Richard Eastham

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Richard Eastham , actually Dickinson Swift Eastham (born June 22, 1916 in Opelousas , Louisiana - † July 10, 2005 in Pacific Palisades , Los Angeles , California ) was an American singer and actor .

Life

After graduating from high school, Eastham first studied music at Washington University in St. Louis and performed as a highly regarded baritone at the local opera . After the outbreak of World War II , Eastham did four years of military service a. a. in Paris. On his return he moved to New York, where he began studying acting.

On Broadway , he starred in musicals alongside Ethel Merman and Mary Martin , Larry Hagman's mother . He achieved great success in the lead role of the musical South Pacific after the Italian opera singer Ezio Pinza , who had played the role since the Broadway premiere, left.

After numerous appearances in musicals on Broadway, he made his feature film debut in 1954 with a small part in the film adaptation of Irving Berlin's There's No Business Like Show Business . Five years earlier, he had made his television debut in an episode of the Ed Sullivan show on musicals. Eastham was a rare guest in film productions. He starred in the Disney children's films Alles für die Katz and Toby Tyler , alongside John Wayne in McQ Strikes , in Bing Crosby's Man on Fire , alongside Dean Martin in his James Bond parody The Murderers Stand in Line and a mutant commander in Science fiction film Battle for the Planet of the Apes .

On television, Eastham, who was not tied to any cliché, played characters in a variety of productions ranging from honest notables to unscrupulous criminals. In the series Wonder Woman he played General Phil Blankenship and Dr. Howell in the family saga Falcon Crest from 1982 to 1983, also his last major role on television. In addition, he played guest roles in numerous series such as Use in Manhattan , Bonanza and The Waltons, as well as in the subsequent series special Wedding with Obstacles . In the court series Perry Mason after Alder Stanley Gardner , Eastham played the prosecutor Parness in several episodes as a replacement for the sick William Talman .

Most recently, Eastham lived in a Los Angeles nursing home after the death of his wife, Betty Jean , with whom he was married for sixty years. The Alzheimer's disease actor died there on July 10, 2005 at the age of 89.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Eastham, Richard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Eastham, Dickinson Swift (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer and actor
DATE OF BIRTH June 22, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Opelousas , Louisiana
DATE OF DEATH July 10, 2005
Place of death Pacific Palisades , Los Angeles , California