Ray Middleton
Encyclopedia
Raymond Earl Middleton, Jr. (February 8, 1907 – April 10, 1984), known and billed as Ray Middleton, was an American
character actor
.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman
in public, which he did on July 3, 1940, during the 1939 New York
World's Fair
's "Superman Day". During the early 1940s, he appeared in the movies Gangs of Chicago, the original Hurricane Smith (playing the title role), and Lady for a Night
, which starred Joan Blondell
and John Wayne
. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II
, appearing in the Air Forces show Winged Victory
. In 1946, he co-starred with Ethel Merman
in the original Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun
.
He played the dual roles of the Innkeeper and the Governor in the original stage production of Man of La Mancha
.
In television, Middleton's appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
(once as a guest host), the Colgate Comedy Hour, and Chrysler's Shower of Stars in the 1950s. He co-starred with Phil Silvers
and Lee Remick
in a 1967 TV adaptation of Damn Yankees!.
During the 1970s, Middleton appeared in the TV movie Hec Ramsey
as a judge, in the musical movie 1776
, as Colonel Thomas McKean, and in the first TV adaptation of Helter Skelter as rancher George Spahn. He also voiced the character Pepperino in the cartoon Tubby the Tuba
.
Middleton's last appearances were as Cardinal Reardon in an episode of M*A*S*H ("Blood Brothers", featuring Patrick Swayze
), and as grandfather Huey Rush in the comedy Too Close for Comfort
.
Middleton died in Panorama City, California at the age of 77.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Middleton was the first actor to play Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
in public, which he did on July 3, 1940, during the 1939 New York
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
's "Superman Day". During the early 1940s, he appeared in the movies Gangs of Chicago, the original Hurricane Smith (playing the title role), and Lady for a Night
Lady for a Night
-Cast:* Joan Blondell - Jenny 'Jen' Blake Alderson* John Wayne - Jackson Morgan* Ray Middleton - Alan Alderson* Philip Merivale - Stephen Alderson* Blanche Yurka - Julia Anderson* Edith Barrett - Katherine Alderson* Leonid Kinskey - Boris, Jack's Bodyguard...
, which starred Joan Blondell
Joan Blondell
Rose Joan Blondell was an American actress who performed in movies and on television for five decades as Joan Blondell.After winning a beauty pageant, Blondell embarked upon a film career...
and John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 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...
, appearing in the Air Forces show Winged Victory
Winged Victory (play)
Winged Victory is a play and, later, a film by Moss Hart, originally created and produced by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II as a morale booster and as a fundraiser for the Army Emergency Relief Fund. Upon recommendation of Lt. Col. Dudley S. Dean, who had been approached with the...
. In 1946, he co-starred with Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...
in the original Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun (musical)
Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
.
He played the dual roles of the Innkeeper and the Governor in the original stage production of Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
.
In television, Middleton's appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
(once as a guest host), the Colgate Comedy Hour, and Chrysler's Shower of Stars in the 1950s. He co-starred with Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
and Lee Remick
Lee Remick
Lee Ann Remick was an American film and television actress. Among her best-known films are Anatomy of a Murder , Days of Wine and Roses , and The Omen .-Early life:...
in a 1967 TV adaptation of Damn Yankees!.
During the 1970s, Middleton appeared in the TV movie Hec Ramsey
Hec Ramsey
Hec Ramsey is a television Western, a production of Jack Webb's production company, Mark VII Limited, in association with Universal Studios, broadcast in the United States by NBC as part of the NBC Mystery Movie wheel show during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons.-Overview:This series was...
as a judge, in the musical movie 1776
1776 (film)
1776 is a 1972 American musical film directed by Peter H. Hunt. The screenplay by Peter Stone was based on the 1969 stage musical of the same name. Portions of the dialogue and some of the song lyrics were taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual participants of the Second...
, as Colonel Thomas McKean, and in the first TV adaptation of Helter Skelter as rancher George Spahn. He also voiced the character Pepperino in the cartoon Tubby the Tuba
Tubby the Tuba (1975 film)
Tubby the Tuba is a 1975 animated feature film, based on the 1945 children's story for concert orchestra and narrator of the same name by Paul Tripp and George Kleinsinger...
.
Middleton's last appearances were as Cardinal Reardon in an episode of M*A*S*H ("Blood Brothers", featuring Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
), and as grandfather Huey Rush in the comedy Too Close for Comfort
Too Close for Comfort (TV series)
Too Close for Comfort is an American television sitcom which ran on the ABC network and later in first-run syndication from November 11, 1980 to September 27, 1986. It was modeled after the British series Keep It in the Family, which debuted nine months before Too Close for Comfort debuted in the U.S...
.
Middleton died in Panorama City, California at the age of 77.