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David Wayne

David Wayne

AKA: Wayne James McMeekan

Acting

Born: 1914 Traverse City - Michigan - USA 37 Global Credits 🔥 1 Popularity
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Biography

David Wayne (January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American actor with a career spanning nearly 50 years.

Wayne was born Wayne James McMeekan in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen Matilda (née Mason) and John David McMeekan. He grew up in Bloomingdale, Michigan. Wayne's first major Broadway role was Og the leprechaun in Finian's Rainbow, for which he won the Theatre World Award and the first ever Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. While appearing in the play, he and co-star Albert Sharpe were recruited by producer David O. Selznick to play Irish characters in the film Portrait of Jennie (1948).

It was in 1948 as well that Wayne became one of those fortunate 50 applicants (out of approximately 700) granted membership in New York's newly formed Actors Studio. He was awarded a second Tony for Best Actor in a Play for The Teahouse of the August Moon and was nominated as Best Actor in a Musical for The Happy Time. He originated the role of Ensign Pulver in the classic stage comedy Mister Roberts and also appeared in Say, Darling, After the Fall, and Incident at Vichy.

Known For

Full Credits

Show / Title Year Credit / Role
The Golden Girls 1985 Big Daddy
Crazy like a Fox 1984 Jennings Hyde
Murder, She Wrote 1984 Cyrus Leffingwell
St. Elsewhere 1982 George Wyler
Newhart 1982 Mr. Pittman
Matt Houston 1982 Contributor
Eight Is Enough 1977 Contributor
Ellery Queen 1975 Inspector Richard Queen
Switch 1975 Dancer
Barney Miller 1975 E.J. Heiss
Barnaby Jones 1973 Raymond Lennox / 'Steele'
The Streets of San Francisco 1972 Wally Sensibaugh
Banacek 1972 Walter Tyson
Night Gallery 1970 Dr. Mill
Hawaii Five-O 1968 Monsieur Bordeaux
The Name of the Game 1968 Emory Ward
Mannix 1967 Contributor
CBS Playhouse 1966 George Spears
Batman 1966 The Mad Hatter
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre 1963 George Holloway
Burke's Law 1963 Al 'The Bomber' Devlin
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962 Andrew Anderson
The Virginian 1962 Martin Reese
Sam Benedict 1962 Contributor
The Mike Douglas Show 1961 Self
Route 66 1960 Contributor
Outlaws 1960 Contributor
Naked City 1958 Herbert Konish
Suspicion 1957 James Mennick
Tonight Starring Jack Paar 1957 Self
Tony Awards 1956 Self - Performer
Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1955 Sam Jacoby
Gunsmoke 1955 Judge Warfield
The Wonderful World of Disney 1954 Grandpa Jubal
Omnibus 1952 Contributor
What's My Line? 1950 Self
Studio One 1948 Jasper Hornby