David Wayne

David Wayne Born January 30, 1914 in Traverse City, Michigan, USA Died February 9, 1995 in Santa Monica, California, USA (lung cancer) Birth Name Wayne James McMeekan Nickname Davey Height 5' 7" (1.7 m) His father was an insurance executive; his mother died when he was four. He attended Western Michigan University then worked as a statistician in Cleveland where he joined a Shakespeare repertory company. Two years later he had a minor role in "The American Way" in New York. He was rejected by the army in World War II but volunteered as an ambulance driver in North Africa. He returned to critical acclaim on Broadway (Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill). He was the first to receive a Tony award for acting. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977 though his movie credits go back to Portrait of Jennie (1948) and Adam's Rib (1949). Among his many television roles were a bank official in his own comedy series, Norby (1955), James Merrick, a heart patient in the episode Suspicion: Heartbeat (1957), the part of Inspector Queen in the Manfred Lee's Ellery Queen (1975) series and of "Digger" Barnes in Dallas (1978). In his last feature film, he played an inquisitive but slightly senile train conductor in the irreverent comedy, " Finders Keepers"(1985). Spouse Jane Gordon Trix (20 December 1941 - 16 April 1993) (her death) (3 children) Children Wayne Kearney, Susan Wayne, Timothy Wayne, Melinda Parents McMeekan, John David Mason, Helen Matilda Had twin daughters, Susan Wayne Kearney and Melinda Wayne, and one son, Timothy Wayne. In 1947, the first year that Broadway's Tony Awards were presented, he won the Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) Award for "Finian's Rainbow". He subsequently won a second Tony Award in 1954 as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "The Teahouse of the August Moon", and was also nominated in 1968 as Best Actor (Musical) for "The Happy Time". Had played two consecutive unrelated characters both named Charles Dutton: The Andromeda Strain (1971) and The Good Life (1971). Retired completely in 1993 after the death of his beloved wife of 52 years, Jane Gordon. Three of his biggest roles on Broadway--Og in "Finian's Rainbow", Ensign Pulver in "Mister Roberts" and Sakini in "The Teahouse of the August Moon"--were handed to other actors when they transferred to film: Tommy Steele, Jack Lemmon and Marlon Brando, respectively. Rejected by the US army, he volunteered as an ambulance driver for the British in North Africa; after the US joined the war, he served in the US army. His son, Timothy Wayne, disappeared and was presumed drowned while canoeing with a friend near Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territory, in August 1970. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police discovered an overturned canoe, two life jackets and two paddles but no bodies. Erroneously reported as being killed in action when the Germans were victorious at the Battle of Tobruk in North Africa. He displayed his musical talents as co-star to Judy Garland on her 1955 television special. Singing and dancing, he took Fred Astaire's part with Judy in the reenactment of the "Couple of Swells" segment from Easter Parade (1948). His parents were John David McMeekan and Helen Matilda Mason. Westport, CT, was his home for decades. He was cremated after death and his ashes were given to his family. It has been reported that he performed in the greatest number of movies (four) with Marilyn Monroe: As Young as You Feel (1951), We're Not Married! (1952), O. Henry's Full House (1952) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953). Under his real name of Wayne James McMeekan, he was in his early career a puppeteer for the Tatterman Marionettes, particularly in their elaborate "Peer Gynt". He was a lifelong Democrat.