Dick Wesson (actor)

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Dick Wesson
Dick Wesson in Calamity Jane 1953.jpg
Dick Wesson in Calamity Jane 1953
Born
Richard Lewis Wesson

(1922-11-19)November 19, 1922
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedApril 25, 1996(1996-04-25) (aged 73)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Years active1950–82
Spouse(s)Wini Walsh Wesson
Children2

Richard Lewis Wesson (November 19, 1922 – April 25, 1996) was a prolific character actor, comedian, comedy writer, and producer.

Biography[]

Dick Wesson was born on November 19, 1922 in Boston, Massachusetts. A comedian, impressionist and singer, Wesson appeared with his brother Gene in a comedy act appropriately called "The Wesson Brothers". They had some hit records such as "Oodles of Boodle" and "All Right Louie, Drop the Gun".[1] Wesson married Wini Walsh and they had one child together, daughter Eileen Wesson (b. 1947).[citation needed]

In 1949, Wesson became a television series regular with Jim Backus in Hollywood House.

Making his film debut in Destination Moon (1950),[2] Wesson signed a contract as a supporting actor with Warner Bros., leaving that studio in 1953. His films for Warner's included Burning Arrow, Calamity Jane (1953), and Desert Song.[3] Wesson played comedy relief in all his films, frequently as a World War II soldier in Breakthrough (1950) and Force of Arms (1951), and in the Old West with The Man Behind the Gun (1952) and The Charge at Feather River (1953). Wesson's best known role was as Francis Fryer in Calamity Jane (1953).

Wesson moved to television appearing as Jackie Cooper's ex-United States Marine Corps sidekick, Rollo, on NBC's The People's Choice[4]:822-823 and as Frank Crenshaw in The Bob Cummings Show.[4] Wesson began writing for The Bob Cummings Show and later The Beverly Hillbillies. He appeared in The Beverly Hillbillies as a taxi driver and as a patient in The Beverly Hillbillies season 1, episode 33 The Clampetts Get Psychoanalyzed. He produced CBS's My Sister Eileen and many episodes of Petticoat Junction and directed several episodes of each series.[citation needed] He portrayed Jack Reardon on the 1974 CBS situation comedy Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers.[4]:818

Wesson later died of an aneurysm on April 25, 1996 in Rancho Mirage, California.[citation needed]

Filmography[]

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1950 Destination Moon Joe Sweeney
1950 Breakthrough Pvt. Sammy Hansen
1951 Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison Tinker
1951 Force of Arms Kleiner
1951 Jim Thorpe – All-American Ed Guyac
1951 Sunny Side of the Street Dave Gibson
1951 Starlift Sgt. Mike Nolan
1952 About Face Dave Crouse
1953 The Man Behind the Gun Sgt. 'Monk' Walker
1953 The Desert Song Benjamin 'Benjy' Kidd
1953 The Charge at Feather River Pvt. Cullen
1953 Calamity Jane Francis Fryer
1955 Paris Follies of 1956 Chuck Russell
1961 The Errand Boy The A.D.
1977 Rollercoaster Tourist Father

Notes[]

  1. ^ http://www.jazzdisco.org/savoy-records/discography-1949/
  2. ^ "Wesson Chosen For Thorpe Film". Valley Times. California, North Hollywood. August 18, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Dick Wesson Ends Warner's Contract". Valley Times. California, North Hollywood. March 26, 1953. p. 10. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. pp. 630–631. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.

External links[]

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