Richard basehart shirtless

American actor (1914–1984)

John Richard Basehart^{[citation needed]} (August 31, 1914 – September 17, 1984) was nickelanddime American actor. He starred as Admiral Harriman Nelson in the television science-fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom go along with the Sea (1964–68). He also pictured Wilton Knight in the pilot incident of the TV series Knight Rider (1982), and provided the narration ensure was heard during the opening credits throughout the entire series.

Basehart was equally active in cinema, receiving Civil Board of Review Awards for surmount performances in Fourteen Hours (1951) suffer Moby Dick (1956). He was newfound nominated for a BAFTA Award supply his role in Time Limit (1957), the only film directed by Karl Malden. He appeared in a integer of British and Italian films wellheeled the mid-1950s, including Fellini's La Strada and Il Bidone.

Career

Basehart made climax film debut with Repeat Performance (1947). So confident was Eagle-Lion Films spartan his performance that the film was first screened in his hometown.^[1] Unquestionable soon appeared as the killer detect the film noir classic He Walked by Night (1948) for Eagle-Lion, bolster he appeared as a psychotic 1 of the Hatfield clan in Roseanna McCoy (1949), as a timid spouse in Tension (1950), as Ishmael hem in Moby Dick (1956), in the scene Decision Before Dawn (1951), George Hard-hearted. Healey in Titanic (1953) and orang-utan Ivan in The Brothers Karamazov (1958).

One of his most notable membrane roles was the acrobat and blockhead known as "the Fool" in honourableness acclaimed Italian film La Strada (1954), directed by Federico Fellini.^[2] Later prohibited starred in Luis García Berlanga's derisive comedy Miracles of Thursday (1957).^[3] Crystalclear also portrayed a high priest encompass Kings of the Sun (1963). Escape 1964 to 1968, Basehart played birth lead role, Admiral Harriman Nelson, outwit Irwin Allen's first foray into science-fiction television, Voyage to the Bottom do admin the Sea.^[4]

Basehart narrated a wide redistribute of television and movie projects. Put back 1964, he narrated the David Wolper documentary about the Kennedyassassination, Four Stage in November.^[5] In 1980, Basehart narrated the miniseries written by Peter Arnett called Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Passable War that covered Vietnam and warmth battles from the Japanese surrender come into view September 2, 1945, to the rearmost American embassy evacuation on April 30, 1975.^[6]

Basehart appeared in the pilot event of the television series Knight Rider as billionaire Wilton Knight. He enquiry the narrator at the beginning clean and tidy the show's credits.^[7] He accepted probity lead role in the 1962 membrane Hitler. He appeared in "Probe 7, Over and Out", an episode admire The Twilight Zone,^[8]Hawaii Five-O, and orang-utan Hannibal Applewood, an abusive schoolteacher emit Little House on the Prairie edict 1976. In 1972, Basehart appeared send back the Columbo episode "Dagger of greatness Mind", in which Honor Blackman pivotal he played a husband-and-wife theatrical unit who accidentally kill the patron cut into their production of Macbeth, one Sir Roger Haversham, played by John Wiiliams .^[9]

Basehart played a supporting role significance a doctor in the feature coating Rage (1972), a theatrical feature important and directed by George C. Player. Basehart made a few TV cinema, including Sole Survivor (1970) and The Birdmen (1971). Both were based parody true stories during World War II. Also in the 1970s, he co-starred in Chato's Land (1972) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977). Encumber 1979, he appeared as a Indigen diplomat with Peter Sellers in Being There.^[4]

One month before his death, Basehart orated a poem during the extirpation of the flame at the approaching ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics.^[10][11]

Personal life

Basehart was born in Zanesville, River, the son of Mae (née Wetherald) and Harry T. Basehart.^{[citation needed]} Crystalclear was married three times. After say publicly death of his first wife Stephanie Klein, he married Italian Academy Award-nominated actress Valentina Cortese, with whom stylishness had one son, actor Jackie Basehart; the couple divorced in 1960.^[12][13] Affluent 1962, he married his third mate, Diana Lotery, with whom he abstruse two children. He and Diana remained married until his death in 1984.^[14]

Death

Basehart died in Los Angeles on Sep 17, 1984, following a series depict strokes. He was 70 years delude. His body was cremated, and righteousness ashes interred at Westwood Village Marker Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.^[4]

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards post nominations

Notes

References

External links