Jack Cassidy

Infobox actor
name = Jack Cassidy


imagesize = 180px
caption =
birthdate = birth date|1927|03|05
birthplace = Richmond Hill, New York, USA
deathdate = death date and age|1976|12|12|1927|03|05
deathplace = 1221 North Kings Roads, West Hollywood, California, USA
occupation = Actor, director
spouse = Shirley Jones (1956-1974)
Evelyn Ward (1948-1956)
yearsactive =
tonyawards = Best Featured Actor in a Musical
"She Loves Me"

John Joseph Edward “Jack” Cassidy (March 5, 1927 – December 12, 1976) was an American actor of stage, film and screen.

His frequent professional persona was that of an urbane, super-confident egotist with a dramatic flair, much in the manner of Broadway actor Frank Fay. Cassidy perfected this character to such an extent that he was cast as the legendary John Barrymore in the feature film "W.C. Fields and Me". Cassidy turned down the role of Ted Baxter in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", but later appeared as a guest star in an episode as Ted's highly competitive and equally egocentric brother, Hal.

Biography

Early life

Cassidy was born in Richmond Hill, New York to William Cassidy, who was of Irish descent, and Charlotte Koehler, who was of German descent. He achieved his greatest success as a musical performer on Broadway, appearing in "Alive and Kicking", "Wish You Were Here", "Shangri-La", "Maggie Flynn", "Fade Out - Fade In", "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman", and "She Loves Me", for which he won a Tony Award. He also received Emmy Award nominations for his television performances in "He & She" (1967) and "The Andersonville Trial" (1970).

On television he became a frequent guest star, appearing in such programs as "Bewitched", "Get Smart", "That Girl", "Columbo", "Hawaii Five-O", "Match Game" and "McCloud". He lent his charming wit to game shows, and co-starred with Ronnie Schell in a TV revival of "Hellzapoppin'". Cassidy also co-starred in the movie "The Eiger Sanction" with Clint Eastwood.

Personal life

Cassidy was married twice. His first wife was actress Evelyn Ward, who is the mother of his son David. After divorcing in 1956, he married actress Shirley Jones. They had three sons, Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan, and divorced in 1974. His son, David, wrote about his father's bisexuality in his autobiography, a fact he discovered only after his father's death.cite web |first=Jackie |last=McGlone |title=Still a daydreamer |url=http://living.scotsman.com/features/Still-a-daydreamer.3356877.jp |date=2007-03-24 |work=The Scotsman | accessdate=2008-07-06 ]

Cassidy died in an apartment fire while he slept on the couch, in West Hollywood, California. News reports at the time attributed the fire to a lit cigarette. [cite news |author=Ted Thackrey, Jr |title=Jack Cassidy Victim of West Hollywood Blaze |url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/pqdweb?index=2&did=642469562&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1215283743&clientId=13322 |pages=A4 |format=PDF |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=13 December 1976 |accessdate=2008-07-06]

Awards

Cassidy was nominated for two Emmy Awards: in 1968 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy, and 1971 for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for the film "The Andersonville Trial" (1970). Cassidy was approved for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 and fundraising efforts are currently under way to fund the dedication ceremony.

tage

* "Around the World" (1946)
* "Music in My Heart" (1947)
* "Small Wonder" (1948)
* "Inside U.S.A." (1948)
* "Alive and Kicking" (1950)
* "Wish You Were Here" (1952)
* "Sandhog" (1954)
* "Shangri-La" (1956)
* "Oklahoma!" (1956) (European tour with Shirley Jones)
* "The Beggar's Opera" (1957) (with Shirley Jones)
* "Wish You Were Here!" (1959) (Dallas State Fair Theater with Shirley Jones)
* "She Loves Me" (1963)
* "Fade Out - Fade In" (1964)
* "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman" (1966)
* "Wait Until Dark" (1967) (with Shirley Jones)
* "Maggie Flynn" (1968)(Broadway with Shirley Jones)
* "The Mundy Scheme" (1969)
* "The Marriage Band" (1972) (with Shirley Jones)
* "" (1973)
* "Murder Among Friends" (1975)

Filmography

*"The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover" (1977) - Damon Runyon
*"The Feather and Father Gang" (1977) (TV series)
*"McCloud" (1977) (TV series) - Lord Charles Bridges
*"Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover" (1977) (TV) - Jules Rosen
*"W.C. Fields and Me" (1976) - John Barrymore
*"Columbo: Now You See Him..." (1976) (TV) - The Great Santini
*"Hawaii Five-O" (1975) (TV series) - Orrin Morwood
*"Matt Helm" (1975) (TV series) - Buckman
*"Knuckle" (1975) (TV)
*"The Eiger Sanction" (1975) - Miles Mellough
*"Death Among Friends" (1975) (TV) - Chico Donovan
*"Sin, American Style" (1974) (TV) - Danny Holliday
*"The Phantom of Hollywood" (1974) (TV) - Otto Vonner/Karl Vonner
*"June Moon" (1974) (TV) - Paul Sears
*"Columbo: Publish or Perish" (1974) (TV) - Riley Greenleaf
*"Cannon" (1974) (TV series) - General James O'Hara
*"Great Mysteries" (1973) (TV series) - Pennington
*"Barnaby Jones" (1973) (TV series) - Craig Woodridge
*"A Time for Love" (1973) (TV) - Tom Pierson
*"Your Money or Your Wife" (1972) (TV) - Josh Darwin, the TV Producer
*"Banyon" (1972) (TV series)
*"Love, American Style" (1970-1972) (TV series)
*"" (1972) (TV series) - Orin Kerr
*"Sarge" (1971) (TV series) - John Michael O'Flaherty
*"Bonanza" (1971) (TV series) - Kevin O'Casey
*"Mary Tyler Moore" (1971) (TV series) - Hal Baxter
*"Bunny O'Hare" (1971) - Lieutenant Greeley
*"Alias Smith and Jones" (1971) (TV series) - Harry Wagener
*"Columbo: Murder by the Book" (1971) (TV) - Ken Franklin
*"The Powder Room" (1971) (TV)
*"Storefront Lawyers" (1971) (TV series)
*"Night Gallery" (1971) (TV series) - Marius Davis
*"The Mod Squad" (1971) (TV series) - Perry Lerriko
*"The Governor & J.J." (1970) (TV series) - Mark Ellison
*"Matt Lincoln" (1970) (TV series)
*"George M!" (1970) (TV) - Jeremiah "Jerry" Cohan
*"The Andersonville Trial" (1970) (TV) - Otis Baker
*"Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County" (1970) - Roger Hand
*"Bewitched" (1968-1970) (TV series) - Dinsdale
*"Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man" (1970) (TV)
*"That Girl" (1969) (TV series) - Marty Hines
*"Get Smart" (1968) (TV series) - Mr. Bob
*"He & She" (1967) (TV series) - Oscar North
*"Coronet Blue" (1967) (TV series) - Demier
*"The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." (1967) (TV series) - Rock Mussin
*"I Spy" (1967) (TV series) - Nick Fleming
*"The Garry Moore Show" (1966) (TV series) - Harrison Floy
*"The Lucy Show" (1965) (TV Show)
*"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1965) (TV series) - Arthur Mannix
*"Mr. Broadway" (1964) (TV series) - Allan
*"Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" (1964) (TV series)
*"The Wide Country" (1963) (TV series) - Jerry Manning
*"FBI Code 98" (1963) - Walter Macklin
*"The Dick Powell Show" (1962) (TV series) - Roth
*"Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol" (1962) (TV) (voice) - Bob Cratchit
*"The Chapman Report" (1962) - Ted Dyson
*"Hennesey" (1962) (TV series) - Chaplain
*"Bronco" (1961-1962) (TV series) - Edward Miller
*"Surfside 6" (1962) (TV series) - Val Morton
*"Everglades" (1962) (TV series) - Ron Fairburn
*"77 Sunset Strip" (1962) (TV series) - Dick Arnador
*"Hawaiian Eye" (1961) (TV series) - Maurice Clifford
*"Maverick" (1961) (TV series) - Roger Cushman
*"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1961) (TV series) - Mark Lansing
*"General Electric Theater" (1961) (TV series) - Alan Richards
*"Lock-Up" (1961) (TV series) - Vincent Gibson
*"Wagon Train" (1961) (TV series) - Dan Palmer
*"Look in Any Window" (1961) - Gareth Lowell
*"The Chevy Mystery Show" (1960) (TV series) - David Townsend
*"Gunsmoke" (1958) (TV series) - Marcus France
*"Richard Diamond, Private Detective" (TV series) - Danny Fortune
*"Lux Video Theatre" (1957) (TV series)
*"The United States Steel Hour" (1957) (TV series)

References

External links

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* [http://www.astarforjack.org A Star For Jack]

Persondata
NAME= Cassidy, Jack
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actor, director
DATE OF BIRTH= 1927-03-05
PLACE OF BIRTH= Richmond Hill, New York, USA
DATE OF DEATH= 1976-12-12
PLACE OF DEATH= 1221 North Kings Roads, West Hollywood, California, USA