Ted de Corsia

Ted de Corsia. Edward Gildea De Corsia was an American character actor renowned for his imposing presence and distinctive voice, which he employed to memorable effect across film noir, westerns, and television for three decades. Often cast as a heavy or authority figure, his breakthrough came as the sadistic mobster Steve Brodie in the classic Orson Welles film The Lady from Shanghai. De Corsia's prolific career included significant roles in major studio productions like The Naked City and The Big Heat, as well as countless guest appearances on seminal TV series such as Gunsmoke and Perry Mason.

Early life and career

Born in Brooklyn, he initially pursued a career in vaudeville and as a drummer before turning to acting. His early stage work included performances with the prestigious Theatre Guild in New York City, honing his craft in live theater. De Corsia's deep, resonant voice led him to radio drama, where he became a frequent presence on popular programs emanating from Manhattan. This vocal work provided a natural transition to the burgeoning medium of television in the late 1940s, where he began landing roles in early anthology series.

Film and television work

De Corsia's film career was defined by tough-guy roles in numerous crime dramas and film noir productions of the 1940s and 1950s. Following his notable part in The Lady from Shanghai, he appeared in Jules Dassin's influential police procedural The Naked City and played a corrupt union official in Fritz Lang's brutal The Big Heat. He was a familiar face in westerns, including roles in The Gunfighter with Gregory Peck and The Wild North starring Stewart Granger. On television, he was a ubiquitous guest star, appearing on iconic series like The Untouchables, Bonanza, Rawhide, and The Twilight Zone. His later film work included a role in the Stanley Kramer production It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Radio and voice roles

Prior to his screen fame, de Corsia was a stalwart of network radio drama, performing on a wide array of programs from the 1930s through the 1950s. He was a regular performer on the esteemed CBS Radio series The Columbia Workshop and appeared on popular shows like The Shadow, Gang Busters, and The Adventures of Sam Spade. His distinctive baritone was also utilized in voice acting, most famously as the original voice of the villainous J. Jonah Jameson in the 1967 Spider-Man animated series. This voice work cemented his status as a versatile performer whose talents extended beyond his on-screen persona.

Personal life and death

De Corsia was married twice, first to Ruth Randall and later to Mildred C. De Corsia, with whom he had two children. He maintained a long-term residence in the San Fernando Valley community of Encino. An avid golfer, he was a member of the Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. Ted de Corsia died of a heart attack in Encino in April 1973 at the age of 68. His body of work, spanning the golden ages of radio, film, and television, left a lasting impression on American popular culture.

Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male voice actors Category:1904 births Category:1973 deaths