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.
Filmography · 85
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
Columbo
1971 · Frank Simpson
The Love Boat
1977 · Stewart Coolidge
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self - Co-Host
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
The Golden Girls
1985 · Brother Martin
Quincy, M.E.
1976 · Harry Whitehead
Climax!
1954 · Sam Waterman
What's My Line?
1950 · Self
Petticoat Junction
1963 · Uncle George
Burke's Law
1963 · Whitman Saunders
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Self
McCloud
1970
Trading Places
1983 · Mortimer Duke
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978 · Self
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Coming to America
1988 · Mortimer Duke / Homele...
Ellery Queen
1975 · Dr. Norman Marsh
Harry and the Hendersons
1987 · Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973 · Self
DuPont Show of the Month
1957 · Harry Graves
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
1993 · Shadow (voice)
Cocoon
1985 · Arthur Selwyn
Oscar
1991 · Father Clemente
Good Heavens
1976
Cocoon: The Return
1988 · Art Selwyn
Corrina, Corrina
1994 · Grandpa Harry
Folks!
1992 · Harry Aldrich
Girl Trouble
1942 · Pedro Sullivan
Guest Wife
1945 · Joseph Jefferson 'Joe'...
Heaven Can Wait
1943 · Henry Van Cleve
Sunstroke
1992 · Jake
Night of 100 Stars
1982 · Self
Sleep, My Love
1948 · Richard W. Courtland
Greenwich Village
1944 · Kenneth Harvey
In Old Chicago
1938 · Jack O'Leary
Things Change
1988 · Gino
Happy Landing
1938 · Jimmy Hall
The Three Musketeers
1939 · D'Artagnan
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
1997 · Self (archive footage)
Midnight
1939 · Tibor Czerny
Wing and a Prayer
1944 · Bingo Harper
Picture Mommy Dead
1966 · Edward Shelley
The Boatniks
1970 · Commander Taylor
You Can't Have Everything
1937 · George Macrae
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
1939 · Alexander Graham Bell
A Fever in the Blood
1961 · Senator Alex S. Simon
Gidget Gets Married
1972 · Otis Ramsey
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
1939 · Don Ameche
Alexander's Ragtime Band
1938 · Charlie Dwyer
Land of Liberty
1939 · Alexander Graham Bell...
Love Is News
1937 · Martin J. Canavan
Swanee River
1939 · Stephen Foster
The Chinese Typewriter
1979 · Armand Beller
Lillian Russell
1940 · Edward Solomon
Ladies in Love
1936 · Dr. Rudi Imre
That Night in Rio
1941 · Larry Martin / Baron M...
Kiss the Boys Goodbye
1941 · Lloyd Lloyd
Down Argentine Way
1940 · Ricardo Quintana
Confirm or Deny
1941 · 'Mitch' Mitchell
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939 · Mike Connors
Shadow Over Elveron
1968 · Justin Travers
That's My Man
1947 · Joe Grange
Happy Land
1943 · Lew Marsh
Slightly French
1949 · John Gayle
Gateway
1938 · Dick Court
Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults
1997 · Self (archiveFootage)
Fifty Roads to Town
1937 · Peter Nostrand
Moon Over Miami
1941 · Phil O'Neil (Credits)...
It's in the Bag!
1945 · Don Ameche
The Magnificent Dope
1942 · Dwight Dawson
Josette
1938 · David Brassard Jr.
Ramona
1936 · Alessandro
Sins of Man
1936 · Karl Freyman / Mario S...
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
1970 · Col. Flanders
Love Under Fire
1937 · Tracy Egan
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009 · (archive footage)
So Goes My Love
1946 · Hiram Stephen Maxim
The Feminine Touch
1941 · John Hathaway
Something to Shout About
1943 · Ken Douglas
Four Sons
1940 · Chris Bern
Pals
1987 · Art Riddle
One in a Million
1937 · Bob Harris
Oddball Hall
1990 · G. Paul Siebriese
Rings Around the World
1967 · Host/Ringmaster