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Walter Abel

 
American Theater Guide: Walter Abel
 
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Abel, Walter (1898–1987), character actor. Equally effective in both Eugene O'Neill dramas and drawing‐room comedies, Abel appeared on Broadway for more than five decades. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and studied acting at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts before making his professional debut as a lieutenant in Forbidden (1919). Although he later became a much‐recognized screen character actor, Abel returned to the New York stage often, most memorably as the befuddled stepfather in The Pleasure of His Company and the grumpy old stuffed shirt Sir William in the 1975 Lincoln Center revival of Trelawny of the Wells.

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Actor: Walter Abel
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  • Born: Jun 06, 1898 in St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Died: Apr 24, 1987 in Essex, Connecticut
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '30s-'50s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Comedy
  • Career Highlights: The Indian Fighter, Star Spangled Rhythm, So This Is Love
  • First Major Screen Credit: The Three Musketeers (1935)

Biography

A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, American actor Walter Abel began his stage career in 1919, and made his first film in 1920. Tall and quietly dignified, Abel was well cast in several of the plays of Eugene O'Neill. His first talking picture role was as the industrious young bridegroom Wolf in Liliom (1930). Abel had a go at a romantic lead when he replaced Francis Lederer as D'Artagnan in the 1935 version of The Three Musketeers; but the film was dull and Abel's performance mannered, so, thereafter, he was more effectively cast in top supporting roles. With his performance as the prosecuting attorney in Fury, Abel established his standard screen image: the well-groomed, mustachioed professional man, within whom lurked a streak of barely controlled hysteria. In this guise, Abel was excellent as the dyspeptic newspaper editor in Arise My Love (1940) and as Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire's long-suffering agent in Holiday Inn (1942). Busier on stage and television than in films during the 1950s, Abel received extensive critical and public attention for his role as a doomed industrialist in the 1966 melodrama Mirage. Sent out by Universal to promote the film, Abel regaled talk-show hosts with the story of how his fatal plunge from a skyscraper was actually filmed. Also during this period, Abel was appointed president of the American National Theatre and Academy. His last screen performance was opposite Katharine Hepburn in The Ultimate Solution of Grace Quigley (1984). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
 
Wikipedia: Walter Abel
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Walter Abel
Born June 6, 1898(1898-06-06)
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Died March 26, 1987 (aged 88)
Essex, USA
Years active 1918–1984
Spouse(s) Marietta Bitter (1926-1979) (her death) 2 children

Walter Abel (June 6, 1898 – March 26, 1987) was an American stage and film character actor.

Abel was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Christine (née Becker) and Richard Michael Abel.[1] Abel graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in Forbidden in 1919. His many theatre credits include As You Like It, Desire Under the Elms, Mourning Becomes Electra, Merrily We Roll Along, and Trelawney of the Wells.

Abel was married to concert harpist Marietta Bitter. He died of a heart attack in Essex, Connecticut.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/58/Walter-Abel.html

External links



This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

American Theater Guide. The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Actor. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Walter Abel".  Read more

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