Born February 12, 1915, in Ottawa, ON, Canada; died of pneumonia following abdominal surgery at St. John's Hospital Center in Santa Monica, CA, September11, 1987. Actor Lorne Green attained fame for his portrayal of Ben Cartwright, the strong and caring head of the Ponderosa ranch on the television seriesBonanza, 1959-73. With his deep voice and prominent stature, Greene not onlyembodied the prototypical man of the Old West, but represented a father figure with whom millions of viewers identified. Before his acting career, Greenewas a top newscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. At the heightof his radio career he was often called "the Voice of Canada," hosting up tofifteen shows a week during World War II. He moved to New York City in the early fifies and appeared on the popular television show Studio One in 1953. That same year, Greene made his Broadway debut in The Prescott Proposals and subsequent Broadway credits included Speaking of Murder, 1956, and Edwin Booth, 1958. Between stage and television appearances, Greene landed roles in suchfilms as The Silver Chalice, 1954, Autumn Leaves, 1956, and Peyton Place, 1957. Although Greene was best known for his Bonanza role, he also starred in other series, including Battlestar Galactica, 1978-80, and Code Red, 1981-82.In addition, he made numerous television movies and acted in the mini- seriesThe Moneychangers, 1976, Roots, 1977, and The Bastard, 1978. At the time ofhis death, Greene was preparing to work on a television movie, Bonanza--The Next Generation.
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