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Don Ameche is a Actor American born on 31 may 1908 at Kenosha (USA)

Don Ameche

Don Ameche
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Birth name Dominic Felix Amici
Nationality USA
Birth 31 may 1908 at Kenosha (USA)
Death 6 december 1993 (at 85 years) at Scottsdale (USA)
Awards Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

Don Ameche (/əˈmiːtʃi/; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor and voice artist with a career spanning almost 60 years.
After touring in vaudeville, he featured in many biographical films, including The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939). He continued to appear on Broadway, as well as on radio and TV, where he was host and commentator for International Showtime, covering circus and ice-shows all over Europe. Ameche was married to his wife Honore for 54 years, and they had six children.

Ameche won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cocoon (1985).

Biography

Origines
Dominic Felix Amici est né le 31 mai 1908 à Kenosha dans le Wisconsin. Il est le fils de Felice Amici, un barman originaire du village italien de Montemonaco dans les Marches, et de Barbara Etta Hertel, d'origine scotto-irlando-allemande. Il a trois frères, Umberto (Bert), James (Jim Ameche ) et Louis, et quatre sœurs, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary et Anna.


Carrière
Il obtient une première reconnaissance de la profession pour son rôle dans La folle Parade (1938).

Il obtient un premier vrai succès pour son rôle dans Un fauteuil pour deux (1983).

En 1985, il a reçu un oscar pour le meilleur second rôle pour son interprétation dans Cocoon.


Mort
Ayant fini le tournage de son dernier film Corrina, Corrina de Jessie Nelson au début de novembre 1993, Don Ameche est emporté à l'âge de quatre-vingt-cinq ans par suite du cancer de la prostate, le 6 décembre 1993 chez son fils à Scottsdale en Arizona. Son corps est incinéré et ses cendres sont enterrées aux côtés de son épouse Honore Prendergast-Ameche (1907-1986) au cimetière Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, connu sous le nom de St. Philomena's Cemetery, à Asbury dans le comté de Dubuque de l'Iowa.

Best films

Trading Places
Trading Places
(1983)
(Actor) Cocoon
Cocoon
(1985)
(Actor) Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons
(1987)
(Actor) Alexander's Ragtime Band
Alexander's Ragtime Band
(1938)
(Actor) In Old Chicago
In Old Chicago
(1938)
(Actor)

Usually with

Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl F. Zanuck
(18 films)
Thomas Little
Thomas Little
(19 films)
Bess Flowers
Bess Flowers
(11 films)
J. Peverell Marley
J. Peverell Marley
(6 films)
Leon Shamroy
Leon Shamroy
(7 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Don Ameche (59 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina (1994)
, 1h55
Directed by Jessie Nelson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romance
Themes Films about racism, Films about religion, Films about Jews and Judaism, Children's films
Actors Whoopi Goldberg, Ray Liotta, Tina Majorino, Brent Spiner, Wendy Crewson, Don Ameche
Roles Grandpa Harry
Rating66% 3.3010453.3010453.3010453.3010453.301045
Annie, the wife of Manny Singer (Ray Liotta), has recently died. He realizes his young daughter, Molly (Tina Majorino), is missing and he goes off to look for her. His father, the unassuming and sweet Harry (Don Ameche) stumbles upon her under the table. He holds her. She has not spoken since her mother died. Manny's mother, the old world Eva (Erica Yohn), finds them.
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
, 1h24
Directed by Duwayne Dunham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Films about cats, Films about dogs, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Don Ameche, Sally Field, Michael J. Fox, Ted D'Arms, Robert Hays, Kim Greist
Roles Shadow (voice)
Rating69% 3.450783.450783.450783.450783.45078
Chance, a disobedient American Bulldog (voiced by Michael J. Fox) and narrator of the film, opens by explaining that he is the pet of Jamie Burnford (Kevin Chevalia), but expresses no interest in his owner or being part of a family. He shares his home with Shadow, an older and wiser Golden Retriever (voiced by Don Ameche) owned by Peter Burnford (Benj Thall), and Sassy, a smart-mouthed Himalayan cat (voiced by Sally Field), owned by their sister, Hope (Veronica Lauren). That morning, Bob Seaver (Robert Hays) marries Laura Burnford (Kim Greist), and Chance manages to cause chaos by digging into the wedding cake in front of all the guests.
Folks!
Folks! (1992)
, 1h47
Directed by Ted Kotcheff
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Comedy-drama
Actors Tom Selleck, Don Ameche, Anne Jackson, Christine Ebersole, Wendy Crewson, Michael Murphy
Roles Harry Aldrich
Rating56% 2.8010752.8010752.8010752.8010752.801075
The film tells the story of Jon Aldrich (Tom Selleck), a successful stockbroker who is living a good life with a wife and kids until he comes across his elderly father who has major dementia and, as a result of it, wreaks all kinds of havoc on his life including his own, which among all of them involves accidentally burning down his own house. Jon tries to get his sister, Arlene (Christine Ebersole) (who has two sons of her own but is an irresponsible gold digger), to take care of their parents, but she won't even open the door. As a result, his father, Harry (Don Ameche), and his mother, Mildred (Anne Jackson), have to move in with him and his family. That is the moment that his good life starts going downhill.
Oscar
Oscar (1991)
, 1h49
Directed by John Landis
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Action
Themes Mafia films, Gangster films
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Marisa Tomei, Ornella Muti, Tim Curry, Chazz Palminteri, Peter Riegert
Roles Father Clemente
Rating64% 3.2484953.2484953.2484953.2484953.248495
In the prologue, gangster Angelo "Snaps" Provolone promises his dying father (Kirk Douglas) that he will give up a life of crime, and instead "go straight".
Oddball Hall
Oddball Hall (1990)
, 1h27
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors Don Ameche, Burgess Meredith, Bill Maynard
Roles G. Paul Siebriese
Rating43% 2.1536952.1536952.1536952.1536952.153695
A duo of elderly jewel thieves, on the run from the law, disguise themselves as wizards in order to hide out at an African village.
Coming to America
Coming to America (1988)
, 1h56
Directed by John Landis
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Monde imaginaire
Actors Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair, John Amos
Roles Mortimer Duke / Homeless Man #2 (uncredited)
Rating70% 3.54813.54813.54813.54813.5481
Akeem Joffer, the crown prince to the throne of the wealthy African nation of Zamunda, lives a pampered lifestyle with every daily facet performed by servants. Akeem has become fed up with this and wishes to do more for himself. The final straw comes when his parents, King Jaffe and Queen Aeoleon, present him with an arranged bride-to-be named Imani Izzi, whom he has never met and who has been trained to obey Akeem's every command. Akeem concocts a plan to travel to the United States to find an intelligent, independent-minded woman he can both love and respect, and who will love Akeem for who he is and not for his wealth and social status as a prince. Akeem and his best friend/personal aide, Semmi, flip a coin to decide between going to either Los Angeles or New York City, and end up going to New York City. They end up in the borough of Queens and rent a run-down apartment in the neighborhood of Long Island City, passing themselves off as poor foreign students. They begin working at a local fast food restaurant called McDowell's—an obvious ripoff of McDonald's—owned by widower Cleo McDowell and his two daughters, Lisa and Patrice.
Cocoon: The Return
Cocoon: The Return (1988)
, 1h56
Directed by Daniel Petrie
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Charles Lampkin, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton
Roles Art Selwyn
Rating54% 2.729142.729142.729142.729142.72914
Five years after they left, the Antareans return to Earth to rescue the cocoons that were left behind. Before they can be retrieved, one of the cocoons is discovered by a science research team and taken to a secure laboratory for testing. The aliens and their human allies must find a way to retrieve the cocoon in time for their rendezvous with the rescue ship, while the humans travelling with them must decide whether to return to Antarea or stay on Earth and become mortal again.
Things Change
Things Change (1988)
, 1h40
Directed by David Mamet
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Action, Crime
Actors Joe Mantegna, Don Ameche, Robert Prosky, Mike Nussbaum, William H. Macy, Ricky Jay
Roles Gino
Rating69% 3.4922053.4922053.4922053.4922053.492205
Gino, a humble shoe-shiner in Chicago, is approached by a Mafia don who offers him a large sum of money to take the rap for a murder committed by another gangster. Gino agrees, planning to buy a fishing boat with the money he will earn after a three-year sentence.
Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
, 1h50
Directed by William Dear
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy
Themes Films about animals, Environmental films, Films about magic and magicians, Giant monster films, Political films, Buddy films
Actors John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Margaret Langrick, Kevin Peter Hall, Lainie Kazan, Don Ameche
Roles Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
Rating60% 3.049963.049963.049963.049963.04996
George Henderson (John Lithgow) is returning home with his family from a camping trip when they hit something with the family station wagon. George investigates, and discovers to his horror and awe, that they had hit a Sasquatch. Deciding to take the creature home, George does so, strapping it to the roof of the car. Meanwhile, a mysterious hunter has been tracking the creature and discovers the Hendersons' license plate, which fell off when they hit the creature. At home, curiosity gets the best of George, and he goes out to the garage to examine the creature. Much to his shock, the creature was not dead and has since disappeared. He hears noises from his kitchen and sees the creature, it has knocked over the fridge in its attempt to find food. After waking the whole house, the family realizes that the creature is friendly and kind. George has a change of heart, at first he wished to make money from the creature, but now decides to take him back to the wild. Naming the creature "Harry", George tries to lure him into the station wagon, but Harry believes that the Hendersons mean him harm and instead he disappears.
Cocoon
Cocoon (1985)
, 1h53
Directed by Ron Howard
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Vieillesse, Films based on science fiction novels, Comedy science fiction films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Films set in Atlantis
Actors Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg
Roles Arthur Selwyn
Rating66% 3.349033.349033.349033.349033.34903
About 10,000 years ago, peaceful aliens from the planet Antarea set up an outpost on the planet Earth, on an island later known to mankind as Atlantis. When Atlantis sank, twenty aliens were left behind, kept alive in large rock-like cocoons at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Now a group of Antareans have returned to Earth to collect them. Disguising themselves as humans, they rent a house with a swimming pool, and charge the water with "life force" to give the cocooned Antareans energy to survive the trip home. They charter a boat from a local captain named Jack (Steve Guttenberg) who helps them retrieve the cocoons. Jack likes Kitty (Tahnee Welch), a beautiful woman from the team who chartered his boat. When he spies on her while she undresses in her cabin, Jack is shocked when he discovers she is an alien. After the aliens reveal themselves to him and explain what's going on, he decides to help them.
Trading Places
Trading Places (1983)
, 1h54
Directed by John Landis
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Christmas films
Actors Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, Jamie Lee Curtis
Roles Mortimer Duke
Rating74% 3.7471153.7471153.7471153.7471153.747115
Duke brothers Randolph (Ralph Bellamy) and Mortimer (Don Ameche) own a successful commodities brokerage in Philadelphia. Holding opposing views on the issue of nature versus nurture, they make a wager of the "usual amount" and agree to conduct an experiment switching the lives of two people at opposite sides of the social hierarchy and observing the results. They witness an encounter between their managing director—the well-mannered and educated Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd), engaged to the Dukes' grand-niece Penelope—and a poor street hustler named Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy); Valentine is arrested at Winthorpe's insistence because of a suspected robbery attempt. The Dukes decide to use the two men for their experiment.
Gidget Gets Married
Gidget Gets Married (1972)
, 1h13
Directed by E.W. Swackhamer
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Sports films, Surfing films
Actors Paul Lynde, Michael Burns, Don Ameche, Joan Bennett, Macdonald Carey, Elinor Donahue
Roles Otis Ramsey
Rating47% 2.3585752.3585752.3585752.3585752.358575
Now that Jeff has completed his military service and landed a lucrative job as an engineer, he and Gidget marry and move to Glossop, Maryland, where his new job is. Gidget finds that Jeff's company exerts far too much control over their lives, deciding where they will live and even choosing their friends for them. Gidget's rebellion against this lands Jeff in hot water, and their marriage is sorely tested.
The Boatniks
The Boatniks (1970)
, 1h40
Directed by Norman Tokar, Christopher Hibler, Arthur J. Vitarelli
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Heist films, Children's films
Actors Robert Morse, Stefanie Powers, Phil Silvers, Norman Fell, Mickey Shaughnessy, Wally Cox
Roles Commander Taylor
Rating55% 2.753572.753572.753572.753572.75357
U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Jordan (Joey Forman) responds to a number of pleas for help from civilian pleasure boat sailors off the coast of Southern California. This type of event is typical of what the Coast Guard deals with on a regular basis, and is one of the reasons why Jordan has requested to transfer to a new station. He is handing over the reins to Ensign Tom Garland (Robert Morse), a polite but remarkably clumsy fellow who will now report to Commander Taylor (Don Ameche), a man who fought in World War II with Garland's father and holds him in high regard.
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? (1970)
, 1h53
Directed by Hy Averback
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Military humor in film
Actors Brian Keith, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, Ivan Dixon, Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Ewell
Roles Col. Flanders
Rating54% 2.7088552.7088552.7088552.7088552.708855
Col. Flanders commands a U.S. Army base in the South. To improve relations with the locals, he decides to throw a community dance. He gives the assignment to Warrant Officer Nace, sergeants Gambroni and Jones and a captain, Myerson.