William LeMassena

William LeMassena (May 23, 1916 – January 19, 1993) was an American stage and television actor who appeared in occasional films. He starred as the Heavenly Friend who serves as a guide to Gordon MacRae on his return trip to Earth in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel". Massena appeared in other roles, however, including a stint towards the end of his life as Ambrose Bingham, on the daytime soap opera "As the World Turns". He also appeared throughout the 1960s in several televison adaptations of stage plays on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, including a 1960 production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest", starring Maurice Evans, Lee Remick, Roddy McDowall, and Richard Burton) (LeMassena was Antonio), as well as a 1967 production of Bernard Shaw's "Saint Joan", starring Genevieve Bujold in her American television debut as Joan of Arc), and featuring LeMassena as Jean d'Estivet.

He also appeared in the first (and so far, the only) made-for-television production of the operetta "Naughty Marietta", in the role of Rudolfo.

LeMassena was a close friend of actor Montgomery Clift, and reminisced about him on a PBS documentary.

References

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501125/ William LeMassena's IMDB profile]