Arnold Moss (January 28, 1910 – December 15, 1989) was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

Early years

Born in

Flatbush Flatbush is a neighborhood in the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood consists of several subsections in central Brooklyn and is generally bounded by Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park to the nort ...

, Moss was a third-generation Brooklyn native. He attended Brooklyn's Boys High School. His first involvement with acting came when he was in college, after which he joined the Eva Le Gallienne Apprentice Group.

Career

Radio

Moss was an announcer at two Baltimore, Maryland, radio stations, moving to WCAO in 1931 after having worked at

WTAM WTAM (1100 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, that airs a news/talk and sports radio format, commonly known as "Newsradio WTAM 1100". Owned by iHeartMedia, WTAM serves Greater Cleveland and much of s ...

. In 1932, he was the youngest announcer at

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

. Moss narrated episodes of '' American Story'' in the summer of 1945. He played Dr. Fabian in '' Cabin B-13'' on

radio in 1948–49, played in '' Cafe Istanbul'' on ABC radio in 1952, was Ahmed on '' Stella Dallas'', was Philip Cameron in '' Against the Storm'' and was the first voice of the character of Ted White on the radio serial, ''The

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. ''Guiding Light'' aired on CBS for 57 years between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio ...

'', from April 1948 to May 1949.

Teaching

In the early 1930s, Moss taught speech at the Brooklyn branch of City College of New York.

Film

Moss made two appearances in

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

films, as Hope's

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

contact in the espionage spoof '' My Favorite Spy'' and as a conniving Venetian doge in '' Casanova's Big Night''. Moss appeared in the feature film '' The 27th Day'' (1957) as The Alien. In '' Kim'' (1950) he played Lurgan, the shopkeeper and secret spy trainer.

Stage

Moss's stage career began when he acted and directed for Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre, with his first production being ''Peter Pan'' (1929). He played

Prospero Prospero ( ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest''. Character Twelve years before the play begins, Prospero is usurped from his position as the rightful Duke of Milan by his brother Antonio, ...

Margaret Webster Margaret Webster (March 15, 1905 – November 13, 1972) was an American-British theater actress, theatrical producer, producer and theatre direction, director. Critic George Jean Nathan described her as "the best director of the plays of Sha ...

's 1945 production of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 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 natio ...

's ''

The Tempest ''The Tempest'' is a Shakespeare's plays, play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1610–1611, and thought to be one of the last plays that he wrote alone. After the first scene, which takes place on a ship at sea during a tempest, th ...

'' for a combined total of 124 performances, the longest run of the play in Broadway history. He appeared in the original Broadway production of the Hal Prince/

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

musical '' Follies'', playing impresario Dimitri Weismann. Moss also was narrator for orchestras in Boston, Detroit, and Milwaukee.

Television

Moss appeared in dozens of television programs during the golden age of TV. On November 22, 1950, he starred in "Lord Mountdrago" on '' Somerset Maugham TV Theatre''. He appeared on television in ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...

'' (1966) as mysterious actor Anton Karidian, alter-ego of the tyrannical Gov. Kodos of Tarsus IV, in the episode "

The Conscience of the King "The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it first aired on December 8, 1966. The series, which ...

". He also played in ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'' as the school teacher, Mr. Griswald, and as Chief Lonespear in ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'' episode "In Defense of Honor" in 1968. Other television appearances include ''

The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science-fiction television series written around a theme of time travel adventure; it starred James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction televisi ...

'', '' The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', and the anthology series ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'', ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', ''

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

'', ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...

'', ''

Tales of Tomorrow ''Tales of Tomorrow'' is an American anthology science fiction series that was performed and broadcast live on ABC from 1951 to 1953. The series covered such stories as ''Frankenstein'' starring Lon Chaney Jr., ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' ...

'', '' Studio One'', and ''

Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947, on NBC, airing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Impe ...

''.

Personal life

Moss married Stella Reynolds, an actress who performed with him in the La Gallienne troupe.

Death

Moss died from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

at his home in New York City on December 15, 1989. He was 79.

Partial filmography

* ''

Temptation Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment that threatens long-term goals.Webb, J.R. (Sep 2014). Incorporating Spirituality into Psychology of temptation: Conceptualization, measurement, and clinical implications. Sp ...

'' (1946) - Ahmed Effendi * '' The Loves of Carmen'' (1948) - Colonel * ''

Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (French: ''La Terreur'', literally "The Terror") was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the French First Republic, First Republic, a series of massacres and Capital punishment in France, nu ...

'' (a.k.a. ''The Black Book'') (1949) - Fouché * ''

Border Incident ''Border Incident'' is a 1949 American film noir featuring Ricardo Montalbán, George Murphy, and Howard Da Silva. Directed by Anthony Mann, the MGM production was written by John C. Higgins from a story by John C. Higgins and George Zuckerman. ...

'' (1949) - Zopilote * '' Kim'' (1950) - Lurgan Sahib * ''

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

'' (1951) - Jean-Paul Racelle * '' Mask of the Avenger'' (1951) - Colardi * '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) - Tasso * ''

Viva Zapata! ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American biographical Western film directed by Elia Kazan, dramatizing the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata from his peasant upbringing through his rise to power in the early 1900s and his death in 1919. I ...

'' (1952) - Don Nacio * ''

Salome Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New T ...

'' (1953) - Micha * '' Casanova's Big Night'' (1954) - the Doge * '' Bengal Brigade'' (1954) - Rajah Karam * '' Jump Into Hell'' (1955) - General Christian De Castries * '' Hell's Island'' (1955) - Paul Armand * '' The 27th Day'' (1957) - the Alien * ''

'' (1958) (Season 4 Episode 1: "Poison") - Dr. Ganderbay * ''

'' (1960, TV Series) - Stevan Griswald * ''

'' (1962) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Captive Audience") - Victor Hartman * '' Route 66'' (1963, TV Series) - The King in S4:E23, " I'm Here to Kill a King" * '' The Fool Killer'' (1965) as Reverend Spotts * ''

'' (1966, TV Series) - Anton Karidian in S1:E13, "

" * '' Gambit'' (1966) - Abdul * ''

'' (1967, TV Series) - Kalech, High Priest of Jericho (''Walls of Jericho'') * '' The Caper of the Golden Bulls'' (1967) - Mr Shanari * ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...

'' (1967) – Vidaru in S2:E3, "Everywhere a Sheik, Sheik" * ''

'' (1968, TV Series) - Chief Lonespear (''In Defense of Honor'') * '' Serpico'' (1976, TV Series) - Tiller

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Moss, Arnold 1910 births 1989 deaths Male actors from Brooklyn American male film actors American male television actors People from Flatbush, Brooklyn Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state) 20th-century American male actors Boys High School (Brooklyn) alumni