Don Ameche(1908-1993)

Actor
Director
Soundtrack

Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

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Folks! (1992)

Don Ameche was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon (1985).

Ameche was born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Barbara Edda (Hertel) and Felice Amici, a bartender.

IMDbProStarmeter See rank

Won 1 Oscar
- 6 wins total

Photos400

+ 394

Known for

Cocoon

6.7

Art Selwyn

1985

Trading Places

7.5

Mortimer Duke

1983

Heaven Can Wait

7.3

Henry Van Cleve

1943

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

7.0

Shadow(voice)

1993

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

Corrina, Corrina
6.6
- Grandpa Harry
- 1994
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
7.0
- Shadow (voice)
- 1993
Sunstroke
5.3
TV Movie
- Jake
- 1992
Folks!
5.7
- Harry Aldrich
- 1992
209 Hamilton Drive
TV Movie
- 1991
Pros and Cons
6.5
TV Series
- 1991
Our Shining Moment
5.4
TV Movie
- John 'Papa' McGuire Sr.
- 1991
Oscar
6.5
- Father Clemente
- 1991
The Golden Girls
8.2
TV Series
- Brother Martin
- 1990
Oddball Hall
4.1
- G. Paul Siebriese
- 1990
Cocoon: The Return
5.4
- Art Selwyn
- 1988
Things Change
7.0
- Gino
- 1988
Coming to America
7.1
- Mortimer Duke
- 1988
Harry and the Hendersons
6.1
- Dr. Wallace Wrightwood
- 1987
Pals
5.3
TV Movie
- Art Riddle
- 1987

Director

Soundtrack

Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults
7.9
TV Movie
- performer: "Easter Parade" (uncredited), "Some Sunny Day"
- 1997
Cocoon
6.7
- performer: "I'm in the Mood for Love", "Some Enchanted Evening"
- 1985
Beloved Infidel
6.0
- performer: "Boa Noite (Good-Night)" (uncredited)
- 1959
The DuPont Show of the Month
7.0
TV Series
- performer: "Let's Make It Christmas All Year 'Round", "Junior Miss"
- 1957
Slightly French
6.3
- performer: "Let's Fall in Love"
- 1949
It's in the Bag!
6.6
- performer: "The Curse of an Aching Heart" (1913) (uncredited)
- 1945
Greenwich Village
6.2
- performer: "Swingin' Down the Lane", "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose" (uncredited)
- 1944
Something to Shout About
5.4
- performer: "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To"
- 1943
The Magnificent Dope
6.8
- performer: "Shortnin' Bread" (uncredited)
- 1942
Kiss the Boys Goodbye
6.4
- performer: "I'll Never Let a Day Pass By" ("Find Yourself a Melody")
- 1941
Moon Over Miami
6.7
- performer: "I've Got You All To Myself" (1941), "Loveliness and Love" (1941) ("You Started Something" (1941))
- 1941
That Night in Rio
6.7
- performer: "Chica Chica Boom Chic", "The Conference", "They Met in Rio (A Midnight Serenade)", "Boa Noite (Good-Night)" (uncredited)
- 1941
Down Argentine Way
6.4
- performer: "Down Argentina Way" (1940), "Two Dreams Met" (1940) (uncredited)
- 1940
Lillian Russell
6.4
- performer: "Adored One" (1940), "Blue Lovebird" (1940), "After the Ball" (1892) (uncredited)
- 1940
The Three Musketeers
5.9
- performer: "Song of the Musketeers" (1939), "My Lady" (1939), "Voila" (1939) ("My Lady" (1939), uncredited)
- 1939

Personal details

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Height
- 5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
Born
- May 31, 1908
- Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Died
- December 6, 1993
- Scottsdale, Arizona, USA(prostate cancer)
Spouse
- Honora M PrendergastNovember 26, 1932 - September 5, 1986 (her death, 6 children)
Children
Parents
Relatives
- Jim Ameche(Sibling)
Other works
Radio: He and brother Jim Ameche appeared in the program "Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy." Jim played the title role and Don played Captain Hughes.
Publicity listings

Did you know

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Trivia
He frequently apologized to his Trading Places (1983) co-star Eddie Murphy for the racist statements that his character made in the film.

Quotes
[on Darryl F. Zanuck] Zanuck never did anything but be nice to me. Oh yeah, maybe he chased Alice Faye around, but a lot of people chased Alice Faye around.