Don Castle
American actor (1917–1966)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Don Castle (Born Marion Goodman, Jr. September 29, 1917 – May 26, 1966) was an American film actor of the 1930s, 40s & 50s.
Don Castle | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 29, 1917 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | May 26, 1966 (aged 48) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Chapel Of The Pines Crematory |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1938-1957 |
Biography
Son of Marion Emanuel Goodman Sr. and Lucille Jeantelle-Viterbo, Castle was born in Beaumont, Texas. He went to the University of Texas where he was roommates with Jack Wrather.[1]
Castle’s resemblance to Clark Gable[2] started his acting career as a stage actor.
He then moved to films, ultimately signing with Paramount Pictures howeverWorld War II stalled his career.[1] Castle was drafted into the Army Air Force, during which he made training films for the First Motion Picture Unit.[3]
Upon returning to Hollywood, Castle found many of his fans had turned to Alan Ladd.[1] He bumped into Wrather again who had become bored with the oil business.
Wrather decided to set up as a movie producer, making The Guilty (1947) starring Castle and Wrather's new wife Bonita Granville.[1] Around this time Castle also starred in a series of noir-esque B films notably ‘Roses are Red,’ ‘Lighthouse,’ ‘The Invisible Wall’ & ‘I Wouldn’t Be in Your Shoes.’
In the 1950s Castle & his wife Zetta Castle opened a celebrity hideaway boarding house called ‘Castle’s Red Barn’ in Palm Springs, California.[4]
Wrather tapped Castle again later in the 1960s to become a television producer for his beloved Lassie television program.
In May 1966, Castle was found in his North Hollywood, CA. apartment dead of an apparent medication overdose aged 48.[5]
Partial filmography
- Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) - Dennis Hunt
- Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938) - Frank
- Young Dr. Kildare (1938) - Dr. Bates (uncredited)
- Men in Fright (1938, Short) - Hospital Orderly (uncredited)
- Out West with the Hardys (1938) - Dennis Hunt
- Fast and Loose (1939) - Desk Clerk (uncredited)
- These Glamour Girls (1939) - Jack
- Thunder Afloat (1939) - Radio Operator (uncredited)
- Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939) - Ed - 1st Hurt Worker (uncredited)
- I Take This Woman (1940) - Ted Fenton
- Northwest Passage (1940) - Richard Towne (uncredited)
- The Ghost Comes Home (1940) - 'Spig'
- Susan and God (1940) - Theater Usher (uncredited)
- We Who Are Young (1940) - Accountex Clerk Making Pass (uncredited)
- Strike Up the Band (1940) - Charlie (uncredited)
- You're the One (1941) - Tony Delmar
- Power Dive (1941) - Doug Farrell
- World Premiere (1941) - Joe Bemis
- Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die (1942) - Johnny Duane
- Wake Island (1942) - Pvt. Cunkle (uncredited)
- Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) - Worker - 'Swing Shift' Number (uncredited)
- The Searching Wind (1946) - David
- Lighthouse (1947) - Sam Wells
- Born to Speed (1947) - Mike Conroy
- Seven Were Saved (1947) - Lt. Pete Sturdevant
- The Guilty (1947) - Mike Carr
- High Tide (1947) - Tim 'T.M.' Slade
- The Invisible Wall (1947) - Harry Lane
- Roses Are Red (1947) - Robert A. Thorne / Don Carney
- Perilous Waters (1948) - Willie Hunter
- Madonna of the Desert (1948) - Joe Salinas
- Who Killed Doc Robbin (1948) - George - Defense Attorney
- I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948) - Thomas J. 'Tom' Quinn
- Strike It Rich (1948) - William 'Tex' Warren
- Stampede (1949) - Tim McCall
- Motor Patrol (1950) - Officer Ken Foster
- The Big Land (1957) - Tom Draper
- Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) - Drunken Cowboy (final film role)