Ed Ames

Infobox musical artist

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Name = (Mingo) Ed Ames
| Img_capt = Ed Ames as Mingo
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Edmund Dantes Urick
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Born = birth date and age|1927|7|9
Died =
Origin = Malden, Massachusetts
Instrument =
Genre = Pop, Adult Contemporary
Occupation = Singer, Actor
Years_active = 1955–Present
Label = Decca Records, Coral Records, RCA Victor Records
Associated_acts = The Ames Brothers
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =
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Ed Ames (born Edmund Dantes Urick on July 9, 1927) is an American popular singer and actor. He is best known for his Pop and Adult Contemporary hits of the 1960s like "When the Snow is on the Roses" and the perennial "My Cup Runneth Over." He also was originally part of a popular singing group of 1950s called The Ames Brothers.

Biography

Early life

Ames was born in Malden, Massachusetts to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. [cite news | last =Tugend| first =Tom| coauthors=| title =Zionist Organization Sings Way to L.A.| pages=| publisher =The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles| date =2005-04-01 | url =http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=13889| accessdate =2006-12-13 ] He was one of nine children, five boys and four girls. Ames grew up in a poor household, but was educated in Classical and Opera music, as well as in Literature, such as Shakespeare. Ames was very athletic as a child and teenager, but he always knew that music would one day become his future destiny, as well as for his brothers; Gene, Mac, Vic and Joe. Together, while still in high school, the brothers formed a quartet and often won competitions around the Boston area in Massachusetts. Three of the brothers later formed the Amory Brothers quartet and went to New York, where they were hired by bandleader Art Mooney. Abe Burrows, a playwright entertainer at the time who helped the brothers along the way, had suggested the brothers change their names to the Ames Brothers.

Early career

They were first signed on with Decca Records in 1948. However, because of the Musician Union's ban, their records from Decca were never released. Instead, they signed on with another label, Coral Records, a subsidiary of Decca. They had their first major hit in the 1950s with the double-sided "Ragg Mopp" and "Sentimental Me". Following this, the Brothers continued to have success throughout the 50s with many hits like "It Only Hurts For a Little While", "Man With a Banjo" and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane". The brothers also made appearances regularly on variety shows, and even for a short period of time had their very own 15 minute variety show in 1955.

Acting career

In 1960, The Ames Brothers disbanded, and Ed Ames, pursuing a career in acting, studied at the Herbert Berghoff School. His first starring role was in an Off-Broadway production of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", going on to starring performances in "The Fantasticks" and "Carnival!", which was on Broadway. He was also in the national touring company of "Carnival".

Although Ames was Jewish, his dark complexion led to his being cast regularly as an American Indian. His greatest success as a stage actor came when he played Chief Bromden in the Broadway production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", opposite Kirk Douglas. Talent scouts at 20th Century Fox saw Ed in the production and invited him to play the Native American Mingo on the television show "Daniel Boone".

While playing Mingo on television, Ames developed some skill in throwing a tomahawk. This led to one of the most memorable moments of his career, when he appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" on April 29, 1965. During the course of the show, Ames and Johnny Carson were discussing Ames' tomahawk throwing abilities. When Ames claimed that he could hit a target from across the room, Carson asked Ames if he could demonstrate this skill. Ames agreed, and a wood panel with a chalk outline of a cowboy was brought on to the stage. Ames proceeded to throw the tomahawk, which hit the "cowboy" in the tip of the crotch. This led to a very long burst of laughter from the audience and Carson's famous ad-libs; "I didn't even know you were Jewish!" and "Welcome to Frontier Bris."

inging career

During the 1960s, Ed returned to singing, this time however as a solo artist. He released his first single, "Try to Remember", in 1965. The song barely made the charts. However, a bigger success came in 1967 with "My Cup Runneth Over". The song was both a Pop hit and an Adult Contemporary hit. He had less success on the Pop charts soon after, and only had Adult Contemporary hits. The hits were "When the Snow Is On the Roses", "Time Time" and "Timeless Love". He did make the Pop Top Twenty one last time in his singing career with the song "Who Will Answer" in 1968.

Personal life

While maintaining his career, he attended UCLA, receiving his degree in theater and cinema arts, with highest honors, in 1975. He continues to be actively involved in plays like "South Pacific", "Camelot" and "Fiddler on the Roof". He also continues to make many more TV show appearances and concert appearances. Today, he lives in Santa Ynez, California. He often visits his "Daniel Boone" partner, Fess Parker, who lives only 15 minutes away from him.

Discography

ingles

Albums

*"Try to Remember", RCA Victor 2781, 1964
*"More I Cannot Wish You", RCA Victor 3636, 1966
*"My Cup Runneth Over", RCA Victor 3774, 1967
*"Time, Time", RCA Victor 3834, 1967
*"Christmas with Ed Ames", RCA Victor 3838, 1967
*"When the Snow Is on the Roses", RCA Victor 3913, 1968
*"Who Will Answer?", RCA Victor 3961, 1968
*"Apologize", RCA Victor 4028, 1968
*"The Hits of Broadway and Hollywood", RCA Victor 4079, 1968
*"A Time For Living, A Time For Hope", RCA Victor 4128, 1969
*"Love of the Common People", RCA Victor 4249, 1969
*"Sing Away The World", RCA Victor 4381, 1970
*"Sings the Songs of Bacharach and David", RCA Victor 4453, 1971
*"Ed Ames Remembers Jim Reeves", RCA Victor 4683, 1972
*"Lost Horizon", RCA Victor 4808, 1972

References

External links

*imdb|0024695
*amg name|2:1355
* [http://www.pattersonandassociates.com/bios/Ed_Ames/ Ed Ames biography (Patterson & Associates)]
* [http://members.aol.com/boardwalk7/ames.html Ed Ames: His Cup Runneth Over]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puhqz7jk2zM A clip containing his famous Tonight Show appearance]
* [http://www.discogs.com/release/1176423 Ed Ames: My Cup Runneth Over album information]