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 Andromeda Strain

How to Marry a Millionaire

Finders Keepers

Hell and High Water

We're Not Married!

The Prize Fighter

Adam's Rib

Portrait of Jennie

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

1982 Newhart

as Mr. Pittman

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