Wesley Addy
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Robert Wesley Addy (August 4, 1913 – December 31, 1996)R Wesley Addy in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claim Index, 1936-2007, retrieved fro
Ancestry.com
/ref> was an American actor of stage, television, and film.


Early years

Addy was born in
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
, the second child and only son of John Roy Addy, a minister, and his Danish-born wife, Maren S. Nelson, a nurse.1920 United States Federal Census for Wesley Addy, California > Los Angeles > Los Angeles Assembly District 66 > District 0248, retrieved fro
Ancestry.com
/ref> The family had come from Ohio, where Addy's father and older sister were born. The parents were recruited as missionaries bound for China, but his father suffered a nervous breakdown on the way, and the family wound up in
Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...
. Addy attended Inglewood Union High School, where he played the oboe. He graduated high school in January 1930. Addy entered
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
as an economics major during the spring quarter of 1930, but switched to dramatics after his freshman year. He was active in the university's Dramatic Society from his sophomore year. During his junior year he played
Orestes In Greek mythology, Orestes or Orestis (; grc-gre, Ὀρέστης ) was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, and the brother of Electra. He is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and of various myths connected with his madness and ...
in
Choephoroe The ''Oresteia'' ( grc, Ὀρέστεια) is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in the 5th century BCE, concerning the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, the murder of Clytemnestra by Orestes, the trial of Orestes, the end of th ...
, drawing praise from the ''Los Angeles Times'' drama critic. While a senior, he played
Sebastian Sebastian may refer to: People * Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television * ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film * ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film ...
in Shakespeare's
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...
, and the
Earl of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...
in '' Elizabeth the Queen'' with a cast that included classmates
Lloyd Bridges Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...
and Russell Zink. Addy also reprised his performance of Orestes, this time in Eumenides.


Pre-war stage career

After graduating from UCLA, Addy moved to the East Coast at the invitation of a family friend, Phidelah Rice, who owned a theater on
Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
. He joined the Vineyard Player's
summer stock In American theater, summer-stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock the ...
company, which performed at the Rice Playhouse. Though obscure, it was a professional company which likely secured for Addy his first
Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...
card.


''Panic'' and ''Hamlet''

His first
Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
credit came in March 1935 with ''
Panic Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reactio ...
''. Directed by
John Houseman John Houseman (born Jacques Haussmann; September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born British-American actor and producer of theatre, film, and television. He became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director ...
, the production starred a very young
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 ...
, with
Richard Whorf Richard Whorf (June 4, 1906 – December 14, 1966) was an American actor, writer and film director. Life and acting career Whorf was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts to Harry and Sarah (née Lee) Whorf. His older brother was linguist Benjamin Le ...
,
Paula Trueman Paula Trueman (April 25, 1897 – March 23, 1994) was an American film, stage and television actress.Year of birth confirmed by 1920, 1930 and 1940 US census records as well as her 1922 U.S. passport application.
,
Abner Biberman Abner Warren Biberman (April 1, 1909 – June 20, 1977) was an American actor, director, and screenwriter. Early years Biberman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, later moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He gained early acting experien ...
, and
Karl Swenson Karl Swenson (July 23, 1908 – October 8, 1978) was an American theatre, radio, film, and television actor. Early in his career, he was credited as Peter Wayne.
in supporting roles. Addy had two minor bits, as one of the Unemployed in the Depression-themed work, and as a male chorus member under the direction of
Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She wa ...
. His second Broadway credit was a short-lived fey drama called ''How Beautiful with Shoes'' for which he had a minor bit. Addy then worked at smaller theatres in the outlying New York City area, featuring with
Ruth Gordon Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, Gordon gained internati ...
in a revival of Maxwell Anderson's ''Saturday's Children'', and following it with ''
Fresh Fields ''Fresh Fields'' is a British sitcom starring Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers. A ratings success at the time, it was written by John Chapman and produced by Thames Television for ITV, running for four series between 7 March 1984 and 23 Octob ...
'' His first break came with ''
There's Always Juliet ''There's Always Juliet'' is a 1931 comedy play by the British writer John Van Druten about an American architect who falls in love with an Englishwoman. It ran for 118 performances at the Apollo Theatre in London West End with a cast of Herber ...
'', a Federal Theatre revival production. With only two principals and two minor characters in the work, Addy received prominent attention from the critics, particularly since he joined the cast at the last moment, replacing the leading male.The programs had already been printed with the other actor's name, so Addy's was inserted by hand. When John Houseman was asked to help direct Leslie Howard's production of
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
, he remembered Addy from ''Panic'' and suggested him for the role of Marcellus. After a week's tryout in Boston, it moved to the Imperial Theatre on Broadway in November 1936, where Addy picked up the additional role of Fortinbras. Directed by Houseman, with the internal play staged by
Agnes de Mille Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer. Early years Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...
, Howard's portrayal suffered from comparison with the more traditional version of
John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...
, then running at the Empire Theatre. The production went on the road to Chicago after 39 performances, touring for nine weeks until finishing up in San Francisco in February 1937.


''Richard II'' and ''Henry IV, Part 1''

His next known performance was in ''
Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
'', which returned to Broadway during September 1937 after a hiatus for the summer months. Addy replaced another actor in two minor roles for this production staged by
Margaret Webster Margaret Webster (March 15, 1905 – November 13, 1972) was an American-British theater actress, producer and director. Critic George Jean Nathan described her as "the best director of the plays of Shakespeare that we have." Life and caree ...
that starred Maurice Evans. After a month back on Broadway, the production went to Boston then to Philadelphia. While still playing in ''Richard II'', Addy began rehearsals for ''
King Henry IV, Part 1 ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the Battle of H ...
'', in which he would play Hotspur. Two tryout performances were given in Philadelphia during December 1937, with Maurice Evans as
Falstaff Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays '' Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...
. Critic Linton Martin of ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' was impressed with Addy's performance:
...Wesley Addy as the hot-blooded Hotspur, headlong, heroic and humorous, came perilously close to stealing the show during his vivid and vigorous appearances.
After ''Richard II'' continued on to Detroit, two more tryouts of ''Henry IV, Part I'' were presented, where again Addy's Hotspur drew praise second only to Evans' Falstaff. The pattern was repeated in St. Louis and Chicago as the ''Richard II'' tour finished up in March 1938. For unknown reasons, Evans and Webster decided against taking ''Henry IV, Part 1'' to Broadway in 1938. A rumor appeared in newspapers that Evans was not happy with Addy's acclaim, but one critic pointed out that American theatregoers, unfamiliar with English history and the larger
Henriad In Shakespearean scholarship, Henriad refers to a group of William Shakespeare's history plays. It is sometimes used to refer to a group of four plays (a tetralogy), but some sources and scholars use the term to refer to eight plays. In the 1 ...
, assumed Hotspur was the hero of the play and reacted negatively to his death.


''Hamlet'' again

Addy next appeared in summer stock with the Surry Players in rural
Surry, Maine Surry is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,632 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Climate This climati ...
. This was a self-contained "colony" troupe with its own theatre, which provided housing and meals for its cast members, and offered them dancing and fencing instruction. Here Addy performed in four plays during the summer of 1938, while frustrating a local journalist's attempt to get him to open up about himself:
here's Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here Television * Here TV (form ...
nothing to tell... I was graduated from the University of California in 1934 and went right to a stock company on Martha's Vineyard, without even waiting for my diploma -- and I've been in the theater more or less ever since.
Back on Broadway for the fall season, he played in Evans and Webster's production of ''Hamlet'' from October 1938 thru January 1939, at which time they finally decided to mount ''Henry IV, Part 1''. Addy again played Hotspur, to high praise from the reviewers:
Otherwise the performance of the evening is that of Wesley Addy playing Hotspur with such a fine and youthful enthusiasm, and with so determined and understanding a belief in the character, as to score with every scene he has.
Summer stock at the
Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live in ...
in
Millburn, New Jersey Millburn is a suburban Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 20,149, reflecting an increase of 384 (+1.9%) from t ...
occupied Addy during August and September 1939, however his only known role was in a world premiere of ''Flight Into China'' by
Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for ''The Good Earth'' a bestselling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck ...
. He returned to Broadway in November 1939 with ''Summer Night'' by
Vicki Baum Hedwig "Vicki" Baum (; he, ויקי באום; January 24, 1888 – August 29, 1960) was an Austrian writer. She is known for the novel ''Menschen im Hotel'' ("People at a Hotel", 1929 — published in English as ''Grand Hotel (novel), Gran ...
and
Benjamin Glazer Benjamin Glazer (May 7, 1887 – March 18, 1956) was a screenwriter, producer, foley artist, and director of American films from the 1920s through the 1950s. He made the first translation of Ferenc Molnár's play ''Liliom'' into English in 1921. H ...
. Directed by
Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...
with a good cast, the play was critically panned for the writing, which sought to present a
Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...
story in the setting of a summer park where a marathon dance is taking place. It closed after just four performances. Flops project an aura onto their unlucky participants; it was five months before Addy found another stage job.


''Romeo and Juliet''

At the time of the 1940 US Census in April, Addy was temporarily staying at a boarding house in San Francisco.1940 United States Federal Census for Robert Addy, California > San Francisco > San Francisco > 38-175, retrieved fro
Ancestry.com
/ref>
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
was producing, directing, and starring in ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
'', with
Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gon ...
as his co-star;They had each recently divorced their spouses but would not marry until August 1940. the opening tryout was at the Geary Theater in San Francisco. Addy, playing Benvolio, performed in the week-long tryouts in San Francisco and Chicago. ''Oakland Tribune'' reviewer Wood Soanes praised the supporting cast, including Addy, but found the two stars underwhelming. Cecil Smith of the ''Chicago Tribune'' also thought Addy excellent, but was more nuanced about Olivier and Leigh. The production went to Broadway on May 9, 1940, at the 51st Street Theater. Addy alone drew praise from critic Arthur Pollock, who was scathing about the two stars and Edmond O'Brien as Mercutio. Reviewer Burns Mantle called Addy and few others "outstanding", but also expressed disappointment with Olivier and Leigh. The production closed in early June 1940 after 36 performances.


''Twelfth Night'' and ''Battle of Angels''

After doing some summer stock in
Locust Valley, New York Locust Valley is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the Oyster Bay (town), New York, Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore of Long Island ...
and
Stockbridge, Massachusetts Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,018 at the 2020 census. A year-round resort area, Stockbridge is h ...
, Addy was cast in a
Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of the W ...
production of ''
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...
'' when
Robert Speaight Robert William Speaight (; 1904 – 1976) was a British actor and writer, and the brother of George Speaight, the puppeteer. Speaight studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based in the Royal Albert Hal ...
was called up for wartime service in the UK. This was another Maurice Evans and Margaret Webster collaboration, with
Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...
playing Viola and Addy as Orsino. Though Addy had taken the role of Orsino at short notice, and performed more than creditably, he was to leave it in mid-December 1940. The Theatre Guild had a new work, ''
Battle of Angels ''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957 but had only a brief run (68 performances) and modest success. It was revived on Broadway in 1989, directed by Peter Hall an ...
'', by a then unknown playwright named
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
. The play had a leading lady,
Miriam Hopkins Ellen Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an American actress known for her versatility. She first signed with Paramount Pictures in 1930. Her best-known roles included a pickpocket in Ernst Lubitsch's romantic comedy '' T ...
, but no male lead. Already regarded as a difficult script,In his memoir ''Magic Curtain'' (1951),
Lawrence Langner Lawrence Langner (May 30, 1890 – 1962) was a playwright, author, and producer who also pursued a career as a patent attorney. Life Born near Swansea, South Wales and working most of his life in the United States, he started his theat ...
says Hopkins became so frustrated with it she threw her copy at him.
both the Theatre Guild (specifically
Lawrence Langner Lawrence Langner (May 30, 1890 – 1962) was a playwright, author, and producer who also pursued a career as a patent attorney. Life Born near Swansea, South Wales and working most of his life in the United States, he started his theat ...
and
Theresa Helburn Theresa Helburn (January 12, 1887 – August 18, 1959)"Theresa Helburn"
Internet Broadway ...
) and Hopkins settled on Addy "after weeks of desperate searching" and shortly before the scheduled tryout in Boston. Lauren Gilbert took over the role of Orsino in ''Twelfth Night'' when Addy signed for ''Battle of Angels''. The tryout for ''Battle of Angels'' opened at the
Wilbur Theatre The Wilbur Theatre is a historic performing arts theater at 244–250 Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts. The Wilbur Theatre originally opened in 1914, but underwent renovations in 2008. The Wilbur Theatre sits in the heart of Boston's histor ...
on December 30, 1940, under the direction of Margaret Webster. Initial reviews praised the acting of Hopkins and Addy, but said they were unable to overcome severe problems with the writing: "the play gives the audience the sensation of having been dunked in mire". Boston city officials demanded certain lines be dropped or the play would be closed; Hopkins blasted them for having small minds and praised Williams' writing, but the Theatre Guild decided to shut it down on January 11, 1941. Having given up a surefire Broadway role for a lead in a brief beleaguered disappointment, Addy was now unemployed. Scant compensation came from columnist George Ross, who noted how successfully Addy had jumped into last-minute roles for ''Twelfth Night'' and ''Battle of Angels''. The Theatre Guild found him work in ''Somewhere in France'', which had a preview at the Guild Theatre during late April 1941. It then went to the National Theatre for a tryout run, during which the Theatre Guild announced it would be set aside until the fall for rewrites, by which time Addy had enlisted in the US Army.


Recordings, radio, and early television

In a 1939 profile by columnist Robert Francis, Addy revealed that he spent mornings at the
American Foundation for the Blind The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is an American non-profit organization for people with vision loss. AFB's objectives include conducting research to advance change, promoting knowledge and understanding, and shaping policies and practice ...
(AFB), making recordings of plays for their
talking book ''Talking Book'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and ''Music of My Mind'', released earlier the same yea ...
program. He would continue this activity up until he entered military service in 1941. Addy also used his fine speaking voice for radio programs. While still playing Hotspur on Broadway in March 1939, he also starred in an afternoon WJZ production of ''
Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th cen ...
'' for its "Great Plays" series, with
Martha Scott Martha Ellen Scott (September 22, 1912 – May 28, 2003) was an American actress. She was featured in major films such as Cecil B. DeMille's ''The Ten Commandments'' (1956), and William Wyler's '' Ben-Hur'' (1959), playing the mother of Charlton ...
as his Roxanne. He and
Mady Christians Marguerita Maria "Mady" Christians (January 19, 1892 – October 28, 1951) was an Austrian actress who had a successful acting career in theatre and film in the United States until she was blacklisted during the McCarthy period. Biography Sh ...
took the leads for another "Great Plays" episode in May 1939, this one for '' Elizabeth the Queen''. During November 1939 he played the lead in "Great Plays" version of ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
'' on WJZ, with
Joan Tompkins Joan Swenson (July 9, 1915 – January 29, 2005), previously known as Joan Tompkins, was an American actress of television, film, radio, and stage. Career Tompkins performed with stock theater companies in Mount Kisco, New York and White Plains ...
as his Juliet. On March 8, 1941, Addy temporarily took over the lead in an hour-long dramatic serial on CBS Radio, ''Honest Abe'', replacing Ray Middleton. The serial aired Saturday mornings and co-starred
Muriel Kirkland Muriel Kirkland (August 19, 1903 – September 26, 1971) was an American actress. Early years Kirkland was born on August 19, 1903, in Yonkers, New York, She was the daughter of advertising executive Charles B. Kirkland and Margaret Keith Kirkland ...
. Addy's tenure ended one month later, when
Henry Hull Henry Watterson Hull (October 3, 1890 – March 8, 1977) was an American character actor perhaps best known for playing the lead in Universal Pictures's ''Werewolf of London'' (1935). For most of his career, he was a lead actor on stage and a ch ...
took over the part. On May 4, 1941, Addy did another "Great Plays" radio program, ''Prologue to Glory'', where he played young Abe Lincoln. Addy's first known screen performance came from an hour-long production of Noël Coward's ''
Hay Fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...
'' on New York experimental television. Broadcast on July 27, 1939, on
W2XBS WNBC (channel 4) is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Linden, New Jersey–licensed Telemundo station WN ...
, it also featured
Isobel Elsom Isobel Elsom (born Isabelle Reed; 16 March 1893 – 12 January 1981) was an English film, theatre, and television actress. She was often cast as aristocrats or upper-class women. Early years Born in Chesterton, Cambridge, Chesterton, C ...
and
Dennis Hoey Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. Early life Hoey was born Samuel David ...
.


Military service

During October 1940 Addy registered for the draft, listing his employer as the
Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of the W ...
(he had just been cast in ''Twelfth Night'').U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 for Robert Wesley Addy, retrieved fro
Ancestry.com
/ref> The registrar recorded him as being 6'1" (185.4 cm), 160 pounds (72.6 kg), with blue eyes and blonde hair. On July 16, 1941, he enlisted in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
at
Camp Upton Camp Upton was a port of embarkation of the United States Army during World War I. During World War II it was used to intern enemy aliens. It was located in Yaphank, New York in Suffolk County on Long Island, on the present-day location of Brook ...
in
Yaphank, New York Yaphank () is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,945 at the time of the 2010 census. Yaphank is located in the south part of the Town of Brookhaven. It is served by the Lo ...
.Robert W. Addy in the U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, retrieved fro
Ancestry.com
/ref> The usual disposition of someone with Addy's background would be assignment to one of the specialized units attached to the Signal Corps. However, it appears he wound up as an officer in the 63rd Infantry Division, and was a
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
while on terminal leave from the army during February 1946.


Post-war stage career


''Antigone'' and ''Candida''

The first post-war mention of Addy resuming his performing career comes from February 1946, when he again took over a role on short notice. The play was '' Antigone and the Tyrant'', produced by and starring
Katharine Cornell Katharine Cornell (February 16, 1893June 9, 1974) was an American stage actress, writer, theater owner and producer. She was born in Berlin to American parents and raised in Buffalo, New York. Dubbed "The First Lady of the Theatre" by critic A ...
, and directed by her husband
Guthrie McClintic Guthrie McClintic (August 6, 1893 – October 29, 1961) was an American theatre director, film director, and producer based in New York. Life and career McClintic was born in Seattle, attended Washington University and New York's American Academ ...
. Addy replaced James Monks in the role of
Haemon According to Sophocles' play ''Antigone'', Haemon {{IPAc-en, ˈ, h, iː, m, ɒ, n or Haimon (Ancient Greek: Αἵμων, ''Haimon'' "bloody"; ''gen''.: Αἵμωνος) was the mythological son of Creon and Eurydice, and thus brother of Menoeceus ...
midway through a two-week tryout run in Boston. The production went to Broadway's
Cort Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was built in ...
on February 18, 1946.
Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and ...
played
Creon Creon may refer to: Greek history * Creon, the first annual eponymous archon of Athens, 682–681 BC Greek mythology * Creon (king of Thebes), mythological king of Thebes * Creon (king of Corinth), father of Creusa/Glauce in Euripides' ''Medea' ...
in this adaption by Lewis Galantière of
Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an ad ...
's version of the Greek classic, updated with modern slang, tuxedos, cigarettes, and policemen. Beginning April 4, 1946, this play started alternating at the Cort Theatre with a revival of '' Candida'', again produced by Cornell and staged by McClintic. ''Candida'' starred Cornell as the title character, Hardwicke as her father Burgess, with Addy as her husband Rev. Morell, and
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 ...
playing her suitor Marchbanks. Addy was considered too young for the role, but "being a good actor, makes a good acting job of it". Both productions closed on Broadway during early May 1946 to go on a brief tour, first to Washington, D.C. then finishing in Chicago in early June. While still playing in both Cornell productions, Addy did a Sunday evening radio broadcast for the Theater Guild of '' Mary of Scotland'' on April 28, 1946.
Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...
and
Helen Menken Helen Menken (née Meinken; December 12, 1901 – March 27, 1966) was an American stage actress. Early years Menken was born in New York City to a German-French father, Frederick Meinken, and an Irish-born mother, Mary Madden. Her parents were ...
reprised their 1933 Broadway roles as Mary Stuart and
Elizabeth Tudor Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
respectively.


''Another Part of the Forest''

Addy next turns up as a replacement for
Leo Genn Leopold John Genn (9 August 190526 January 1978) was an English actor and barrister. Distinguished by his relaxed charm and smooth, "black velvet" voice, he had a lengthy career in theatre, film, television, and radio; often playing aristocr ...
in the original Broadway production of ''
Another Part of the Forest ''Another Part of the Forest'' is a 1946 play by Lillian Hellman, a prequel to her 1939 drama ''The Little Foxes''. Plot synopsis Set in the fictional town of Bowden, Alabama, in June 1880, the plot focuses on the wealthy, ruthless, and innatel ...
'' in March 1947, finishing the last 10 weeks of its six-month run. He did some summer stock in
Ridgefield, Connecticut Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York ...
during June–July 1947 then picked up with the touring company of ''Another Part of the Forest'' in late September 1947. This month-long tour took in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and Chicago, and like the Broadway production was directed by the playwright,
Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, prose writer, memoirist and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway, as well as her communist sympathies and political activism. She was blacklisted aft ...
. Corbin Patrick of ''The Indianapolis Star'' felt Addy dominated the performance.
Claudia Cassidy Claudia Cassidy (1899 – July 21, 1996), was an influential, 20th-century American performing arts critic. She was a long-time critic for the ''Chicago Tribune.'' Starting in 1925 she was music and drama critic for The Journal of Commerce. Sh ...
of the ''Chicago Tribune'' also thought Addy's was the driving force, though she emphasized his discretion rather than his power.Cassidy also pointed out the psychological aspects of the play, and almost as an aside, mentioned that Hellman's photo, rather than one of the performers, was on the cover of the ''Playbill'' program. The Experimental Theatre, a project of the
American National Theater and Academy The American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) is a non-profit theatre producer and training organization that was established in 1935 to be the official United States national theatre that would be an alternative to the for-profit Broadway houses ...
, opened its second season with a one-week production of ''
Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He was ...
'' at
Maxine Elliott's Theatre Maxine Elliott's Theatre was originally a Broadway theatre at 109 West 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Built in 1908, it was designed by architect Benjamin Marshall of the Chicago-based firm Marshall and Fox, ...
during December 1947,. It starred
Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future w ...
, with Addy,
John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later Jo ...
,
Joan McCracken Joan Hume McCracken (December 31, 1917 – November 1, 1961) was an American dancer and actress who became famous for her role as Sylvie ("The Girl Who Falls Down") in the original 1943 production of ''Oklahoma!'' She also was noted for her per ...
, and
Hester Sondergaard Hester Sondergaard (July 5, 1903 – February 26, 1994) was an American actress. Early years Born in Litchfield, Minnesota, Sondergaard was the daughter of Hans T. Søndergaard, a dairy instructor at a university, and the sister of actress Ga ...
as the other New York leads. Addy's next performing work was a small part in a Theatre Guild radio broadcast of ''Romeo and Juliet'' during February 1948. He followed it a month later with the speaking role in a performance of ''
Oedipus rex ''Oedipus Rex'', also known by its Greek title, ''Oedipus Tyrannus'' ( grc, Οἰδίπους Τύραννος, ), or ''Oedipus the King'', is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed around 429 BC. Originally, to the ancient Gr ...
'' by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the " Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 1881, ...
. That summer of 1948 Addy played
Iago Iago () is a fictional character in Shakespeare's ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Iago is the play's main antagonist, and Othello's standard-bearer. He is the husband of Emilia, who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. Iago hates ...
in a week-long Boston production of ''
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
'' that starred
Canada Lee Canada Lee (born Leonard Lionel Cornelius Canegata; March 3, 1907 – May 9, 1952) was an American professional boxer and then an actor who pioneered roles for African Americans. After careers as a jockey, boxer and musician, he became an actor ...
as
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
and
Claire Luce Claire Luce (October 15, 1903 – August 31, 1989) was an American stage and screen actress, dancer and singer. Among her few films were ''Up the River'' (1930), directed by John Ford and starring Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart in their ...
as
Desdemona Desdemona () is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a Moorish Venetian ...
. He also reprised his role in ''Oedipus rex'' and narrated ''
Peter and the Wolf ''Peter and the Wolf'' ( rus, Петя и Bолк, r="Pétya i volk", p=ˈpʲetʲə i volk, links=no) Op. 67, a "symphonic fairy tale for children", is a musical composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a children's s ...
'' when the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave performances at
Tanglewood Tanglewood is a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. It has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. Tanglewood is also home to three music schools: the T ...
during August 1948. Both performances were broadcast over ABC radio.


''The Leading Lady'' and ''The Traitor''

The world premiere of ''The Leading Lady'' was at the
Selwyn Theatre Selwyn may refer to: Institutions * Selwyn College, Auckland, is a multicultural, co-educational high school in Auckland, New Zealand * Selwyn College, Cambridge, one of the University of Cambridge colleges, UK * Selwyn College, Otago, hall of resi ...
in Chicago on Sept. 13, 1948. Ruth Gordon starred in the play she had written, with her husband Garson Kanin directing. The ''Chicago Tribune'' critic liked it, though she thought the part handed to Addy was nebulous, and suggested the second and third acts needed work during the three week tryout. After revisions, the producers agreed to a second tryout, scheduled for two weeks in Boston at the Copley Theatre. Addy's role may have been strengthened, for the Boston reviewer praised his performance, even while suggesting the play relied too much on "character vignettes" and theatrical in-jokes, such as John Carradine's portrayal of a theatre critic ala Aleck Woollcott. ''The Leading Lady'' opened at Broadway's National Theatre on October 18, 1948, was judged to be a "charade" rather than a play, and closed after just eight performances. Addy did another speaking role with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in January 1949, narrating ''
A Lincoln Portrait ''Lincoln Portrait'' (also known as ''A Lincoln Portrait'') is a classical orchestral work written by the American composer Aaron Copland. The work involves a full orchestra, with particular emphasis on the brass section at climactic moments. The ...
'' by
Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...
. He was then to appear in an
Equity Library Theatre The Equity Library Theatre (ELT) was a New York City theatre company active from 1943 until 1989. The original company Founded in 1943 by Sam Jaffe, representing Actors' Equity, and George Freedley, at the time curator of the New York Public Libr ...
production of ''A Highland Fling'' but left the cast when signed for a part in ''The Traitor'', a new play by
Herman Wouk Herman Wouk ( ; May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019) was an American author best known for historical fiction such as ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1951) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. His other major works include ''The Winds of War'' and ' ...
. Produced and staged by the mercurial
Jed Harris Jed Harris (born Jacob Hirsch Horowitz; February 25, 1900 – November 15, 1979) was an Austrian-born American theatrical producer and director. His many successful Broadway productions in the 1920s and 1930s include ''Broadway'' (1926), ''Coque ...
who disdained tryouts, it had only two performances in
Princeton, New Jersey Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...
before opening on Broadway on March 31, 1949. Critic John Chapman called it "a bit more than plain melodrama", pointing to the ethical debates between Addy's and
Walter Hampden Walter Hampden Dougherty (June 30, 1879 in Brooklyn – June 11, 1955 in Los Angeles), known professionally as Walter Hampden, was an American actor and theatre manager. He was a major stage star on Broadway in New York who also made numerous ...
's characters, and pronounced it thoroughly enjoyable. It ran for 67 performances, a respectable showing but disappointing in light of the good reviews. Addy did a
Theatre Guild on the Air ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S. ...
radio broadcast during October 1949 of an
Arthur Wing Pinero Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (24 May 185523 November 1934) was an English playwright and, early in his career, actor. Pinero was drawn to the theatre from an early age, and became a professional actor at the age of 19. He gained experience as a supp ...
play, ''The Thunderbolt'', which starred
Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...
and
Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in ''Come to th ...
. He was then cast in '' The Enchanted'', which opened in Philadelphia for a two-week tryout on January 2, 1950. The play moved to Broadway on January 18, 1950, where critics praised the acting but faulted the play's structure and staging. It closed a month later in February 1950, from which point on Addy's career momentum shifted to the screen.


Early screen career


1949-1953

New York was the center for early television production, which is why Addy appeared first on the small screen. His post-war screen career started with a live broadcast of ''Twelfth Night'', in which he again played Duke Orsino, on
Philco Television Playhouse ''The Philco Television Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the Golde ...
during February 1949. He did another live episode of the same program in September 1949, this time as "John Shand" to Margaret Phillips "Maggie Wylie" in '' What Every Woman Knows''. During 1950 Addy did episodes of
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre ''The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre'' is an American anthology series that aired live on NBC Mondays at 8 pm EST from September 27, 1948 to June 26, 1950. The program presented both news headlines and live dramatic performances of either original plays ...
, Believe It or Not!, and two episodes each for
Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...
and
The Ford Theatre Hour ''Ford Theatre'', spelled ''Ford Theater'' for the original radio version and known, in full, as ''The Ford Television Theatre'' for the TV version, is a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 1950 ...
. He also made a debut film, ''
The First Legion ''The First Legion'' is a 1951 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk and written by Emmet Lavery. The film stars Charles Boyer, William Demarest, Lyle Bettger, Walter Hampden, Barbara Rush, Wesley Addy, H. B. Warner and Leo G. Carroll. ...
'', though it wouldn't be released until 1951. Addy opened as Edgar in ''
King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...
'' on Christmas Day 1950. The Broadway production starred
Louis Calhern Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known professionally as Louis Calhern, was an American stage and screen actor. Well known to film noir fans for his role as the pivotal villain in 1950's ''The Asphalt Jungle'', he was n ...
, and was staged by John Houseman in three acts instead of five. Columnist Leonard Lyons mentioned that Addy was "taped and bandaged" from the nightly duels he fought in ''King Lear'', his character being the last man standing at play's end. The play closed in early February 1951 after 48 performances. For 1951 television again dominated Addy's performing work, as he acted in six episodes of five different dramatic series: ''Philco Television Playhouse'' (2 episodes), ''
The Web The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...
'', ''
Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
'', ''
Out There Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...
'', and ''
Celanese Theatre ''Celanese Theatre'' is an anthology television series which aired from October 3, 1951, to June 25, 1952, on ABC. Concept The series arose from the Playwrights' Repertory Theater of Television with its focus on adapting stage plays to televisi ...
''. He also appeared on a CBS television talk show and joined Katherine Cornell in reprising their roles in ''Candida'' for a Theatre Guild NBC radio broadcast. Addy's television work took a slight dip in 1952, comprising appearances on two anthology series and two episodes of a narrative series. He also did two CBS Radio dramatic programs. He continued doing dramatic radio programs for CBS, one serial and one anthology. His performing year finished up with a stage benefit to raise funds for the
American Shakespeare Theatre The American Shakespeare Theatre was a theater company based in Stratford, Connecticut, United States. It was formed in the early 1950s by Lawrence Langner, Lincoln Kirstein, John Percy Burrell, and philanthropist Joseph Verner Reed. The Ameri ...
project. Fifteen television performances and a Broadway play kept Addy busy throughout 1953. His schedule was front-loaded, with six TV shows within the first three months of the year. The month of April was particularly crowded, with an anthology episode and two major ''
Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...
'' dramas: a hourlong film based on
The Other Wise Man ''The Other Wise Man'' is a short novel or long short story by Henry van Dyke. It was initially published in 1895 and has been reprinted many times since then. Story The story is an addition and expansion of the account of the Biblical Magi, re ...
and broadcast on Easter; and a live two-hour performance of ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
''. The latter was staged in a 19th Century setting by
Albert McCleery Albert McCleery (December 30, 1911 – May 13, 1972) was an American pioneering television producer during the 1950s. He had a reputation "as an innovative contributor to some of television's most esteemed theatrical productions". McCleery was ...
, and starred Maurice Evans, with Sarah Churchill, Barry Jones,
Joseph Schildkraut Joseph Schildkraut (22 March 1896 – 21 January 1964) was an Austrian-American actor. He won an Oscar for his performance as Captain Alfred Dreyfus in the film ''The Life of Emile Zola'' (1937); later, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for h ...
, and
Ruth Chatterton Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1892 – November 24, 1961) was an American stage, film, and television actress, aviator and novelist. She was at her most popular in the early to mid-1930s, and in the same era gained prominence as an aviator, ...
. Addy played
Horatio Horatio is an English male given name, an Italianized form of the ancient Roman Latin '' nomen'' (name) '' Horatius'', from the Roman '' gens'' (clan) '' Horatia''. The modern Italian form is ''Orazio'', the modern Spanish form ''Horacio''. It app ...
opposite Evans's
Prince Hamlet A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
. Leo Mishkin reviewed the performance for ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''; he noted that the Gravedigger's scene and the role of Fortinbras were cut for time considerations. He also reported some flaws endemic to live television, such as a stagehand following Hamlet into camera view, but thought the overall production was excellent and Addy "highly effective". Critic Robert Johnson thought Addy and other supporting players "outstanding" while observing the two-hours included both commercials and an intermission, necessitating drastic cuts such as the role of Osric and much of Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern. Addy did two television episodes over the summer then joined the cast of ''The Strong Are Lonely'' during its Philadelphia tryout in late September 1953. This story of Jesuits in conflict with landowners in 19th Century Paraguay went to Broadway but folded after seven performances. Addy then jumped into another major TV drama, a severely condensed version of ''King Lear'' starring Orson Welles that was shown live during October 1953. He finished out his performing year with three more television appearances.


Later screen career

Also on television he played roles on ''
The Edge of Night ''The Edge of Night'' is an American television mystery crime drama series and soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that networ ...
'' in the 1950s. He made two guest appearances on ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...
'': Alton Brent in the 1962 episode, "The Case of the Weary Watchdog", and murderer Joachim DeVry in the 1966 episode, "The Case of the Tsarina's Tiara." Later, during the 1970s-1980s, he played publisher
Bill Woodard This is a list of characters that appear on the ABC soap opera '' Ryan's Hope'' from 1975 to 1989. A ;Sheik Haroun Al Raschid :(Played by Kaleel Sakakeeny, 1981) ::Financial backer of archaeological excavations ;Ken Alexander :(Played by Will ...
on ''
Ryan's Hope ''Ryan's Hope'' is an American soap opera created by Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer, airing for 13 years on ABC from July 7, 1975, to January 13, 1989. It revolves around the trials and tribulations within a large Irish-American family in th ...
'' and patriarch Cabot Alden on the
Agnes Nixon Agnes Nixon ( Eckhardt; December 10, 1922 – September 28, 2016) was an American television writer and producer, and the creator of the ABC soap operas '' One Life to Live'', '' All My Children'', as well as '' Loving'' and its spin-off '' The ...
-
Douglas Marland Douglas Marland (born Marland Messner; May 5, 1934 – March 6, 1993) was an American writer, known for his work as the head writer of several soap operas. Career Marland began his career as an actor, appearing on the Irna Phillips series ''The B ...
serial '' Loving''. His television career also includes guest appearances on '' The Defenders'', '' The Outer Limits'', '' The Fugitive'', '' Ironside'', and ''
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator ...
''. In
motion pictures A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
, Addy's career spanned four decades.
Robert Aldrich Robert Burgess Aldrich (August 9, 1918 – December 5, 1983) was an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His notable credits include '' Vera Cruz'' (1954), ''Kiss Me Deadly'' (1955), ''The Big Knife'' (1955), '' Autumn L ...
used him as supporting actor in several pictures, such as ''
Kiss Me Deadly ''Kiss Me Deadly'' is a 1955 American film noir produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in the ...
'' (as Mickey Spillane's regular Mike Hammer character Lt. Pat Murphy), ''
The Big Knife ''The Big Knife'' is a 1955 melodrama directed and produced by Robert Aldrich from a screenplay by James Poe based on the 1949 play by Clifford Odets. The film stars Jack Palance, Ida Lupino, Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Rod Steiger, Shelley Winter ...
'' (both 1955), '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962), '' Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte'' (1964) and ''
The Grissom Gang ''The Grissom Gang'' is a 1971 American crime neo noir directed and produced by Robert Aldrich from a screenplay by Leon Griffiths. The film is the second adaptation of the 1939 novel '' No Orchids for Miss Blandish'' by James Hadley Chase; a pr ...
'' (1971). In 1976, Addy appeared in
Paddy Chayefsky Sidney Aaron "Paddy" Chayefsky (January 29, 1923 – August 1, 1981) was an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist. He is the only person to have won three solo Academy Awards for writing both adapted and original screenplays. He was ...
's ''
Network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...
'', directed by
Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for ''12 Angry Men'' (1957), ''Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), ''Network'' (1976), ...
. They would work together again in ''
The Verdict ''The Verdict'' is a 1982 American legal drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and written by David Mamet, adapted from Barry Reed's 1980 novel of the same name. It stars Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, and ...
'', in which Addy played one of the individual defendants in
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
's case against a hospital and two doctors for malpractice. Another of Addy's best-remembered roles was that of Lt. Commander Alvin Kramer, who unsuccessfully tries to warn American officials of the impending
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
in ''
Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ( ja, トラ・トラ・トラ!) is a 1970 epic film, epic war film that dramatizes the Empire of Japan, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, T ...
''.


Death

Addy died at
Danbury Hospital Danbury Hospital is a 456-bed hospital in Danbury, Connecticut serving patients in Fairfield County, Connecticut, as well as Westchester County and Putnam County, New York. The hospital has 3,300 employees and is part of the Nuvance Health sys ...
in
Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...
. He was cremated at Ferncliff Cemetery.


Personal life

He was married to actress
Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in ''Come to th ...
from 1966 until his death. The couple lived at 88 Central Park West 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 ...
then in
Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey Washington Township is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 18,197, a decrease of 336 (−1.8%) from the 2010 census count of 18,533, which in turn r ...
.via
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

"Celeste Holm, Oscar-winning actress, dies at 95"
''
The Express-Times ''The Express-Times'' is a daily newspaper based in Easton, Pennsylvania. The newspaper provides national news and extensive local news coverage of the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855, ''The Express-Times'' is the lon ...
'', July 15, 2012. Accessed October 22, 2015. "Celeste Holm married her fourth husband, actor Robert Wesley Addy, in 1966. The couple lived in Washington Township., Morris County, N.J."


Stage performances


Radio performances


Filmography


Television performances


Notes


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Addy, Wesley 1913 births 1996 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors Male actors from Omaha, Nebraska People from Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey 20th-century American male actors United States Army personnel of World War II Federal Theatre Project people