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David Wayne

Biography

David Wayne (January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American actor with a career spanning nearly 50 years.

Wayne was born Wayne James McMeekan in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen Matilda (née Mason) and John David McMeekan. He grew up in Bloomingdale, Michigan. Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the leprechaun in Finian's Rainbow, for which he won the Theatre World Award and the first ever Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. While appearing in the play, he and co-star Albert Sharpe were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to play Irish characters in the film Portrait of Jennie (1948).

It was in 1948 as well that Wayne became one of those fortunate 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed Actors Studio. He was awarded a second Tony for Best Actor in a Play for The Teahouse of the August Moon and was nominated as Best Actor in a Musical for The Happy Time. He originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy Mister Roberts and also appeared in Say, Darling, After the Fall, and Incident at Vichy.

Known For

The Front Page
The Front Page
The Andromeda Strain
The Andromeda Strain
How to Marry a Millionaire
How to Marry a Millionaire
Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers
Hell and High Water
Hell and High Water
We're Not Married!
We're Not Married!
The Prize Fighter
The Prize Fighter
Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib
Portrait of Jennie
Portrait of Jennie
Lassie: The New Beginning
Lassie: The New Beginning

Filmography

2005 Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
as Grandpère Bonnard (segment "The Happy Time") (archive footage)
1987 Poker Alice
as Amos
1987 The Survivalist
as Dub Daniels
1986 Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
as Self (from How to Marry a Millionaire [1953]) (archive footage)
1986 Masters of Photography - Edward Steichen
as Narrator (voice)
1985 The Golden Girls
as Big Daddy
1984 Crazy like a Fox
as Jennings Hyde
1984 Murder, She Wrote
as Cyrus Leffingwell
1984 Finder of Lost Loves
as Professor Wheeler
1984 Finders Keepers
as Stapleton
1982 St. Elsewhere
as
1982 Newhart
as Mr. Pittman
1982 Matt Houston
as
1982 Matt Houston
as Bill Houston
1979 House Calls
as Amos Weatherby
1979 An American Christmas Carol
as Merrivale
1979 The Prize Fighter
as Pop Morgan
1979 The Girls in the Office
as Ben Nayfack
1978 The Gift of Love
as O'Henry and Narrator
1978 Lassie: The New Beginning
as Amos