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Edward Mulhare 1923 - 1997

Edward Brendan Mulhare of Van Nuys, Los Angeles County, CA was born on April 8, 1923 at Cork, Ireland., and had a sister Elizabeth Lehane (Mulhare). Edward Mulhare died at age 74 years old on May 24, 1997 at Van Nuys in Los Angeles, and was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cork Tory Top Rd, in Cork, CO Ireland.

Edward Brendan Mulhare

Van Nuys, Los Angeles County, CA 91401

April 8, 1923

Cork, Ireland.

May 24, 1997

Van Nuys in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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Edward Mulhare Edward Mulhare (1923 - 1997)

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Edward Brendan Mulhare's History: 1923 - 1997

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Introduction

Edward Brendan Mulhare was born to John Mulhare (1884 - 1931) and Catherine Keane (died 1967). His father was born in Ireland. He had siblings Thomas Paul (1924 - 2008), Elizabeth Mary (1927 - 1986), and John N. Mulhare (1929 - 2018). Edward Mulhare never married, nor did he have children. A suave Irish-born actor with a resonant voice and a commanding presence, Edward Mulhare made his theatrical debut in "The First of Mrs.Fraser" (1942) at the age of 19 at the Cork Opera House. Nine years later, after spells with the Gate Theatre in Dublin and the Liverpool Repertory Company, Mulhare appeared in a Laurence Olivier-directed London production of "Othello" with Orson Welles. It was there, that he was spotted by Alan Jay Lerner and signed as an understudy to Rex Harrison for the part of Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady'" The play ran on Broadway from 1957 to 1962, totaling a massive 2,717 performances. Harrison dropped out of the part in December 1957, and Mulhare, a relative unknown in the U.S., took over the role. This sparked a controversy with Actor's Equity over the hiring of foreign actors, which required a noted labor negotiator to resolve. In the end, Mulhare played Higgins to both audience approval and critical acclaim more than 1,000 times between 1957 and 1960. The play subsequently toured the Soviet Union, before returning to London. On Broadway, Mulhare also replaced Michael Rennie in the leading role of Dirk Winsten in "Mary,Mary" and starred as Giacome Nerone in Dore Schary's "The Devil's Advocate'" alongside actors Leo Genn and Eduardo Ciannelli. It was ironic that Mulhare followed in Harrison's footsteps on television as well, playing the part of Captain Daniel Gregg (Harrison's in the 1947 movie), the titular spectre of "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" (1968). The popular NBC series updated the setting from turn of the century New England to present day, and, by comparison with its cinematic predecessor, was less sentimental, but wittier by some degree. There was an undeniable on-screen chemistry between co-star Hope Lange and Mulhare, who was Emmy-nominated for his portrayal as the cantankerous, but thoroughly charming captain. From 1982 to 1986, Mulhare also appeared on television as the articulate Devon Miles, David Hasselhoff's boss, in the fantasy series Knight Rider (1982). Surprisingly, Edward Mulhare never achieved star status on the big screen. Among the few films he made, one only remembers his dastardly villains of Our Man Flint (1966) and Caprice (1967). He was terrific in Von Ryan's Express with Frank Sinatra. He did, however, continue to make frequent guest appearances on television in series ranging from "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972) to "Battlestar Galactica" (1978). In 1988, he also hosted a series about the paranormal, titled "Secrets and Mysteries" (1983). Mulhare, a confirmed bachelor, died during filming of the Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau comedy "Out to Sea" (1997) at the age of 74. - From the IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis See Edward Mulhare: Obituary.
04/8

1923

Birthday

April 8, 1923

Birthdate

Cork, Ireland.

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Edward was Caucasian, of Irish heritage on his paternal line.
Nationality & Locations

Edward, one of three brothers, was born at 22 Quaker Road, Cork City, County Cork, Ireland, to John and Catherine (née Keane) Mulhare. After acting in various Irish venues including the Gate Theatre in Dublin, he moved to London, where he worked with Orson Welles and John Gielgud. He co-starred with Orson Welles in a 1951 production of "Othello" directed by Laurence Olivier, and played in Pygmalion before going to America. He died in California at the age of 74.
Early Life & Education

As a child, he received his education at St. Nessan's Christian Brothers School, and later at North Monastery. As a young adult, Edward began schooling at the National University of Ireland in medicine, but eventually decided upon a career in the theatre.
Military Service

He never served in the military.
Professional Career

In 1955, Mulhare starred as James Finnegan in the first feature film produced in Israel – "Hill 24 Doesn't Answer". His best-known stage role was as Professor Higgins in the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady, having taken over the role from Rex Harrison in 1957. Mulhare was understudy to Harrison until that time, going on to play the part for three years in New York for 1000 performances, then continuing the role on an international tour, which included an extensive tour of Russia.[citation needed] He continued to perform the role in summer theatres and for touring companies into the 1970s. A notable East Lansing MI university campus performance of "My Fair Lady" was originally canceled due to blizzard, but played to a packed house of 4000 when word was sent out that any student could get into the performance free, if they could get there. Many showed up on skis; as told by Edward and Anne Rogers on The Irv Kupcinet Show in a 1978 interview. Edward and Rogers continued their acting partnership, playing King Arthur and Guinevere in Camelot. Often compared to Rex Harrison, Edward had his two greatest US successes inheriting roles that Harrison created. On Broadway, Mulhare succeeded Harrison as Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady" when the latter joined the London company, playing the part for most of the play's remaining Broadway run. On television, he played the role of the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg in the TV version of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", a role Harrison had created two decades earlier in the film version.
Personal Life & Family

One of four siblings, Edward never married nor had children himself.
05/24

1997

Death

May 24, 1997

Death date

Lung cancer from heavy smoking.

Cause of death

Van Nuys in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cork Tory Top Rd, in Cork, CO T12 HW89, Ireland
Burial location
Obituary

Edward Mulhare, 74, an Actor Who Moved From Stage to TV Edward Mulhare, an Irish-born actor who was a suave, handsome presence on the American stage and in films and television for four decades, died on Saturday at his home in Van Nuys, Calif. He was 74. The cause was lung cancer, said Pegge Forrest, his publicist and friend. Television audiences grew familiar with Mr. Mulhare's clipped British accent, the result of work in England, on the series ''The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' and ''Knight Rider.'' Onstage, he stepped into Rex Harrison's shoes as Professor Higgins in Lerner and Loewe's ''My Fair Lady'' and made the role his own, touring nationally and overseas. Mr. Mulhare made his American debut in 1957 on Broadway as the testy Henry Higgins, subbing for the vacationing Harrison. But it was such a stormy debut that it threatened to derail not only the immensely successful ''My Fair Lady'' but to nip his own American career in the bud as well. The musical and Mr. Mulhare got caught in the middle of a long-simmering dispute between Actors Equity and Broadway producers over the hiring of foreign actors. Although Mr. Mulhare was a star in Britain, the actors union termed him ''an Irish actor relatively unknown in this country'' and thus unfit to take an important role away from an American. With both sides digging in, the show's future seemed threatened until the labor negotiator Theodore W. Kheel found a technicality that both sides could live with. Mr. Mulhare proved a worthy replacement who won ovations from the audience and raves from critics, and went on to play the part on Broadway for more than 1,000 performances between 1957 and 1960. Alan Jay Lerner invited him to take the lead in the show's first overseas tour to Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev in 1960. With national tours in the late 1970's, summer theater, supper theaters and a spell in London, Mr. Mulhare's longevity as Higgins may well have surpassed Harrison's. He also starred on Broadway in Dore Schary's ''Devil's Advocate'' (1960) and Jean Kerr's ''Mary, Mary'' (1961). He appeared in a revival of Shaw's ''Don Juan in Hell'' in 1973, after which he took the role on tour. Mr. Mulhare, who was born in Cork, Ireland, was 19 when he first played professionally in ''Othello'' at the Cork Opera House in 1942. He moved to England to appear in repertory, learning the trade and perfecting his diction along the way. By 1951 he became leading man of the Liverpool Repertory Company. His first appearance in London was in ''Othello,'' starring Orson Welles and directed by Laurence Olivier. It was there that Mr. Lerner and his producer, Herman Levin, signed him to spell Harrison as Higgins in New York. On television, in ''The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' (1968-70), based on a 1947 movie with Harrison and Gene Tierney, he portrayed the irascible, ghostly Capt. Daniel Gregg sparring with Hope Lange as the widowed Mrs. Muir at Gull Cottage. In ''Knight Rider,'' an adventure series that ran nearly four years in the 1980's, he co-starred with David Hasselhoff. Most recently he appeared with Mr. Hasselhoff, a close friend, in an episode of ''Baywatch Nights.'' He also played supporting parts in numerous films. His last role was in ''Out to Sea,'' with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, scheduled to open in July. He is survived by two brothers, Thomas and John, both of County Cork. - By WOLFGANG SAXON MAY 28, 1997

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11 Memories, Stories & Photos about Edward

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

10/14/2018

Edward Mulhare

A photo of Edward Mulhare

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

10/31/2022

Edward was so friendly to me for years after I met him. We were at the theater at a matinee and he waved to me (first) from across the theatre and my husband said, "You know Edward Mulhare?!" I said, "Of course."

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

10/14/2018

Edward Mulhare

A photo of Edward Mulhare, star of Broadway, Films and Television - a truly wonderful actor to meet and to know.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

J T

6 favorites

03/18/2024

I loved Edward Mulhare since I was 9 years old and saw him in the Ghost and Mrs.Muir. Edward was the epitome of class and grace, on and off screen. He was a brilliant actor and a remarkable handsome man. I wish that I could have met him or seen him on stage. He is remembered with love every day.

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