Ned Wever (born Edward Hooper Weaver;[1] April 27, 1902 – May 6, 1984) was an actor on stage and on old-time radio. Garyn G. Roberts wrote in his book, Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context, "Wever's most famous role was probably that of H.C. McNeile's British detective and adventurer Bulldog Drummond for the program of the same name."[2]
Ned Wever | |
|---|---|
 Florence Freeman (Ellen Brown) and Ned Wever (Dr. Anthony Loring) from Young Widder Brown | |
| Born | Edward Hooper Wever April 27, 1902 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 6, 1984 (aged 82) Laguna Hills, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
| Spouse | Carla Wever |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editThe son of a New York attorney,[3] Wever was born on April 27, 1902, in New York City.[4] He graduated from the Pawling School and Princeton University, where he was president of the Triangle Club dramatic organization in his senior year[1] and was a member of the staff of The Daily Princetonian newspaper and the Nassau Literary Magazine.[3]
Radio
editWever's roles on radio programs included those shown in the table below.
| Program | Role |
|---|---|
| Betty and Bob | Al Bishop[5] |
| Big Sister | Jerry Miller[5]: 40 |
| Bulldog Drummond | Bulldog Drummond[6] |
| Dick Tracy | Dick Tracy[6] |
| Her Honor, Nancy James | District Attorney[7] |
| Kate Hopkins, Angel of Mercy | Tom Hopkins[5]: 187 |
| Lady Counsellor | Tony Howard[1] |
| Little Italy | Nicholas[5]: 202 |
| Lora Lawton | Peter Carver[5]: 206 |
| Two on a Clue | Jeff Spencer[8] |
| Under Arrest | Captain Jim Scott[5]: 344-345 |
| Valiant Lady | Colin Kirby[5]: 346 |
| Young Widder Brown | Anthony Loring[6] |
He also had leads on True Detective, The True Story Hour, Angel of Mercy and Manhattan Mother and was heard frequently on The Wonder Show, Grand Central Station, Perry Mason and The Cavalcade of America.[9]
Stage
editWever's initial professional stage work came with Stewart Walker's stock theater company in Indianapolis, Indiana.[1] His Broadway credits include Days to Come (1936), The Second Little Show (1930) and The Grab Bag (1924).[10]
Musical composition
editIn his book, The Great Radio Soap Operas, Jim Cox called Wever "as talented a musician as he was an actor".[9] Cox added, "He composed show tunes for Broadway productions featuring Billy Rose and Ed Wynn."[9] Wever's compositions included "Spellbound", "I Can't Resist You", "Trouble in Paradise" and "Trust in Me".[9]
Television
editWever was credited with more than 70 appearances on television programs, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bonanza, Perry Mason, Get Smart and The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.[11]
Selected filmography
edit- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957) (Season 2 Episode 22: "The End of Indian Summer") as Saunders
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957) (Season 2 Episode 31: "The Night the World Ended") as Joe
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962) (Season 7 Episode 34: "The Twelve Hour Caper") as Hargis
Personal life
editWever and his wife, Carla, had two daughters, Patricia and Pamela.[3]
Death
editWever died of heart failure May 6, 1984, in a convalescent home in Laguna Hills, California.[11]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Slaughter on Tenth Avenue | Captain Sid Wallace | |
| 1957 | The Joker Is Wild | Dr. Pierson | Uncredited |
| 1958 | High School Confidential | Police Commissioner Walter Burroughs / Narrator | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Fiend Who Walked the West | Prosecutor Coyne | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Ride a Crooked Trail | Attorney Clark | |
| 1958 | Some Came Running | Smitty | |
| 1959 | The Shaggy Dog | FBI Chief E.P. Hackett | |
| 1959 | These Thousand Hills | Link Gorham | Uncredited |
| 1959 | Anatomy of a Murder | Dr. Raschid | |
| 1959 | The Big Fisherman | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1960 | One Foot in Hell | Royce City Official | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Tammy Tell Me True | Dr. Stach |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Ecksan, K.L. (April 30, 1936). "Coast to Get Special Show Boat Program". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. p. 22. Retrieved September 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Roberts, Garyn G. (1993). Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context. McFarland. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-7864-1698-1. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ^ a b c Knaster, Ira (April 1949). "The Wever Way". Radio and Television Mirror. Vol. 31, no. 5. pp. 40–41, 85–87. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 281.
- ^ a b c d e f g Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 36.
- ^ a b c Roebuck, Jay (August 25, 1968). "'Bulldog Drummond' Is Alive and Residing in Orange county". Independent Press-Telegram. California, Long Beach. p. 93. Retrieved September 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Questions and Answers". The Lincoln Star. Nebraska, Lincoln. January 29, 1939. p. 60. Retrieved September 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "(untitled brief)". The Circleville Herald. Ohio, Circleville. September 8, 1945. p. 7. Retrieved September 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Cox, Jim (1999). The Great Radio Soap Operas. McFarland. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-7864-3865-5. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ^ "("Ned Wever" search results)". Playbill Vault. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
- ^ a b "The voice of Dick Tracy dies at 85". The Deseret News. May 8, 1984. p. A 3. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
External links
edit- Ned Wever at IMDb
- Ned Wever at the Internet Broadway Database