Basil Spaulding Millspaugh (July 24, 1878 – October 10, 1960), known as Basil Ruysdael, was an American actor and opera singer.

Early life

Born in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

, as Basil Spaulding Millspaugh, Ruysdael was the son of Dr and Mrs Charles Millspaugh. He graduated from Waverly High School and attended

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

from 1898 to 1899 as a special student in mechanical engineering and sang with the Cornell University Glee Club. He sang secondary roles in the German repertoire at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

in New York as a

bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three ...

from 1910 to 1918, appearing with such popular opera stars as Leo Slezak and

Geraldine Farrar Alice Geraldine Farrar (February 28, 1882 – March 11, 1967) was an American lyric soprano who could also sing Dramatic soprano, dramatic roles. She was noted for her beauty, acting ability, and "the intimate timbre of her voice." In the 191 ...

Stage career

Early in his career, Ruysdael appeared on the New York stage. His Broadway credits include ''Enchanted Isle'' (1927), ''

The Cocoanuts ''The Cocoanuts'' is a 1929 pre-Code musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers ( Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger, who is not credited, the film also stars Mary Eaton, Oscar Shaw, ...

'' (1925), ''Topsy and Eva'' (1924), and ''Robin Hood'' (1912).

Film career

He was the narrator for ''The Romance of Iron and Steel'', a 1938 sponsored film produced by

Cinécraft Productions Cinécraft Productions, Inc. is a privately held American sponsored film and Television studio, video production studio in Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio. The studio is said to be the longest-standing sponsored film and video production house in th ...

for the American Rolling Mill Company (ARMCO). Ruysdael was also a prolific character actor in films. He is probably best known to modern audiences as Detective Hennessy in the first

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

film ''

'' (1929), a role he created in the 1925 stage play. He also appeared in '' Pinky'', '' The File on Thelma Jordon'', ''

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado. The territory was organized ...

'', '' Broken Arrow'', '' People Will Talk'', '' Carrie'', '' The Violent Men'', ''

Blackboard Jungle ''Blackboard Jungle'' is a 1955 American social drama film about an English teacher in an interracial inner-city school, based on the 1954 novel ''The Blackboard Jungle'' by Evan Hunter and adapted for the screen and directed by Richard Brook ...

'', '' The Last Hurrah'' and ''

The Horse Soldiers ''The Horse Soldiers'' is a 1959 American adventure war film set during the American Civil War directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers. The screenplay by John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin was loosely ...

''. In 1955, Ruysdael played General

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

in the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...

.'' Ruysdael was cast as Joseph in "The Policeman's Gun", a 1958 episode of ''

Official Detective ''Official Detective'' is an American anthology television series which aired in syndication from 1957 to March 19, 1958. The series was hosted by veteran film actor Everett Sloane.McNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television'' (4th ed.). New York: ...

''. In his final television role he appeared 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 four short stories, all of which involve a ...

'' as Henry W. Dameron in the 1959 episode, "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma". His last on-screen role was in '' The Story of Ruth'' in 1960.

Radio career

Ruysdael narrated the

NBC Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the National Broadcasting Co ...

series ''Stones of History'' which was broadcast in 1934 and 1935. He was the announcer on a syndicated programme for

Rexall Rexall was a chain of American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1903, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across t ...

in 1939 before becoming the commercial spokesman for

DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...

on ''

Cavalcade of America ''Cavalcade of America'' is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company, although it occasionally presented musicals, such as an adaptation of ''Show Boat'', and condensed biographies of popular Composer, composers. It was ...

'' on the NBC Blue Network in 1940. By 1941, he was a pitch-man for

Lucky Strike Lucky Strike is an American brand of cigarettes owned by the British American Tobacco group. Individual cigarettes of the brand are often referred to colloquially as "Luckies." Name Lucky Strike was introduced as a brand of plug tobacco (chew ...

cigarettes, which sponsored several shows including ''

Your Hit Parade ''Your Hit Parade'' is an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1953 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During its 24-year r ...

'', ''

Information Please ''Information Please'' is an American radio quiz show, created by Dan Golenpaul, which aired on NBC from May 17, 1938, to April 22, 1951. The title was the contemporary phrase used to request from telephone operators what was then called "inf ...

'' and ''

The Jack Benny Show ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio and television comedy series. The show ran for over three decades, from 1932 to 1955 on radio, and from 1950 to 1965 on television. It won numerous awards, including the 1959 and 19 ...

''. He appeared, transcribed, on the latter show from October 1, 1944, to November 28, 1948, and gave his name near the end of the final commercial. Ruysdael was also the announcer on a 1944 summer replacement show, ''Mother and Dad'', starring

Parker Fennelly Parker W. Fennelly (October 22, 1891 – January 22, 1988) was an American character actor who appeared in ten films, numerous television episodes and hundreds of radio programs. Early life The son of gardener Nathan Fennelly and Estelle Doll ...

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 ...

, and ''The Radio

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

'' in 1946 on CBS.

Voice teacher

Ruysdael moved to California in 1923 to teach voice. His most famous pupil was baritone

Lawrence Tibbett Lawrence Mervil Tibbett (November 16, 1896 – July 15, 1960) was an American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone with large, deep, and dark-timbred voice. His dynamic range (in ...

Death

Ruysdael died on October 10, 1960, at the age of 82, of complications following surgery in a hospital in

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

. He was survived by his widow, Kathleen, who was his third wife. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park,

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1929) as Detective Hennessy *'' The Romance of Iron and Steel'' (film) (1938). Narrator. Listed in film credits *''

'' (1949) as Dave Rickard *''

Come to the Stable ''Come to the Stable'' is a 1949 American comedy drama film that tells how two French religious sisters come to a small New England town and involve the townsfolk in helping them to build a children's hospital. It features Loretta Young, Celeste ...

'' (1949) as The Bishop *''

Task Force A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many ...

'' (1949) as Admiral at Annapolis (uncredited) *'' Pinky'' (1949) as Judge Walker *'' The Doctor and the Girl'' (1949) as Dr. Francis I. Garard *'' The File on Thelma Jordon'' (1950) as Judge Jonathan David Hancock *'' One Way Street'' (1950) as Father Moreno *'' Broken Arrow'' (1950) as Gen. Oliver Howard *'' High Lonesome'' (1950) as 'Horse' Davis, Ranch Owner *'' Gambling House'' (1951) as Judge Ravinek *'' The Scarf'' (1951) as Cyrus Barrington *''

Raton Pass Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, N ...

'' (1951) as Pierre Challon *'' My Forbidden Past'' (1951) as Dean Cazzley *'' Half Angel'' (1951) as Dr. Jackson *'' People Will Talk'' (1951) as Dean Lyman Brockwell *''

Boots Malone ''Boots Malone'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by William Dieterle. It stars William Holden as a down-on-his-luck sports agent and Johnny Stewart as a rich runaway who wants to become a jockey. Plot Down on his luck, jockey agent "Boots ...

'' (1952) as Preacher Cole *'' Carrie'' (1952) as Mr. Fitzgerald *''

Prince Valiant ''Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur'', often simply called ''Prince Valiant'', is an American comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full s ...

'' (1954) as Old Viking (uncredited) *'' The Shanghai Story'' (1954) as Rev. Hollingsworth *''

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier ''Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier'' is a 1955 American Western adventure drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is an edited and recut compilation of the first three episodes of the ''Davy Crockett'' television miniseries. ...

'' (1955) as Gen. / President Andrew Jackson (archive footage) *'' The Violent Men'' (1955) as Tex Hinkleman *''

'' (1955) as Professor A. R. Kraal *'' Pearl of the South Pacific'' (1955) as Tuan Michael *'' Diane'' (1956) as Chamberlain *'' Jubal'' (1956) as Shem Hoktor *'' These Wilder Years'' (1956) as Judge *''

'' "The Policeman's Gun" (1958) as Joseph *'' The Last Hurrah'' (1958) as Bishop Gardner *''

'' (1959) as Commandant *''

'' (1959 S3 E6) as Henry W. Dameron *'' The Story of Ruth'' (1960) as Shammah (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruysdael, Basil 1878 births 1960 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers American male film actors American male radio actors American operatic bass-baritones Classical musicians from New Jersey Classical musicians from New York (state) Cornell University alumni Male actors from Jersey City, New Jersey Musicians from Jersey City, New Jersey Singers from New Jersey American voice teachers