About

Known credits:
67
Birthday:
1908-05-31
Place of birth:
Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Website:
N/A

Don Ameche

Overview

Don Ameche born Dominic Felix Amici May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon (1985). Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor.

Ameche, standing in at a height of 5' 11" (1.8 m) was born May 31, 1908 (Gemini) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA as Dominic Felix Amici to mother, Barbara Edda (Hertel) and father, Felice Amici, a bartender. Has a younger brother Jim Ameche. His father was an Italian immigrant. His mother had German, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry. Americans pronounced his last name incorrectly in Italian ("Ah-mee-see"). So he changed it from "Amici" (correctly pronounced "Ah-mee-chee") into "Ameche", in order to keep the original Italian pronunciation. He had the nickname "The Latin Lover". Married Honore Prendergast on the 6th of December 1932. They had 6 children together. Became a father for the first time at age 25 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Dominic Felix Ameche--aka Don Ameche Jr. on October 3, 1933. Became a father for the second time at age 27 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Ronald Ameche on December 30, 1935. He died on January 2, 2001 in Iowa, aged 65. Became a father for the third time at age 31 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Thomas Anthony Ameche on July 20, 1939. Became a father for the fourth time at age 32 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Lawrence Michael Ameche on July 20, 1940. Became a father for the fifth time at age 36 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Barbara Balinda Ameche on March 13, 1945. Became a father for the sixth time at age 39 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Constance Victoria Ameche on February 22, 1948. His wife of 54 years, died on the 5th of September 1986. He died on December 6, 1993 at the age of 85 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA from prostate cancer.

Known for

Acting

2009 Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing Actor Self (archive) 58
Average
1997 Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults Actor Self (archiveFootage) 59
Average
1997 The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
1994 Corrina, Corrina Actor Grandpa Harry 62
Fair
1993 Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Actor Shadow (voice) 66
Fair
1992 Sunstroke Actor Jake 58
Average
1992 Folks! Actor Harry Aldrich 58
Average
1991 Oscar Actor Father Clemente 60
Fair
1990 Oddball Hall Actor G. Paul Siebriese N/A
N/A
1988 Things Change Actor Gino 59
Average
1988 Cocoon: The Return Actor Art Selwyn 62
Fair
1988 Coming to America Actor Mortimer Duke / Homeless Man #2 (uncredited) 67
Fair
1987 Harry and the Hendersons Actor Dr. Wallace Wrightwood 60
Fair
1987 Pals Actor Fern Stobbs 58
Average
1986 A Masterpiece of Murder Actor Frank Aherne N/A
N/A
1985 Cocoon Actor Arthur Selwyn 63
Fair
1983 Trading Places Actor Mortimer Duke 70
Good
1982 Night of 100 Stars Actor Self 59
Average
1972 Gidget Gets Married Actor Otis Ramsey 58
Average
1970 Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? Actor Col. Flanders 58
Average
1970 The Boatniks Actor Commander Taylor 58
Average
1968 Shadow Over Elveron Actor Justin Travers 59
Average
1967 Rings Around the World Actor Host/Ringmaster 59
Average
1966 Picture Mommy Dead Actor Edward Shelley 58
Average
1961 A Fever in the Blood Actor Senator Alex S. Simon 59
Average
1953 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher Actor N/A
N/A
1949 Slightly French Actor John Gayle 59
Average
1948 Sleep, My Love Actor Richard W. Courtland 59
Average
1947 That's My Man Actor Joe Grange 59
Average
1946 So Goes My Love Actor Hiram Stephen Maxim 59
Average
1945 Guest Wife Actor Joseph Jefferson 'Joe' Parker 59
Average
1945 It's in the Bag! Actor Don Ameche 58
Average
1944 Greenwich Village Actor Kenneth Harvey 59
Average
1944 Wing and a Prayer Actor Bingo Harper 59
Average
1943 Happy Land Actor Lew Marsh 58
Average
1943 Heaven Can Wait Actor Henry Van Cleve 61
Fair
1943 Something to Shout About Actor Ken Douglas 59
Average
1942 Girl Trouble Actor Pedro Sullivan 59
Average
1942 The Magnificent Dope Actor Dwight Dawson 59
Average
1941 Confirm or Deny Actor 'Mitch' Mitchell 58
Average
1941 The Feminine Touch Actor John Hathaway 58
Average
1941 Kiss the Boys Goodbye Actor Lloyd Lloyd 59
Average
1941 Moon Over Miami Actor Phil O'Neil (Credits) / Phil 'Mac' McNeil 59
Average
1941 That Night in Rio Actor Larry Martin / Baron Manuel Duarte 59
Average
1940 Down Argentine Way Actor Ricardo Quintana 58
Average
1940 Four Sons Actor Chris Bern 59
Average
1940 Lillian Russell Actor Edward Solomon 58
Average
1939 Swanee River Actor Stephen Foster 58
Average
1939 Hollywood Cavalcade Actor Mike Connors 59
Average
1939 Land of Liberty Actor Alexander Graham Bell (archive footage) N/A
N/A
1939 Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 Actor Don Ameche 59
Average
1939 The Story of Alexander Graham Bell Actor Alexander Graham Bell 58
Average
1939 Midnight Actor Tibor Czerny 61
Fair
1939 The Three Musketeers Actor D'Artagnan 59
Average
1938 Gateway Actor Dick Court 59
Average
1938 Josette Actor David Brassard Jr. 59
Average
1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band Actor Charlie Dwyer 59
Average
1938 In Old Chicago Actor Jack O'Leary 59
Average
1938 Happy Landing Actor Jimmy Hall 59
Average
1937 Love Under Fire Actor Tracy Egan 59
Average
1937 You Can't Have Everything Actor George Macrae 59
Average
1937 Fifty Roads to Town Actor Peter Nostrand N/A
N/A
1937 Love Is News Actor Martin J. Canavan 59
Average
1937 One in a Million Actor Bob Harris 59
Average
1936 Ladies In Love Actor Dr. Rudi Imre 59
Average
1936 Ramona Actor Alessandro 58
Average
1936 Sins of Man Actor Karl Freyman / Mario Signarelli N/A
N/A