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Length: 5' 11" (1,8 m) Marriages: (1) Mary P. Robertson (Jan 11, 1934 - 1935, divorced) (2) Rachel Thurber (1939 - ?, divorced) Daughters: Deidre of San Francisco Carey (?) Sister: Adelaide (Mar 8. 1900 - ?) who married John Edelstein (1923), they had a child Maurice (about 1924). |
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Above right: Young Ted de Corsia. | |
Above left: A picture of Edward de Corsia, vaudeville entertainer and Ted's father.
He was a member of Orson Welles’ famed
"Mercury
Players" and eventually, the actor formed his own company, "The Monticello
Players". As de Corsia’s radio career continued to flourish, he took time
out to appear on Broadway in "The Father Returns", (one of 4
parts of Little Theater Tournament) which closed shortly after
its May 1929 opening, and as Theodore de Corsia in the 1930 production
of Scarlet Sister Mary, starring Ethel Barrymore, whom de
Corsia labeled “... the greatest actress in America and the most
interesting person I have ever met.” On Jan 11, 1934 Ted was first married to Mary Robertson. They divorced in ‘35. He married Rachel Thurber in ‘39. Ted de Corsia was a big fella with a rather gravelly
voice enhanced by a strong Brooklyn accent which led him into playing
tough guy and bad guy roles for the most part. On occasion he would turn
up as a Judge or perhaps a policeman but generally he was one of the
"evildoers". He was a fine actor and the partial listing of his radio
roles will illustrate his afore-mentioned versatility. The March of Time (documentary, CBS Radio - NBC Blue- NBC Red and ABC-Radio, 1931-1945 inclusive) were sponsored by TIME magazine. This excellent program which dramatized current news events and also interviewed those individuals which helped make the news by using talented actors who could wonderfully well mimic the newsmakers of the day such as the superb Agnes Moorehead who did a great Eleanor Roosevelt! During nine years de Corsia was a recurring regular and often called upon to portray Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, President Herbert Hoover and Huey Long, among others. Ted (also an excellent animal mimic) was famous for his Hoover imitations during the ex-President's incumbency in the White House, but after Hoover's decline the luckless March of Timer almost disappeared from the program. When General Johnson started to capture the headlines however, Ted learned the General's tricks of delivery and pronunciation by listening to the radio and studying the newsreels. His versatility in radio was the stuff of legend – on one occasion, he was scheduled to perform in a two-man dramatic program, but before the show went on the air it was learned that the other actor could not make it to the station. So de Corsia went on alone – playing both parts. Don Winslow of the Navy (Adventure series, NBC-Blue 1937-1944 then ABC-Radio 1944). Raymond Edward Johnson (eventually the somber host of Inner Sanctum) starred in the title role in these tales of a Commander in the U. S. Navy and de Corsia was a cast member. In The Buddy Clark Show, (Variety, CBS-Radio then Mutual 1938-1939) singer Clark hosted along with regular cast members Anne Elstner (the "soap's "Stella Dallas"), Nan Wynn and Ted de Corsia. Around October ‘39 he
became "Sergeant Velie" on CBS’ Adventures of Ellery Queen.
During the New York broadcasts, Ted de Corsia who owned a poultry farm near
New York (Bucks County, Pa.), was often selling his eggs (&
asparagus) to other members of the Ellery
Queen cast and production crew. Ted played the role until
late 1946 (and reprised it when Ford Theatre re-ran a first-season episode "Bad Boy", 1 hour long with Howard Lindsay as
host and following actors: Hugh Marlowe (EQ), Santos Ortega (IQ), Ted
De Corsia (Velie), Charlotte Keane (Nikki)
(1-4-48).
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Home of the Brave (Soap, CBS-Radio 1/6/41 - 9/19/41) a short-lived series told of Joe the telephone linesman madly in love with the pretty girl Casino who does not return his affection and his vain attempts to change her mind. Ted played "Patrick Mulvaney". A life-long Brooklyn Dodgers fan, Ted de Corsia even went as far as to ask the announcer to announce on air The Bums' scores during relevant performances of Joe and Mabel (Comedy- NBC-Radio 1941-42). Joe was a Brooklyn cab driver in love with the beautiful manicurist Mabel. She was ready to get married but Joe was altar-allergic and Mabel was out to change his mind. Ted played "Joe Sparton", the preacher-shy hero and Ann Thomas was his ever-lovin' "Mabel". In
Twenty-Six By Corwin (Anthology- CBS-Radio 5/4/41-11/9/41)
de Corsia along with harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler and Frank Lovejoy (Nightbeat) stars
in the delightful comedy of an unprepossessing little harmonica player who
becomes, of all things, a diplomat! Written and hosted by the brilliant
writer Norman Corwin.
McGarry and His Mouse (Comedy, NBC-Radio then Mutual
1946-1947) Dan McGarry is a young rookie policeman with the NYPD. The
"Mouse" is what he affectionately calls his girlfriend Kitty
Archer. Where
Dan goes, so goes Mouse and Dan has a penchant for getting into trouble! de
Corsia was the second of three actors to play Dan McGarry
(1946). Ted left because a Hollywood film project kept him too
busy to keep the role. Orson Welles, de Corsia’s old pal from the Mercury Theater days,
had asked him to come to Hollywood. So de Corsia's first credited film
role was in Welles's The Lady
from Shanghai (1947) starring Orson and his
soon-to-be bride Rita Hayworth.
In Pursuit (Crime drama- CBS-Radio 1949-1952) Ted was cast in the role of first Inspector Harvey of Scotland Yard, then quickly changing to Inspector Peter Black of Scotland Yard by the second episode of the series. Ted de Corsia left the production during March of 1950. Mr. President (Drama, ABC-Radio 1947-1953) starring film character actor Edward Arnold in little known episodes in the lives of various U. S. presidents. He was supported by William Conrad (radio's Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke) and Betty Lou Gerson. At times Ted de Corsia served as performer, narrator (1950-53). Obviously, from the above listings, de Corsia was able to perform well in just about every type of acting role available to him. In 1951 he took over Orson Welles's role in the Lux Radio Theater presentation of "The Third Man")
Another outstanding movie role for de Corsia was that of
"Rico" in The
Enforcer (1951) which starred Humphrey Bogart as
a police lieutenant. This movie allegedly was based on real-life crime
happenings such as the criminal "Rico's" falling out of a window to his
death, while in custody, after turning state's evidence. It did happen in an
actual police case.
That Hammer Guy (Crime drama- Mutual 1952-1954)
another tale of a tough NY-based private eye who loves women, gets
beaten up regularly, and is always involved with criminals in one way or
another. Based on a Mickey Spillane character "Hammer" which was played by Ted
de Corsia during the entire Hollywood production run (Nov 24,
1953 - Oct 1954).
1956 proved a very busy year for the actor with films such as: The Killing and Mohawk, another gangster flick Slightly Scarlet with John Payne, Dance With Me Henry were de Corsia cavorted with the zanies Abbott and Costello, and The Kettles in the Ozarks were de Corsia even joined Ma and Pa. But one film from that year many remember is The Conqueror not for particularly happy reasons. The film was directed by Dick Powell (the singer turned excellent actor and director) and starred the great John Wayne in the title role. The movie was shot, evidently for scenery purposes, near a nuclear test site in Utah. It is alleged that many of the people connected with this film eventually died of cancer (due to, and caused by, or accredited to the film site). Included were its stars, John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead, Powell himself and Ted de Corsia.... We will never know for certain. The following year brought us: Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas (de Corsia was "Shanghai Pierce"), the gangster flick Baby Face Nelson (1957) starring Mickey Rooney, and The Joker is Wild (1957) with Frank Sinatra playing the embattled comedian "Joe E. Lewis".
Other performances include the role of "Police Chief Hagedorn"
in TV's Steve
Canyon (1959) from the comic strip created by Milton Canniff.
One of his vilest, most depraved characters was created in Audie Murphy’s Quick Gun (1964). Leading lady Merry Anders thought, “He was just great though. Just perfect as his character. It helped me in a way because I was supposedly so terrified of him I was speechless.” He was "Captain McTigue" in The King's Pirate (1967), "Eldon Bates" in Five Card Stud (1968) opposite Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum.
Seems he covered all bases and had a most successful and
steady film career but
de Corsia had his share of television work as well appearing in episodes of.
among others: The Twilight Zone, Get Smart, Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Green
Acres, Perry Mason, Death Valley Days and an episode of The Monkees'
second season in 1968 when he appeared in "The Devil and Peter Tork".
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This actor profile is a part of
Ellery Queen a website on deduction.
The actor above played Velie in a
radio series of The Adventures of
Ellery Queen.
Click Uncle Sam if you think you can help
out...! Many of the profiles on this site have been compiled after very careful research of various sources. Please quote and cite ethically! |
Page first published on Aug 8. 2016 Latest update Oct 31. 2022 |
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