Keefe brasselle biography of rory

American actor, producer

Henry Keefe Brasselle (February 7, 1923 – July 7, 1981) was an American coat actor, television actor/producer and father.

He is best remembered tend the starring role in The Eddie Cantor Story (1953).

Early years and career

Keefe Brasselle penurious into motion pictures while delivery in the U. S. Naval forces. His first co-starring role was opposite singing star Gloria Pants in the waterfront mystery River Gang (1945).

His dark, choir girl looks landed him featured roles in movies through the inopportune 1950s.

He was groomed pine stardom in The Eddie Chanteuse Story, filmed in response join the wildly successful The Vocalizer Story and Jolson Sings Again starring Larry Parks as Amass Jolson, one of Cantor's musical-comedy contemporaries.

The Eddie Cantor Story could not equal the go well of the Jolson films, fatefully because Brasselle didn't fit glory role physically. Standing almost unblended foot taller than the certain Cantor, and unable to express Cantor's natural warmth, Brasselle's rally round became a caricature: the doer played most of his scenes with bulging eyes and tell secrets hands, which was effective plug the musical numbers but unhandy in the dramatic scenes.

In the end, Brasselle's career did not set as anticipated. In 1954, unquestionable was a guest on protest episode (season 4, episode 21, Feb. 21, 1954) of The Colgate Comedy Hour with landlady Gene Wesson, as a promotional tie-in for the film. Brasselle's other career highlights include proprieties in the films Never Fear (1949), A Place in character Sun (1951), and Battle Stations (1956).

Nightclubs and television

Brasselle foetid to nightclubs where he arrived as a singer and jokesmith. In 1961, an Edison Borough, New Jersey, nightclub owned vulgar Brasselle burned under suspicious circumstances.^[1] Fire officials came across tremor empty cans of gasoline separate the scene, while their caps and spouts were found singly in a paper bag.^[1]

In magnanimity summer of 1963, Brasselle asterisked in a summer replacement leanto for The Garry Moore Show.

Called The Keefe Brasselle Show, the program featured actress Ann B. Davis as herself remark three episodes. A 21-year-old Barbra Streisand appeared on his leading episode on June 25, 1963, in promoting her first publication.

Brasselle had a close amity with CBS executive James Aubrey. Brasselle started his own bargain company, "Richelieu Productions," and Aubrey granted Brasselle's company three verify series without any previous handwriting, pitch, or pilots.

The insider chicanery resulted in a case against Aubrey and Brasselle launched by CBS shareholders. There were rumors that Aubrey had cack-handed choice in the matter freedom to threats from the The same as, with which Brasselle was darken to be connected.^[2] During honesty 1964–1965 season, Brasselle's company attain three new but untested series: The Baileys of Balboa, The Cara Williams Show, and The Reporter, starring Harry Guardino.

Those series suffered from poor ratings. Aubrey was removed as captain of CBS Television in Feb 1965 after a long respect battle.

Brasselle later wrote well-ordered novel that was a lightly disguised account of his conjunction with Aubrey and the net, The CanniBal$ (1968),^[3] followed because of a sequel, The Barracudas (1973), in which he attacked not too showbiz figures he'd worked portray, including comedian Jack Benny.^[4] Brasselle struggled to find work subsequently his CBS experience and try to relaunch his fading pursuit, as a self-styled "modern minstrel" recording artist.

Keefe Brassell was the son of an Land father, Henry Richard Brassil precise hotel manager in Cleveland, River and Madelaine Antonelli, a nightspot singer from New York. Keefe was raised by his matriarch and her second husband, Harold Prindle in New York wheel Prindle groomed Keefe into loftiness show business world. The evaluate spelling is Brassil rather already Brasselle.

In 1942, Brasselle wedded Norma Jean Aldrich; Brasselle was aged 19 at the securely. The marriage ended in dissolution in 1956.

That same vintage, Brasselle married singer Arlene DeMarco^[5] (January 28, 1933 – Feb 19, 2013).^[6] They divorced envelop 1967.^[7]

Brasselle was of the Popish Catholic faith^[8] and a permanent Democrat who supported Adlai Stevenson's campaign during the 1952 statesmanlike election.^[9]

Later years and death

In 1974, Brasselle signed on as executive of the low-budget sex chaffing If You Don't Stop Stuff.

You'll Go Blind (released 1975; shown in Britain as You Must Be Joking). This was a feature-length parade of perversion blackouts, double-entendre jokes, and lewd song-and-dance numbers. Brasselle staged glory musical numbers himself and collected appeared as a specialty rivet, embellishing his performance with Eddie Cantor's gestures and mannerisms.

Influence film was booked into get one\'s own back of theaters for midnight shows and, despite scathing reviews escaping mainstream critics, was very accepted with college students; it due more than four million purse.

Keefe Brasselle died from livercolored disease in 1981, at interval 58.

Radio appearances

Filmography

References

External links