Dick Wesson was a prolific character actor, comedian, comedy writer, and producer. The dark haired man with a flat top haircut was frequently confused with announcer Dick Wesson

Dick Wesson

Dick Wesson was an American movie and television announcer. He is best known as the announcer for The Wonderful World of Disney from 1954-1979.-Career:...

.

Biography

A comedian

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

, impressionist and singer, Wesson appeared with his brother Gene (1921-1975) in a comedy act appropriately called "The Wesson Brothers". They had some hit records such as "Oodles of Boodle" and "All Right Louie, Drop the Gun". In 1949 Dick Wesson became a television series regular with Jim Backus

Jim Backus

James Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...

 in Hollywood House.

Making his film debut as a wisecracking astronaut in Destination Moon

Destination Moon (film)

Destination Moon is an American science fiction feature film produced by George Pal, who later produced When Worlds Collide, The War of the Worlds, and The Time Machine. Pal commissioned the script by James O'Hanlon and Rip Van Ronkel...

, Dick Wesson was soon signed to a contract as a supporting actor

Supporting actor

A supporting actor is an actor who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.These roles range from bit parts to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the...

 with Warner Brothers. Wesson played comedy relief in all his films, frequently as a World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 soldier in Breakthrough

Breakthrough

Breakthrough or Break through may refer to:* Breakthrough , an abstract strategy board game* Breakthrough , 1979 war film* Breakthrough , 1950 war film featuring John Agar...

and Force of Arms

Force of Arms

Force of Arms is a 1951 romantic drama film set in the Italian theater of World War II. It reteamed William Holden and Nancy Olson in the third of their four movies together , all released in 1950 or 1951...

and in the Old West with Man Behind the Gun and The Charge at Feather River

The Charge at Feather River

The Charge at Feather River is a 1953 Western film directed by Gordon Douglas, was originally released in 3D with lots of arrows, lances, and other weapons flying directly at the audience in several scenes....

. Wesson's most known role was as Francis Fryer in Calamity Jane.

Wesson moved to American television appearing as Jackie Cooper's ex-Marine sidekick Rollo in The People's Choice (TV series)

The People's Choice (TV series)

The People's Choice is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from 1955 to 1958, primarily sponsored by The Borden Company.It stars Jackie Cooper as Socrates "Sock" Miller, an ex-Marine and New City, California politician with a basset hound named "Cleo", whose thoughts , as she balefully...

and later as Frank Crenshaw in Paul Henning

Paul Henning

Paul William Henning was an American producer and writer. Most famous for the successful TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, he was crucial in the development of several "rural" comedies for CBS.-Early life:...

's The Bob Cummings Show

The Bob Cummings Show

The Bob Cummings Show is an American sitcom starring Robert "Bob" Cummings which was produced from January 2, 1955 to September 15, 1959, and originally sponsored by R.J. Reynolds' Winston cigarettes...

. Wesson began writing The Bob Cummings Show and later The Beverly Hillbillies

The Beverly Hillbillies

The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....

where he appeared as a taxi driver. He produced My Sister Eileen

My Sister Eileen (TV series)

My Sister Eileen is an American situation comedy based on a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney originally published in The New Yorker, as well as the 1940 play and 1942 and 1955 film adaptations they inspired....

and many episodes of Petticoat Junction

Petticoat Junction

Petticoat Junction is an American situation comedy produced by Filmways which originally aired on CBS from 1963 to 1970. The series is one of three interrelated shows about rural characters created by Paul Henning; the others are The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres.The setting for the series...

with Wesson directing several shows of both series.

External links

• Great character actors http://www.playbrass.com/kingspud/sel_by_actor_index_2.php?actor_first=Dick&actor_last=Wesson
• Wesson with Sammy Davis Jr on Hollywood House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbpcY0svdvU&feature=related