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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Klaus Badelt to Christophe Beck
Orson Bean Biography (1928-)
Original name, Dallas Frederick Burrows; born July 22, 1928, in Burlington, VT; son of George F. (chief of campus police at Harvard University) and MarianAinsworth (maiden name, Pollard) Burrows; married Jacqueline de Sibour (an actress; stage name, Rain Winslow), July 2, 1956 (divorced, 1962); married Carolyn Maxwell (a custom-order fashion designer), October 3, 1965 (divorced, 1979); married Alley Mills (an actress), April 18, 1993; children: (first marriage) Michelle; (second marriage) Max, Ezekiel, Susannah. Addresses: Agent: Stone Manners Agency, 8436 West Third St., Suite 740, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, comedian, director
- Birth Details
- July 22, 1928
- Burlington, Vermont
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Stage Appearances
- (Debut) The Spider, Cambridge Summer Theatre, MA, 1945
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Goodbye Again, 1948
- (New York debut) Edgar Grasthal, Men of Distinction, 48th Street Theatre, 1953
- Careless, The School for Scandal, Theatre de Lys, New York City, 1953
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John Murray Anderson's Almanac Review, Imperial Theatre, New YorkCity, 1953
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Josephine, 1953
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The Scarecrow, 1953
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Men of Distinction, 1953
- George MacCauley, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1955
- Ensign Pulver, Mr. Roberts, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1956
- Billy Turk, Nature's Way, Coronet Theatre, NY, 1957
- Jack Jordan, Say Darling, City Center Theatre, 1959
- Charlie Smith, Subways Are for Sleeping, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1961
- Charlie, Never Too Late, Playhouse Theatre, NY, 1962
- Rather Shenanigan, Home Movies, Provincetown Playhouse, New York City, 1964
- Arthur, Warm Heart, Cold Feet, 1964
- Tom Considine, I Was Dancing, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1964
- Cocky, The Roar of the Grease Paint, the Smell of the Crowd, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1965
- Homer Thrace, Ilya Darling, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City,1967
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A Round with Ring Revue, Theatre de Lys, 1969
- Joe, I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, JosephPapp Public Theatre/Anspacher Theatre, New York City, 1978-1981
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Make Someone Happy, St. Regis Hotel, NY, 1980
- John Caroon, Rockaway, Vineyard Theatre, New York City, 1982
- Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Perry Street Theatre, New York City, 1982-1983
- Title roles, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Apple Corps Theatre, New York City, 1983
- Ben Franklin, 1776, Freud Playhouse, L.A. Reprise!, Los Angeles, 2001
- Professor Serebyakov, Uncle Vanya, Classic Theatre Lab, New York City, then MET Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre, Los Angeles, 2002
- Also appeared in The Playboy of the Western World.
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Major Tours
- Sonny Dorrance, Josephine, U.S. cities, 1953
- Chuck Baxter, Promises, Promises, Australian cities, 1970-1971
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Stage Director
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The Quick-Change Room, Intar Theater, Pacific Resident Theatre Ensemble, 1978
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Film Appearances
- (Film debut) Toby Marshall, How to Be Very, Very Popular, 1955
- Llewelyn Throckmorton III, Showdown at Ulcer Gulch, 1956
- Dr. Matthew Smith, Anatomy of a Murder, Columbia, 1959
- Hal, Lola (also known as Twinky,
The London Affair,and Statutory Affair), 1969
- Himself, Skateboard (also known as Skateboard: The Movie),1978
- Mr. Roper, Forty Deuce, 1982
- Arthur Fitzgerald, Smart Alec (also known as Hollywood Dreaming and The Movie Maker), 1986
- Lydia's editor, Innerspace, Warner Bros., 1987
- Doctor Berlin, Instant Karma, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists,1990
- (Uncredited; in archive footage) Himself (game show panelist), Jacob'sLadder, TriStar, 1990
- Monsignor Corelli, Final Judgment, 1992
- Neighbor, One of Those Nights, 1997
- Dr. Lester, Being John Malkovich, USA Films, 1999
- Purdy, Unbowed, 1999
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Burning Down the House (also known as Medicine Show), 2001
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The Gristle, 2001
- Mr. Gafty, Frank McKlusky, C.I., Buena Vista, 2002
- Stanley, Myron's Movie, 2004
- The mayor, Soccer Dog: European Cup, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, 2004
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Panelist, I've Got a Secret, CBS, 1952
- Host, The Blue Angel, CBS, 1954
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Laugh Line, 1959
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Pantomime Quiz, CBS, 1959-1960
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Keep Talking, CBS, 1959-1960
- Panelist, To Tell the Truth, CBS, 1964-1978
- Guest panelist, Match Game, 1973
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Match Game PM, 1975
- Reverend Brim, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (also known as Forever Fernwood), syndicated, 1977-1978
- Host, The Melting Pot, 1978
- Narrator, Reading Rainbow, 1983
- Guest panelist, To Tell the Truth, NBC, 1990
- Loren Bray, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, CBS, 1993-1998
- William "Bill" Gamble, Sr., Normal, Ohio, Fox, 2000
- Also appeared in One Life to Live, ABC.
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Movies
- Fred, Chance of a Lifetime, 1991
- Jeremy Sticher, Just My Imagination (also known as The Girl inthe Song Title), NBC, 1992
- Loren Bray, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: The Movie, CBS, 1999
- Macintyre, Knee High P.I., 2003
- Voice of John Forsythe as Charlie, Behind the Camera: The UnauthorizedStory of Charlie's Angels, NBC, 2004
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Specials
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The Man in the Dog Suit, NBC, 1960
- Dr. Sawyer, Miracle on 34th Street, NBC, 1960
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Ghostbreaker, NBC, 1967
- Voice of Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit (animated), ABC, 1977
- Voices of Frodo Baggins and Bilbo Baggins, The Return of the King(animated), 1980
- Voice of Billy Rabbit, Garfield in the Rough (animated), CBS, 1984
- Father Sean, NBC Presents the AFI Comedy Special, NBC, 1987
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A Salute to Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, CBS, 1998
- Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Jane Seymour, Lifetime, 1998
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Kevin Back: Am I Me? (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 2002
- Also appeared as host, New Year's in New York; host, The GoldenAge of Movie Serials; host, The Bean Show.
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Episodic
- "Three Men on a Horse," Broadway Television Theater, syndicated, 1952
- "Nothing But the Truth," Broadway Television Theater, syndicated,1952
- Himself, Toast of the Town, 1952, 1954
- "The Square Peg," Studio One, CBS, 1952
- "It Happened in Paris," Robert Montgomery Presents, NBC, 1954
- Joey, "Joey," Studio One, CBS, 1954
- Lester, "Good for You," The United States Steel Hour, 1954
- Eddie West, "The Fifth Wheel," The United States Steel Hour, ABC,1954
- Mortimer Brewster, "Arsenic and Old Lace," Best of Broadway, CBS,1955
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The Ed Sullivan Show, 1955
- Arthur, "San Francisco Fracas," Elgin Hour, ABC, 1955
- Charlie Digger, "A Christmas Surprise," Studio One, CBS, 1956
- "The Best Year in the Whole History of the World," Omnibus, 1956
- "A Traveler from Brussels," Kraft Theater Theatre, NBC, 1957
- Jack Chesney, "Charley's Aunt," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1957
- "Bilko's Insurance Company," Phil Silvers Show, CBS, 1958
- Newman Johnson, "The Newman Johnson Story," The Millionaire, CBS,1958
- James B. W. Bevis, "Mr. Bevis," Twilight Zone, CBS, 1960
- "Once around the Block," Play of the Week, syndicated, 1960
- "Two by Saroyan," The Play of the Week, 1960
- "New York Scrapbook," The Play of the Week, 1961
- John Monroe, "The Secret Life of James Thurber," June Allyson Show(also known as The DuPont Show with June Allyson), CBS, 1961
- Arnold Platt, "To Walk Like a Lion," Naked City, ABC, 1962
- Panelist, Password, 1962
- "Don't Shake the Family Tree," The United States Steel Hour, CBS,1963
- Guest performer, Hootenanny, 1964
- Guest panelist, What's My Line?, 1965, 1966
- "The Star Wagon," NET Playhouse, 1967
- "Love and the Teacher," Love, American Style, ABC, 1970
- Himself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1970, 1971,1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1991
- Warren Wright, "The Adventure of the Chinese Dog," Ellery Queen, NBC, 1975
- Artie D'Angelo, "Heads or Tails/The Little People/Mona of the Movies," Love Boat, ABC, 1978
- Jason Klemer, "October the 31st," Fall Guy, ABC, 1984
- Ebeneezer McEnery, "Keep the Home Fries Burning," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1986
- Oliver Thompson, "Fast Food," The Facts of Life, NBC, 1986
- "Love and the Beagles," New Love, American Style, ABC, 1986
- Voice of himself, "The Runaway Duck," Reading Rainbow, PBS, 1987
- Oliver Thompson, "Cupid's Revenge," The Facts of Life, NBC, 1987
- Oliver Thompson, "Ex Marks the Spot," The Facts of Life, NBC, 1987
- Ebeneezer McEnery, "Town Father," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1989
- Dr. Hubbard, "The Offering," Monsters, 1990
- Voice of Geppetto, "Fairy Tales for the 90's," Tiny Toon Adventures (animated), 1990
- Lewis Sweeney, "Obsession: Part 1," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1998
- Himself, "Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute: Part 1," Ellen, ABC, 1998
- Burnaby Fitzhugh, "Spring," Thanks, CBS, 1999
- Marty Brigg, "In Search of the Pygmies," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2000
- Carl Tepper, "Surprise Artie," The King of Queens, CBS, 2000
- Archbishop Phillips, "Possession Is Nine Tenths of the Law," Family Law, CBS, 2000
- Professor Dudley, "There But For the Grace of Grace," Will & Grace, NBC, 2000
- Mr. Bennett, "Piece Talks," Becker, 2002
- Fake "Andrew Hampton," "Life and Death: Parts 1 & 2," 7th Heaven, The WB, 2003
- Also appeared in Philco Playhouse;
Celebrity Time;
Nothing But the Truth;
The Arthur Murray Show;
The Mel Torme Show;
Steve Allen Show;
Jack Parr Show;
Laugh Line.
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RECORDINGS
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Comedy Albums
- Recorded I Ate the Baloney.
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WRITINGS
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Books
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Me and the Orgone: One Man's Sexual Revolution, St. Martin's, 1971
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Too Much Is Not Enough (autobiography), Carol Publishing, 1988
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25 Ways to Cook a Mouse: Whisker-Licking Recipes for Your Gourmet Cat, Carol Publishing, 1993
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Stage Plays
- Adapted A Christmas Carol, produced at Perry Street Theatre, New York City.
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals
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People Weekly, February 22, 1993
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Variety, December 21, 1992
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