Eddy Waller

American actor (1889–1977)

Eddy Waller
Waller in The Missing Corpse (1945)
Born
Edward C Waller

(1889-06-14)June 14, 1889
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedAugust 20, 1977(1977-08-20) (aged 88)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California
OccupationActor
Years active1912–1963

Edward Waller (June 14, 1889 – August 20, 1977) was an American stage, film and television actor.

Early years

Waller's involvement with dramatics began when he was a student at the University of Wisconsin.[1]

Career

Stage

Waller performed in vaudeville and the legitimate theater before he entered films in Hollywood. His professional stage debut came in Chicago, Illinois. An item published in The Indianapolis News May 3, 1923, reported, "He has had several years' experience as leading man and also as director, and produces the Grand Players' plays as well as taking the leading roles."[1] Waller became noted for his character impersonations of elderly men on stage and screen.[2]

Film

Waller appeared in more than 250 sound films between 1929 and 1963 (Thomas M. Feramisco, in his book, The Mummy Unwrapped: Scenes Left on Universal's Cutting Room, has Waller "making the move to celluloid in 1936."),[3] including 116 westerns and six serials. In 1955 Waller appeared as "Old Larky" (under the name credit Eddy C. Waller) in the film Foxfire starring Jane Russell and Jeff Chandler. He is best remembered as Nugget Clark, the sidekick in many films starring Allan 'Rocky' Lane between 1947 and 1953.

Television

In 1955, Waller became Rusty Lee, the saddle partner to actor Douglas Kennedy in the short-lived television series, Steve Donovan, Western Marshal.[4] After that, he appeared in several A-westerns and television programs and was a semi-regular as Mose Shell, the dedicated stagecoach driver, in nineteen episodes of the NBC western series, Laramie, with John Smith and Robert Fuller.

Waller had a supporting role in the 1957-1958 syndicated series, Casey Jones starring Alan Hale, Jr. Waller played "Red Rock", the train conductor of Casey's Cannonball Express.[4]: 166 [5] He also played John Finney in the 1960-1961 miniseries Daniel Boone, which ran as part of Walt Disney Presents.[4]: 233 

Death

Waller died of a stroke in Los Angeles, California, at the age of eighty-eight. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).[6] His wife of forty-nine years of marriage, Doris M. Waller (1902-1977), had died in January 1977.

Selected filmography

Films

Television series

  • Ford Theatre (1952–1955) - Station Master / Clam-digger / Courtney
  • The Lone Ranger (1953–1955) - Hardrock Hazen / Haskell / Jules
  • The Cisco Kid (1954) - Dr. Bender / Eli Oliver
  • Letter to Loretta (1954) - Joe Rogan
  • Four Star Playhouse (1955) - Andy
  • Steve Donovan, Western Marshal (1955–1956, supporting role) - Deputy Marshal Rusty Lee
  • Fury (1956, episode "Tungsten Queen") - Hank Enos
  • Broken Arrow (1957) - Hank Thompson
  • Casey Jones (1957–1958, supporting role) - Red Rock Smith / Red Rock
  • Wagon Train (1958, in "The Jennifer Churchill Story") - Ned
  • The Texan, 2 episodes (1959) - Stage Driver / Oldest Rider
  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as Rawhide Geraghty in "The Truth About Rawhide Geraghty" (1959); Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp rides shotgun for the retiring 69-year-old Wells Fargo stagecoach driver Rawhide Geraghty on his last run from Tucumcari, New Mexico Territory, to Amarillo, Texas. The trip is hazardous with bandits and hostile Apache, and Rawhide is apprehensive about what he and Earp will face. - Rawhide Geraghty
  • Man Without a Gun (1959, in "The Giant")
  • Wanted: Dead or Alive (1959, "The Empty Cell") - Pop Cole
  • Tales of Wells Fargo (1959–1961, 2 episodes) - Grandpa Charlie Bridger / Pat Rankin
  • Overland Trail (1960) in episode 2: "The O'Mara Ladies"
  • Pony Express (1960, in "The Search") - Nate
  • Shotgun Slade (1960, in "The Missing Dog") - the Sheriff
  • Outlaws (1961, in "Roly") - Forsythe
  • Laramie (1959–1963, recurring role) - Mose / Mose - Stage Driver / Mose Shell
  • Disneyland (1960–1962) - Captain Swain / John Finley / Linc
  • Bonanza (1962, in "The First Born") - Harry
  • Dr. Kildare (1962) - Dr. Millard Eakins
  • Empire (1962 in "The Earth Mover") - Abel Saunders
  • Lassie (1960-1963, 8 episodes) - Matt Krebbs / Henry Enders / Jonathan Grigsby

References

  1. ^ a b "Notes of the Stage". The Indianapolis News. Indiana, Indianapolis. May 3, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved September 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Beauty Parlors Won't Keep You Young, But Thoughts Will, Says Famous Actor - Eddy Waller, Who Fools Audiences With His 'Old Man' Characterizations, Finds The Secret of Youth in Keeping Mind Open to New Impressions," Medford Mail, Medford, Oregon, p. 19, Sunday, April 26, 1936. https://www.newspapers.com/image/104010832/?terms=%22Eddy%20Waller%22&match=1
  3. ^ Feramisco, Thomas M. (2007). The Mummy Unwrapped: Scenes Left on Universal's Cutting Room Floor. McFarland. p. 188. ISBN 9781476607924. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 1019.
  5. ^ "TV-Dial-O-Logue: 11 Casey Jones (Adventure)". The San Bernardino County Sun. August 14, 1958. p. 42. Retrieved April 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Private Rites Held for Character Actor Eddy C. Waller". Valley News. August 24, 1977. p. 42. Retrieved April 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

External links

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  • Eddy Waller at IMDb
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