film
Love Is News
Martin J. Canavan
1937
Film
The Chinese Typewriter
Armand Beller
1979
Film
The Boatniks
Commander Taylor
1970
Film
Wing and a Prayer
Bingo Harper
1944
Film
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
1939
Film
The Three Musketeers
D'Artagnan
1939
A Masterpiece of Murder
Frank Aherne
1986
Film
Gidget Gets Married
Otis Ramsey
1972
Film
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Charlie Dwyer
1938
Film
Kiss the Boys Goodbye
Lloyd Lloyd
1941
Film
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
Don Ameche
1939
Film
Swanee River
Stephen Foster
1939
Film
Lillian Russell
Edward Solomon
1940
Film
Slightly French
John Gayle
1949
Film
Gateway
Dick Court
1938
Film
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
Col. Flanders
1970
Film
Land of Liberty
Alexander Graham Bell (archive footage)
1939
Coke Time with Eddie Fisher
1953
Film
Pals
Art Riddle
1987
Film
Hollywood Cavalcade
Mike Connors
1939
Film
That's My Man
Joe Grange
1947
Film
That Night in Rio
Larry Martin / Baron Manuel Duarte
1941
Film
One in a Million
Bob Harris
1937
Film
Down Argentine Way
Ricardo Quintana
1940
Film
Something to Shout About
Ken Douglas
1943
Film
Shadow Over Elveron
Justin Travers
1968
Film
Happy Land
Lew Marsh
1943
Film
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
(archive footage)
2009
Our Shining Moment
John 'Papa' McGuire Sr.
1991
Film
Fifty Roads to Town
Peter Nostrand
1937
Film
A Fever in the Blood
Senator Alex S. Simon
1961
Film
Moon Over Miami
Phil O'Neil (Credits) / Phil 'Mac' McNeil
1941
Film
Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults
Self (archiveFootage)
1997
Film
The Magnificent Dope
Dwight Dawson
1942
Film
Rings Around the World
Host/Ringmaster
1967
Film
It's in the Bag!
Don Ameche
1945
Film
Sins of Man
Karl Freyman / Mario Signarelli
1936
Film
Confirm or Deny
'Mitch' Mitchell
1941
Film
The Feminine Touch
John Hathaway
1941
Film
Love Under Fire
Tracy Egan
1937
Film
So Goes My Love
Hiram Stephen Maxim
1946
Film
Josette
David Brassard Jr.
1938
Film
Oddball Hall
G. Paul Siebriese
1990
Film
Ramona
Alessandro
1936
Film
Four Sons
Chris Bern
1940