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| Don Ameche | |
|---|---|
| Name | Don Ameche |
| Caption | Don Ameche in 1939 |
| Birth name | Dominic Felix Amici |
| Birth date | May 31, 1908 |
| Birth place | Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States |
| Death date | December 6, 1993 |
| Death place | Scottsdale, Arizona, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor, radio personality |
| Years active | 1930–1993 |
| Spouse | Honora Malone (m. 1932–1993) |
Don Ameche was an American actor and radio performer whose career spanned vaudeville, radio, stage, film, and television from the 1930s through the early 1990s. He became a leading man in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s, later achieving a celebrated comeback in the 1980s. Ameche is remembered for his versatility across genres and media, earning recognition from peers and institutions across the entertainment industry.
Born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Ameche was the son of Italian immigrants from Basilicata and Sicily who worked in Midwestern communities such as Kenosha County, Wisconsin. He attended Kenosha High School before studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was involved with campus theatrical productions and the Wisconsin Union Theater. During his formative years he encountered popular culture figures and institutions including touring companies from New York City, performers from the Ziegfeld Follies, and the expanding radio networks such as NBC and CBS that would shape his early career.
Ameche launched his professional career in the era of Vaudeville and the Great Depression entertainment circuit, collaborating with producers and agents linked to RKO Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and independent theatrical managers. He transitioned to radio at WGN (AM) and later to national broadcasts on NBC where he became associated with programs featuring stars like Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and writers who contributed to shows for Fred Allen. In Hollywood he signed contracts and worked with studio heads such as Darryl F. Zanuck and directors associated with Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures, broadening his résumé to include collaborations with filmmakers and actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Ameche's early screen prominence included leading roles in films produced by 20th Century Fox and RKO, starring opposite contemporary stars like Betty Grable, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Gene Tierney, and Myrna Loy. Notable films included adaptations and studio projects tied to writers and directors from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. In the 1950s and 1960s he guest-starred on television series produced by studios and networks including CBS, NBC, and ABC, appearing in anthology series and dramatic programs alongside performers such as Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan, and Perry Como. His career resurgence culminated in the 1980s with a critically acclaimed performance in a film directed by John Landis co-starring with actors from that era, and later television roles in series produced by creators associated with Steven Spielberg-era television and feature-film crossovers.
Ameche's theatrical roots included touring with companies linked to Broadway houses like the Gershwin Theatre, and he performed in plays associated with producers from Broadway and regional theaters such as the Plymouth Theatre circuit. On radio he headlined and guest-starred on programs produced by writers and directors working for networks NBC and CBS, collaborating with announcers and musicians tied to orchestras led by figures like Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey. His voice work extended to dramatic anthologies and comedy-variety broadcasts that featured contemporaries such as Orson Welles, Archie Andrews-era serials, and scripted programs produced by companies operating out of Hollywood and New York City.
Ameche married Honora "Nora" Malone in 1932; the marriage linked him socially to circles that included entertainers, studio executives, and philanthropic organizations associated with cultural institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and civic groups in Los Angeles and Chicago. He raised six children and maintained friendships with fellow performers and industry figures such as James Stewart, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, and contemporary directors and producers from studios like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures.
During his career Ameche received accolades from industry institutions including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Kennedy Center, and television organizations such as the Emmy Awards body. He won honors from critics’ circles and was recognized by professional associations connected to Actors' Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild. Later-career recognition included an Academy Award for a supporting role, presented amid ceremonies featuring performers from across Hollywood and international film festivals where entrants included productions from Cannes Film Festival and domestic showcases like the American Film Institute retrospectives.
Ameche died in Scottsdale, Arizona, leaving a legacy invoked by historians of American cinema, scholars at institutions like the American Film Institute and Library of Congress, and retrospective programmers at venues such as the Museum of Modern Art and regional film societies. His career is cited in biographies and studies about the Golden Age of Hollywood, radio history texts that examine networks like NBC and CBS, and theater histories covering Broadway and touring companies. Contemporary actors, directors, and historians reference his work in discussions of performance across media in 20th-century American entertainment.
Category:1908 births Category:1993 deaths Category:American film actors Category:American radio actors