Ray Middleton

Infobox actor
name = Ray Middleton
birthdate = birth date|1907|2|8|mf=y
birthplace = Chicago, Illinois, United States
deathdate = death date and age|1984|4|10|1907|2|8|mf=y
deathplace = Panorama City, California, United States

Raymond Earl Middleton, Jr. (February 8, 1907 – April 10, 1984) , known and billed as Ray Middleton, was an American character actor.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman in public, which he did at the 1939 World's Fair. During the early 1940s, he appeared in the movies "Gangs of Chicago", the original "Hurricane Smith" (playing the title role), and "Lady for a Night", which starred Joan Blondell and John Wayne. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, appearing in the Air Forces show "Winged Victory". In 1946, he co-starred with Ethel Merman in the original Broadway production of "Annie Get Your Gun".

In television, Middleton's appearances included "The Ed Sullivan Show" (once as a guest host), the "Colgate Comedy Hour", and "Chrysler's Shower of Stars" in the 1950s. He co-starred with Phil Silvers and Lee Remick in a 1967 TV adaptation of "Damn Yankees!".

During the 1970s, Middleton appeared in the TV movie "Hec Ramsey" as a judge, in the musical movie "1776", as Colonel Thomas McKean, and in the first TV adaptation of "Helter Skelter" as rancher George Spahn. He also voiced the character Pepperino in the cartoon "Tubby the Tuba".

Middleton's last appearances were as Cardinal Reardon in an episode of "M*A*S*H" ("Blood Brothers", featuring Patrick Swayze), and as grandfather Huey Rush in the comedy "Too Close for Comfort".

Middleton died in Panorama City, California at the age of 77.

External links

*

Persondata
NAME= Middleton, Ray
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1907-2-8
PLACE OF BIRTH= Chicago, Illinois, United States
DATE OF DEATH= 1984-4-10
PLACE OF DEATH= Panorama City, California, United States