Ted de Corsia
De Corsia in Vengeance Valley (1951)
Born
Edward Gildea De Corsia

(1903-09-29)September 29, 1903
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 11, 1973(1973-04-11) (aged 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1928–1972
Spouses
Mary Robertson
(m. 1934; div. 1935)
    Rachel Thurber
    (m. 1939, divorced)
    Children2

    Edward Gildea De Corsia (September 29, 1903 April 11, 1973) was an American radio, film, and television actor, best remembered for his chilling debut in The Lady from Shanghai (1947), as the ex-wrestler murderer Willie Garzah in the film The Naked City (1948), and as a gangster who turned state's evidence in the film The Enforcer (1951).

    Early life

    Career

    Radio

    De Corsia was a member of the cast of Blackstone Plantation.[1] He starred in the title role on Mike Hammer[2] and played Sergeant Velie on The Adventures of Ellery Queen.[3] He also voiced roles on Family Theater,[2] The March of Time, Cavalcade of America, Gang Busters,[4] and The Shadow.

    Film

    Ted de Corsia in The Big Combo (1955)

    He made his film debut in Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai (1947) and went on to make a career playing villains and gangsters in 1940s and 1950s films, including The Naked City (1948), The Enforcer (1951), Crime Wave (1954), The Big Combo (1955), The Killing (1956), Baby Face Nelson (1957), Slightly Scarlet (1956), and The Joker is Wild (1957).

    In his last feature, The Outside Man (1972) with Ann-Margret and Angie Dickinson, his character, the mobster Victor, is killed off early in the film, but he later appears as his embalmed corpse, posed in a chair, holding a cigar.

    Television

    In the late 1950s and 1960s, he appeared in a number of television series, mostly westerns. He appeared in S2 E15 of "Wanted: Dead or Alive" playing George Winters in "Chain Gang" which aired 12/10/1959.

    He was featured on three episodes of the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason, including the episodes "The Case of the Drifting Dropout" (1964), in which he played murder victim Mort Lynch, and "The Case of the Positive Negative" (1966), in the role of murder victim George Emory. Other notable television series appearances included The Lone Ranger; The Untouchables; The Twilight Zone; Sea Hunt; I Dream of Jeannie; The Outer Limits, and The Monkees

    Filmography

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1947The Lady from ShanghaiSidney Broome
    1948The Naked CityWillie Garzah
    1949The Life of RileyNorman
    Neptune's DaughterLukie Luzette
    It Happens Every SpringManager Jimmy Dolan
    Mr. Soft TouchRainey
    1950The OutridersBye
    Cargo to CapetownRhys
    Three SecretsDel Prince
    1951The EnforcerJoe Rico
    Vengeance ValleyHerb Backett
    A Place In The SunJudge R.S. Oldendorff
    Inside the Walls of Folsom PrisonWarden Ben Rickey
    New MexicoAcoma - Indian Chief
    Crazy Over HorsesDuke
    1952Captain PirateCapt. Easterling
    The SavageIron Breast
    The Turning PointHarrigan
    1953Man in the DarkLefty
    Ride, Vaquero!Sheriff Parker
    Hot NewsDino Rizzo
    Crime Wave'Doc' Penny
    195420,000 Leagues Under the SeaCapt. Farragut
    1955The Big ComboRalph Bettini
    Man with the Gun'Frenchy' Lescaux
    KismetPolice Sub-altern
    1956The ConquerorKumlek
    Slightly ScarletSolly Caspar
    The Steel JungleSteve Marlin
    The Kettles in the OzarksProfessor
    MohawkIndian Chief Kowanen
    The KillingPatrolman Randy Kennan
    Showdown at AbileneDan Claudius
    Dance with Me, HenryBig Frank
    1957Gunfight at the O.K. CorralShanghai Pierce
    The Lawless EightiesGrat Bandas
    The Midnight StoryLt. Kilrain
    The Joker is WildGeorgie Parker
    Gun Battle at MontereyMax Reno
    Man on the ProwlDetective
    Baby Face NelsonRocca
    1958Handle with CareSam Lawrence
    South Seas AdventureSupplemental NarrationVoice
    Enchanted IslandCapt. Vangs
    The BuccaneerCapt. Rumbo
    1959Inside the MafiaAugie Martello
    1960Oklahoma TerritoryChief Buffalo Horn
    Noose for a GunmanJack Cantrell
    From the TerraceMr. Ralph W. Benziger
    SpartacusLegionnaireUncredited
    1962It's Only MoneyPatrolman
    1964The Quick GunJud Spangler
    Blood on the ArrowJud
    1965The Money TrapPolice captainUncredited
    1966Nevada SmithHudson (bartender)
    1967The King's PirateCapt. McTigue
    19685 Card StudEldon Bates
    1970The Delta FactorAmes
    1972The Outside ManVictor(final film role)

    Selected television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1955 The Lone Ranger Sam Slater Episode "Gold Freight"
    1957 Have Gun - Will Travel Chief Harry Blackfoot Episode "The Englishman"
    1957-1958 Official Detective Ellis / Lt. Evans 2 episodes
    1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Police Inspector Salva Season 5 Episode 9: "Dead Weight"
    1960 Wanted Dead or Alive Arthur Barchester Season 3, Episode 10 "The Medicine Man"
    1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lieutenant Christensen Season 7 Episode 7: "You Can't Be a Little Girl All Your Life"
    1961 Rawhide Sheriff Season 3 Episode 24: "Incident of the Lost Idol"
    1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Herlie Season 2 Episode 13: "The Magic Shop"
    1967 Get Smart Spinoza Season 3, Episode 8 "When Good Fellows Get Together"[5]
    1967 The Monkees Frank Season 2 Episode 12: "Hitting the High Seas"

    References

    1. Key, Pierre V.R., ed. (1933). Pierre Key's Radio Annual (PDF). Pierre Key Publishing Corporation. p. 218. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
    2. 1 2 "Harry Wismer Off On Sports Trek". Brownwood Bulletin. Brownwood Bulletin. November 25, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved May 7, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    3. "Whistling Clown Sunday Mystery". Harrisburg Telegraph. Harrisburg Telegraph. March 2, 1940. p. 18. Retrieved May 7, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
    4. Grunwald, Edgar A. (1938). Variety Radio Directory. Variety, Inc. p. 1284.
    5. Season 3 DVD
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