Acting
93
Man
31 May 1908
6 Dec 1993 (85)
Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Don Ameche
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.
Year | Movie / TV show / Other | Role |
---|---|---|
1997 | The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender | Self (archive footage) |
1997 | Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults | Self (archiveFootage) |
1994 | Corrina, Corrina | Grandpa Harry |
1993 | Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey | Shadow (voice) |
1992 | Folks! | Harry Aldrich |
1992 | Sunstroke | Jake |
1991 | Oscar | Father Clemente |
1990 | Oddball Hall | G. Paul Siebriese |
1988 | Coming to America | Mortimer Duke / Homeless Man #2 (uncredited) |
1988 | Cocoon: The Return | Art Selwyn |
1988 | Things Change | Gino |
1987 | Harry and the Hendersons | Dr. Wallace Wrightwood |
1987 | Pals | Fern Stobbs |
1986 | A Masterpiece of Murder | Frank Aherne |
1985 | Cocoon | Arthur Selwyn |
1985 | The Golden Girls | Brother Martin |
1983 | Trading Places | Mortimer Duke |
1982 | Night of 100 Stars | Self |
1977 | The Love Boat | Stewart Coolidge |
1977 | The Love Boat | Henry Dobson |
1977 | The Love Boat | Hollis Witkin |
1976 | Quincy, M.E. | Harry Whitehead |
1976 | Good Heavens | |
1975 | Ellery Queen | Dr. Norman Marsh |
1973 | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Self |
1972 | Gidget Gets Married | Otis Ramsey |
1971 | Columbo | Frank Simpson |
1971 | Alias Smith and Jones | |
1970 | McCloud | |
1970 | The Boatniks | Commander Taylor |
1970 | Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? | Col. Flanders |
1968 | Shadow Over Elveron | Justin Travers |
1967 | Rings Around the World | Host/Ringmaster |
1966 | Picture Mommy Dead | Edward Shelley |
1963 | Petticoat Junction | Uncle George |
1963 | Burke's Law | Whitman Saunders |
1963 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Collie McCullough |
1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self |
1962 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self |
1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host |
1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self |
1961 | A Fever in the Blood | Senator Alex S. Simon |
1957 | Tonight Starring Jack Paar | Self |
1957 | The Lux Show | Self |
1957 | DuPont Show of the Month | Harry Graves |
1954 | Climax! | Sam Waterman |
1953 | Coke Time with Eddie Fisher | |
1950 | What's My Line? | Self - Mystery Guest |
1950 | What's My Line? | Self - Panelist |
1949 | Slightly French | John Gayle |
1948 | Sleep, My Love | Richard W. Courtland |
1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show | Self |
1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show | Henry Orient |
1947 | That's My Man | Joe Grange |
1946 | So Goes My Love | Hiram Stephen Maxim |
1945 | Guest Wife | Joseph Jefferson 'Joe' Parker |
1945 | It's in the Bag! | Don Ameche |
1944 | Wing and a Prayer | Bingo Harper |
1944 | Greenwich Village | Kenneth Harvey |
1943 | Heaven Can Wait | Henry Van Cleve |
1943 | Something to Shout About | Ken Douglas |
1943 | Happy Land | Lew Marsh |
1942 | The Magnificent Dope | Dwight Dawson |
1942 | Girl Trouble | Pedro Sullivan |
1941 | That Night in Rio | Larry Martin / Baron Manuel Duarte |
1941 | Moon Over Miami | Phil O'Neil (Credits) / Phil 'Mac' McNeil |
1941 | The Feminine Touch | John Hathaway |
1941 | Confirm or Deny | 'Mitch' Mitchell |
1941 | Kiss the Boys Goodbye | Lloyd Lloyd |
1940 | Down Argentine Way | Ricardo Quintana |
1940 | Lillian Russell | Edward Solomon |
1940 | Four Sons | Chris Bern |
1939 | Midnight | Tibor Czerny |
1939 | The Story of Alexander Graham Bell | Alexander Graham Bell |
1939 | The Three Musketeers | D'Artagnan |
1939 | Hollywood Cavalcade | Mike Connors |
1939 | Swanee River | Stephen Foster |
1939 | Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 | Don Ameche |
1939 | Land of Liberty | Alexander Graham Bell (archive footage) |
1938 | In Old Chicago | Jack O'Leary |
1938 | Alexander's Ragtime Band | Charlie Dwyer |
1938 | Happy Landing | Jimmy Hall |
1938 | Josette | David Brassard Jr. |
1938 | Gateway | Dick Court |
1937 | Love Is News | Martin J. Canavan |
1937 | One in a Million | Bob Harris |
1937 | You Can't Have Everything | George Macrae |
1937 | Love Under Fire | Tracy Egan |
1937 | Fifty Roads to Town | Peter Nostrand |
1936 | Ramona | Alessandro |
1936 | Ladies In Love | Dr. Rudi Imre |
1936 | Sins of Man | Karl Freyman / Mario Signarelli |
Year | Movie / TV show / Other | Role |
---|---|---|
1968 | Julia | Director |