David Wayne
Actor
Biography
David Wayne (January 30, 1914 â February 9, 1995) was an American actor with a career spanning nearly 50 years.
Wayne was born Wayne James McMeekan in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen Matilda (nÊe Mason) and John David McMeekan. He grew up in Bloomingdale, Michigan. Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the leprechaun in Finian's Rainbow, for which he won the Theatre World Award and the first ever Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. While appearing in the play, he and co-star Albert Sharpe were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to play Irish characters in the film Portrait of Jennie (1948).
It was in 1948 as well that Wayne became one of those fortunate 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed Actors Studio. He was awarded a second Tony for Best Actor in a Play for The Teahouse of the August Moon and was nominated as Best Actor in a Musical for The Happy Time. He originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy Mister Roberts and also appeared in Say, Darling, After the Fall, and Incident at Vichy.
Filmography
How to Marry a Millionaire
as Freddie Denmark 1953
The Front Page
as Roy Bensinger 1974
Adam's Rib
as Kip Lurie 1949
The Three Faces of Eve
as Ralph White 1957
The Apple Dumpling Gang
as T.R. Clydesdale 1975
Portrait of Jennie
as Gus O'Toole 1948
M
as Martin W. Harrow 1951
Hell and High Water
as Tugboat Walker 1954
O. Henry's Full House
as Horace (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") 1952
The Tender Trap
as Joe McCall 1955
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage) 1976
An American Christmas Carol
as Merrivale 1979
Finders Keepers
as Stapleton 1984
The Sad Sack
as Corporal Larry Dolan 1957
We're Not Married!
as Jeff Norris 1952
As Young as You Feel
as Joe Elliott 1951