Everett H. Sloane (October 1, 1909 – August 6, 1965) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

who worked in radio, theatre, films, and television.

Early life

Sloane was born in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

on October 1, 1909, to Nathaniel I. Sloane and Rose (Gerstein) Sloane.Ancestry.com, ''California, Death Index, 1940–1996'' atabase online Provo, Utah. US: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2000. Retrieved December 30, 2014. At age of seven, he played Puck in a production of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

'' at Manhattan's Public School 46, and decided to become an actor. He completed two years at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...

, and left in 1927 to join Jasper Deeter's Hedgerow Theatre repertory company. He made his New York stage debut in 1928. Sloane took a Wall Street job as a stockbroker's runner, but when his salary was cut in half after the stock market crash of 1929, he began to supplement his income with radio work. He became the sleuth's assistant on WOR's ''Impossible Detective Mysteries'', played the

title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

's sidekick, Denny, in ''

Bulldog Drummond Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...

'' and went on to perform in thousands of radio programs. Sloane married Lillian (Luba) Herman, a stage and radio actress, on January 4, 1933, in Manhattan.

Career

Sloane made his Broadway debut in 1935, playing Rosetti the agent in

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New Y ...

's hit comedy, ''Boy Meets Girl''. Sloane was a member of the repertory company that presented the radio news dramatization series '' The March of Time''. "It was like a stock company, whose members were the aristocrats of this relatively new profession of radio acting," wrote fellow actor Joseph Julian. At that time Julian had to content himself with being an indistinguishable voice in crowd scenes, envying this "hallowed circle" that included Sloane, Kenny Delmar, Arlene Francis, Gary Merrill, Agnes Moorehead, Jeanette Nolan, Paul Stewart,

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

, Richard Widmark, Art Carney, Ray Collins, Pedro de Cordoba, Ted de Corsia,

Juano Hernandez Juano G. "Juano" Hernández (July 19, 1896 – July 17, 1970) was a Puerto Rican stage and film actor who was a pioneer in the African American film industry. He made his silent picture debut in ''The Life of General Villa'', and talking pi ...

, Nancy Kelly,

John McIntire John Herrick McIntire (June 27, 1907 – January 30, 1991) was an American character actor who appeared in 65 theatrical films and many television series. McIntire is well known for having replaced Ward Bond, upon Bond's sudden death in Novem ...

, Jack Smart, and Dwight Weist. ''The March of Time'' was one of radio's most popular shows. Sloane's radio work led him to be hired by Orson Welles to become part of his

Mercury Theatre The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures. The Mercury als ...

. Sloane recorded one program with '' The Mercury Theatre on the Air'' and became a regular player when the show was picked up by a sponsor and became '' The Campbell Playhouse''. Sloane moved with the rest of the company to Los Angeles to continue recording the show after Welles signed his contract with RKO Pictures. In 1941, Sloane played Mr. Bernstein in Welles' first movie, ''

Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...

''. After filming had wrapped, Sloane returned to New York to perform (together with fellow ''Kane'' stars Ray Collins and Paul Stewart) in Mercury Theatre's last play,

Richard Wright Richard Wright may refer to: Arts * Richard Wright (author) (1908–1960), African-American novelist * Richard B. Wright (1937–2017), Canadian novelist * Richard Wright (painter) (1735–1775), marine painter * Richard Wright (artist) (born 19 ...

's '' Native Son'', which had 114 performances from March to June 1941. Although he did not appear in Welles's second film, ''

The Magnificent Ambersons ''The Magnificent Ambersons'' is a 1918 novel by Booth Tarkington, the second in his ''Growth'' trilogy after ''The Turmoil'' (1915) and before ''The Midlander'' (1923, retitled ''National Avenue'' in 1927). It won the Pulitzer Prize for ficti ...

'', in 1943, he joined fellow Mercury Theatre alumni Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, and Ruth Warrick in '' Journey into Fear''. In 1947, Sloane also starred as villainous lawyer Arthur Bannister in '' The Lady from Shanghai'', produced and directed by Welles, who also starred. He played an assassin in

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

-era Italy opposite Welles' Cesare Borgia in '' Prince of Foxes'' (1949). Sloane portrayed a doctor for paraplegic World War II veterans in 1950's '' The Men'' with

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

(in his film debut). Sloane's Broadway theater career ended in 1960 with '' From A to Z'', a revue for which he wrote several songs. In between, he acted in plays such as '' Native Son'' (1941), ''A Bell for Adano'' (1944), and '' Room Service'' (1953), and directed the melodrama ''The Dancer'' (1946). In the 1940s, Sloane was a frequent guest star on the radio theater series ''

Inner Sanctum Mystery ''Inner Sanctum Mystery'', also known as ''Inner Sanctum'', is a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941, to October 5, 1952. It was created by producer Himan Brown and was based on the imprint given to the mystery novels ...

'' and '' The Shadow'' (as comic relief Shrevie, the cab driver, among other roles), and was in ''

The Mysterious Traveler ''The Mysterious Traveler'' was an anthology radio series, a magazine, and a comic book. All three featured stories which ran the gamut from fantasy and science fiction to straight crime dramas of mystery and suspense. Radio Written and direct ...

'' episode "Survival of the Fittest" with Kermit Murdock. Sloane co-starred with Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie in Universal's 1951 ''The Prince Who Was a Thief'' as a thief who adopts a baby and raises the child as his own. In 1953, he starred as Captain Frank Kennelly in the CBS radio crime drama '' 21st Precinct''. In 1957, he co-starred in the ninth episode of ''Suspicion'' co-starring Audie Murphy and Jack Warden. In 1958, he played Walter Brennan's role in a remake of ''

To Have and Have Not ''To Have and Have Not'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1937 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The book follows Harry Morgan, a fishing boat captain out of Key West, Florida. ''To Have and Have Not'' was Hemingway's second novel set in th ...

'' called '' The Gun Runners''. Sloane also worked extensively on television. In 1950, for example, he portrayed

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inc ...

in '' The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse's ''production "The Life of Vincent Van Gogh". Later, in November 1955, he starred in the ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'' episode "Our Cook's a Treasure". He appeared on the NBC

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a dif ...

'' The Joseph Cotten Show,'' also known as ''On Trial'', in the 1956 episode "Law Is for the Lovers", with co-star Inger Stevens. Sloane performed renditions of passages from '' The Great Gatsby'' on the NBC program devoted to F. Scott Fitzgerald in August 1955, part of the "Biography in Sound" series on great American authors. Sloane appeared in

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

's '' Zorro'' series in 1957–1958 as Andres Felipe Basilio, in the "Man from Spain" episodes. He also appeared in a few episodes of '' Bonanza'' and an episode in'' Rawhide''. Citizen Kane-Everett Sloane

On March 7, 1959, he guest-starred in an episode of NBC's '' Cimarron City'' titled "The Ratman", appearing alongside the show's star, John Smith. Later that same year, Sloane appeared as a guest in "Stage Stop", the premiere episode of John Smith's second NBC Western series, '' Laramie''. In 1961, Sloane appeared in an episode of '' The Asphalt Jungle''. In the early 1960s, he voiced the

of ''

The Dick Tracy Show ''The Dick Tracy Show'' is an American animated television series based on Chester Gould's comic strip crime fighter. The series was produced from 1961 to 1962 by UPA. In the show, policeman Dick Tracy employed a series of cartoony subordinat ...

'' in 130 cartoons. Beginning in 1964, he provided character voices for the animated TV series '' Jonny Quest''. He also starred in the ABC sci-fi television series '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', in the episode "Hot Line". He wrote the unused lyrics to "The Fishin' Hole", the theme song for '' The Andy Griffith Show''. Sloane guest-starred on the show in 1962, playing Jubal Foster in the episode "The Keeper of the Flame". He starred in both the film and television versions of

Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ...

's '' Patterns'', and in the first season of '' The Twilight Zone'' in the episode "The Fever" . He guest starred as a San Francisco attorney in the 1962 '' Perry Mason'' episode "The Case of the Poison Pen Pal". In 1963, he guest-starred on ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Prod ...

'' in the episode "I'm No Henry Walden" as writer Henry Walden. That same year he starred in the episode "Quint's Trail" on the TV Western Series '' Gunsmoke'' (S9E7) as Cyrus Neff, a concerned father taking his family to Oregon for a new life after his daughter killed a man for forcibly taking her.

Death

Sloane committed suicide at age 55 on August 6, 1965; he took an overdose of

barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological addiction potential a ...

s because he feared he was going blind as a result of

glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve (or retina) and cause vision loss. The most common type is open-angle (wide angle, chronic simple) glaucoma, in which the drainage angle for aqueous humor, fluid withi ...

. Sloane's cremated remains are interred at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Citizen-Kane-Cotten-Welles-Sloane-Sanford

* ''

'' (1941) – Mr Bernstein * '' Journey into Fear'' (1943) – Kopeikin * '' The Lady from Shanghai'' (1947) – Arthur Bannister * '' Jigsaw'' (1949) – Sam the Milkman (uncredited, cameo appearance) * '' Prince of Foxes'' (1949) – Mario Belli * '' Philco Television Playhouse'' TV Series (1950 season episode "Life of Vincent van Gogh") –

"Tele Followup Comment"
''Variety''. March 8, 1950. p. 34. Retrieved November 2, 1922. * '' The Men'' (1950) – Dr Brock * '' The Enforcer'' (1951) – Albert Mendoza * '' Bird of Paradise'' (1951) – The Akua * '' Sirocco'' (1951) – General LaSalle * ''The Prince Who Was a Thief'' (1951) – Yussef * '' The Desert Fox'' (1951) – General

Wilhelm Burgdorf Wilhelm Emanuel Burgdorf (15 February 1895 – 2 May 1945) was a German general during World War II, who served as a commander and staff officer in the German Army. In October 1944, Burgdorf assumed the role of the chief of the Army Personnel O ...

* '' The Blue Veil'' (1951) – District Attorney * '' The Sellout'' (1952) – Nelson S. Tarsson * ''

Way of a Gaucho ''Way of a Gaucho'' is a 1952 American Western drama film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Gene Tierney and Rory Calhoun. It was written by Philip Dunne and based on a novel by Herbert Childs. The film was made by 20th Century Fox an ...

'' (1952) – Falcon * ''

'' TV Series (1955 season episode "Our Cook's A Treasure") – Ralph Montgomery * '' The Big Knife'' (1955) – Nat Danziger * '' Patterns'' (1956) – Mr Ramsey * '' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) – Irving Cohen * '' Lust for Life'' (1956) – Dr Gachet * ''

'' TV Series (1956 season episode "Place Of Shadows") – Father Vincente * '' Massacre at Sand Creek'' (1956, TV Movie) – Colonel John Templeton * '' Marjorie Morningstar'' (1958) – Arnold Morgenstern * '' The Gun Runners'' (1958) – Harvey * '' Home from the Hill'' (1960) – Albert Halstead * '' The Twilight Zone'' (1960 season one episode " The Fever") – Franklin Gibbs * '' Route 66 '' (1960 season one episode "Black November") – Mr. Garth * ''The Million Dollar Incident'' (1961, TV Movie) – Bannister * '' By Love Possessed'' (1961) – Dr Reggie Shaw * '' Brushfire!'' (1962) – Chevern McCase * ''The Lady and the Stock Exchange'' (1962, documentary short) * '' The Man from the Diners' Club'' (1963) – Mr Martindale * '' The Patsy'' (1964) – Caryl Fergusson * ''Ready for the People'' (1964, TV Movie) – Paul Boyer * '' The Disorderly Orderly'' (1964) – Mr Tuffington * ''Hercules and the Princess of Troy'' (1965, TV Movie) – Narrator

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * *
Sloane on ''The Andy Griffith Show''

Literature on Everett Sloane
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sloane, Everett 1909 births 1965 deaths 1965 suicides 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male radio actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American theatre directors Barbiturates-related deaths Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery Drug-related suicides in California Jewish American male actors Male actors from New York City People from Manhattan RKO Pictures contract players 20th-century American Jews