8.5
TV
Acting
David Wayne
- Born
- Died
- (aged 81)
- Birthplace
- Traverse City - Michigan - USA
- Credits
- 116 titles
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.
Signature work
Known For
8.5
TV
7.0
Movie
The Andromeda Strain
7.3
TV
Batman
6.8
Movie
How to Marry a Millionaire
7.5
TV
Murder, She Wrote
7.6
TV
The Golden Girls
7.3
Movie
The Front Page
7.1
Movie
Adam's Rib
7.8
TV
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
6.9
TV
Dallas
6.2
TV
The Love Boat
7.2
TV
Hawaii Five-O
7.2
Movie
The Three Faces of Eve
6.6
Movie
The Apple Dumpling Gang
7.2
Movie
Portrait of Jennie
6.7
TV
Gunsmoke
7.8
TV
Night Gallery
7.1
TV
The Streets of San Francisco
Acting credits 116
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards Film | Grandpère Bonnard (segment "The Happy Time") (archive footage) |
| 1987 | Poker Alice Film | Amos |
| 1987 | The Survivalist Film | Dub Daniels |
| 1986 | Masters of Photography - Edward Steichen Film | Narrator (voice) |
| 1985 | The Golden Girls TV | Big Daddy (1 ep) |
| 1984 | Crazy like a Fox TV | Jennings Hyde (1 ep) |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote TV | Cyrus Leffingwell (1 ep) |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves TV | Professor Wheeler (1 ep) |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers Film | Stapleton |
| 1982 | St. Elsewhere TV | George Wyler (3 ep) |
| 1982 | Newhart TV | Mr. Pittman (1 ep) |
| 1982 | Matt Houston TV | Bill Houston (3 ep) |
| 1979 | House Calls TV | Amos Weatherby (59 ep) |
| 1979 | An American Christmas Carol Film | Merrivale |
| 1979 | The Prize Fighter Film | Pop Morgan |
| 1979 | The Girls in the Office Film | Ben Nayfack |
| 1978 | The Gift of Love Film | O'Henry and Narrator |
| 1978 | Lassie: The New Beginning Film | Amos |
| 1978 | Murder at the Mardi Gras Film | Mickey Mills |
| 1978 | Dallas TV | Digger Barnes, Willard 'Digger' Barnes (3 ep) |
| 1977 | The Love Boat TV | Dwight Scoffield (1 ep) |
| 1977 | Big Hawaii TV | (1 ep) |
| 1977 | Eight Is Enough TV | (2 ep) |
| 1977 | In the Glitter Palace Film | Nate Redstone |
| 1977 | Hunter TV | (1 ep) |
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries TV | |
| 1976 | Once an Eagle TV | Col. Terwilliger (7 ep) |
| 1976 | Delvecchio TV | Jack Henderson (1 ep) |
| 1976 | That's Entertainment, Part II Film | (archive footage) |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen TV | Inspector Richard Queen (22 ep) |
| 1975 | Switch TV | Dancer (1 ep) |
| 1975 | The Apple Dumpling Gang Film | T.R. Clydesdale |
| 1975 | Tubby the Tuba Film | Pee-Wee the Piccolo (voice) |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects Film | Insp. Richard Queen |
| 1975 | It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman! Film | Dr. Abner Sedgwick |
| 1975 | Barney Miller TV | E.J. Heiss (1 ep) |
| 1974 | The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One Film | Maynard Richards |
| 1974 | The Front Page Film | Roy Bensinger |
| 1974 | Return of the Big Cat Film | Grandpa Jubal |
| 1974 | Huckleberry Finn Film | The Duke |
| 1973 | Faraday and Company TV | Branigan (1 ep) |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones TV | Raymond Lennox / 'Steele' (1 ep) |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco TV | Wally Sensibaugh (1 ep) |
| 1972 | The Brian Keith Show TV | (1 ep) |
| 1972 | Banacek TV | Walter Tyson (1 ep) |
| 1972 | The Catcher Film | Armand Faber |
| 1971 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood Film | David Wayne (uncredited) |
| 1971 | The African Elephant Film | Narrator |
| 1971 | The Good Life TV | Charles Dutton (15 ep) |
| 1971 | The Andromeda Strain Film | Dr. Charles Dutton |
| 1970 | Night Gallery TV | Dr. Mill (1 ep) |
| 1970 | The Boy Who Stole the Elephant Film | Colonel Rufus Ryder |
| 1970 | With These Hands Film | Narrator |
| 1969 | Hawaii Five-O TV | Monsieur Bordeaux (1 ep) |
| 1969 | Arsenic and Old Lace Film | Teddy Brewster |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game TV | Emory Ward (1 ep) |
| 1967 | Mannix TV | (1 ep) |
| 1967 | Ironside TV | Dr. Ian Rice (1 ep) |
| 1966 | CBS Playhouse TV | George Spears (1 ep) |
| 1966 | Batman TV | The Mad Hatter (4 ep) |