Ted de Corsia

Ted de Corsia
De Corsia in Vengeance Valley (1951)
Born
Edward Gildea De Corsia

(1903-09-29)September 29, 1903
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 11, 1973(1973-04-11) (aged 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1928–1972
Spouses
Mary Robertson
(m. 1934; div. 1935)
    Rachel Thurber
    (m. 1939, divorced)
    Children2

    Edward Gildea De Corsia (September 29, 1903 – April 11, 1973) was an American radio, film, and television actor, best remembered for his chilling debut in The Lady from Shanghai (1947), as the ex-wrestler murderer Willie Garzah in the film The Naked City (1948), and as a gangster who turned state's evidence in the film The Enforcer (1951).

    Early life

    Career

    Radio

    De Corsia was a member of the cast of Blackstone Plantation.[1] He starred in the title role on Mike Hammer[2] and played Sergeant Velie on The Adventures of Ellery Queen.[3] He also voiced roles on Family Theater,[2] The March of Time, Cavalcade of America, Gang Busters,[4] and The Shadow.

    Film

    He made his film debut in Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai (1947) and went on to make a career playing villains and gangsters in 1940s and 1950s films, including The Naked City (1948), The Enforcer (1951), Crime Wave (1954), The Big Combo (1955), The Killing (1956), Baby Face Nelson (1957), Slightly Scarlet (1956), and The Joker is Wild (1957).

    In his last feature, The Outside Man (1972) with Ann-Margret and Angie Dickinson, his character, the mobster Victor, is killed off early in the film, but he later appears as his embalmed corpse, posed in a chair, holding a cigar.

    Television

    In the late 1950s and 1960s, he appeared in a number of television series, mostly westerns. He appeared in S2 E15 of "Wanted: Dead or Alive" playing George Winters in "Chain Gang" which aired 12/10/1959.

    He was featured on three episodes of the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason, including the episodes "The Case of the Drifting Dropout" (1964), in which he played murder victim Mort Lynch, and "The Case of the Positive Negative" (1966), in the role of murder victim George Emory. Other notable television series appearances included The Lone Ranger; The Untouchables; The Twilight Zone; Sea Hunt; I Dream of Jeannie; The Outer Limits, and The Monkees

    Filmography

    Year Title Role Notes
    1947 The Lady from Shanghai Sidney Broome
    1948 The Naked City Willie Garzah
    1949 The Life of Riley Norman
    Neptune's Daughter Lukie Luzette
    It Happens Every Spring Manager Jimmy Dolan
    Mr. Soft Touch Rainey
    1950 The Outriders Bye
    Cargo to Capetown Rhys
    Three Secrets Del Prince
    1951 The Enforcer Joe Rico
    Vengeance Valley Herb Backett
    A Place In The Sun Judge R.S. Oldendorff
    Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison Warden Ben Rickey
    New Mexico Acoma, Indian Chief
    Crazy Over Horses Duke
    1952 Captain Pirate Captain Easterling
    The Savage Iron Breast
    The Turning Point Harrigan
    1953 Man in the Dark Lefty
    Ride, Vaquero! Sheriff Parker
    Hot News Dino Rizzo
    Crime Wave 'Doc' Penny
    1954 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Farragut
    1955 The Big Combo Ralph Bettini
    Man with the Gun 'Frenchy' Lescaux
    Kismet Police Sub-altern
    1956 The Conqueror Kumlek
    Slightly Scarlet Solly Caspar
    The Steel Jungle Steve Marlin
    The Kettles in the Ozarks Professor
    Mohawk Indian Chief Kowanen
    The Killing Patrolman Randy Kennan
    Showdown at Abilene Dan Claudius
    Dance with Me, Henry Big Frank
    1957 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Shanghai Pierce
    The Lawless Eighties Grat Bandas
    The Midnight Story Lieutenant Kilrain
    The Joker is Wild Georgie Parker
    Gun Battle at Monterey Max Reno
    Man on the Prowl Detective
    Baby Face Nelson Rocca
    1958 Handle with Care Sam Lawrence
    South Seas Adventure Supplemental Narration Voice
    Enchanted Island Captain Vangs
    The Buccaneer Captain Rumbo
    1959 Inside the Mafia Augie Martello
    1960 Oklahoma Territory Chief Buffalo Horn
    Noose for a Gunman Jack Cantrell
    From the Terrace Mr. Ralph W. Benziger
    Spartacus Legionnaire Uncredited
    1962 It's Only Money Patrolman
    1964 The Quick Gun Jud Spangler
    Blood on the Arrow Jud
    1965 The Money Trap Police Captain Uncredited
    1966 Nevada Smith Hudson, Bartender
    1967 The King's Pirate Captain McTigue
    1968 5 Card Stud Eldon Bates
    1970 The Delta Factor Ames
    1972 The Outside Man Victor (final film role)

    Selected television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1955 The Lone Ranger Sam Slater Season 4 Episode 34: "Gold Freight"
    1957 Have Gun - Will Travel Chief Harry Blackfoot Season 1 Episode 13: "The Englishman"
    1957 Official Detective Lieutenant Evans Season 1 Episode 13: "Bombing Terror"
    1958 Official Detective Lieutenant Evans Season 1 Episode 39: "Bombing Terror"
    1959 The Twilight Zone Marty Sall Season 1 Episode 4: "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine"
    1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Police Inspector Salva Season 5 Episode 9: "Dead Weight"
    1960 Wanted Dead or Alive Arthur Barchester Season 3, Episode 10 "The Medicine Man"
    1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lieutenant Christensen Season 7 Episode 7: "You Can't Be a Little Girl All Your Life"
    1961 Rawhide Sheriff Season 3 Episode 24: "Incident of the Lost Idol"
    1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Police Lieutenant Herlie Season 2 Episode 13: "The Magic Shop"
    1964 The Twilight Zone Foreman Dickerson Season 5 Episode 33: "The Brain Center at Whipple's"
    1967 Get Smart Spinoza Season 3, Episode 8 "When Good Fellows Get Together"[5]
    1967 The Monkees Frank Season 2 Episode 12: "Hitting the High Seas"

    References

    1. ^ Key, Pierre V.R., ed. (1933). Pierre Key's Radio Annual (PDF). Pierre Key Publishing Corporation. p. 218. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
    2. ^ a b "Harry Wismer Off On Sports Trek". Brownwood Bulletin. Brownwood Bulletin. November 25, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved May 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
    3. ^ "Whistling Clown Sunday Mystery". Harrisburg Telegraph. Harrisburg Telegraph. March 2, 1940. p. 18. Retrieved May 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
    4. ^ Grunwald, Edgar A. (1938). Variety Radio Directory. Variety, Inc. p. 1284.
    5. ^ Season 3 DVD