Maurice Cass

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Maurice Cass
Maurice cass.jpg
Cass c. 1950
Born(1884-10-12)October 12, 1884
DiedJune 8, 1954(1954-06-08) (aged 69)
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
Years active1932–1954

Maurice Cass (October 12, 1884 – June 8, 1954) was a character actor on stage and in films and television shows.

Contents

Born in Vilna, Russian Empire (modern day Vilnius, Lithuania) he moved to America at six years [1] of age. When he was 17, he toured the southern United States with a repertory company. [2]

His slight build, frizzy hair and pince-nez glasses cast him as the "absent minded professor" or eccentric scientist type in many of his films, such as the character who discovers the element kryptonite in Adventures of Superman .

He is best remembered for his role as Professor Newton in the 1954 TV science fiction show Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, which later was produced as a film Manhunt in Space.

Cass's Broadway credits included The Sky's the Limit (1934), Broadway Boy (1932), Wild Waves (1932), Wonder Boy (1931), Overture (1930), The Violet and One, Two, Three (1930), The Novice and the Duke (1929), The Broken Chain (1929), and Faust (1928). [3]

He died of a heart attack at age 69 while the Rocky Jones show was still in production; his Professor Newton character was replaced by a new character, Professor Mayberry.

Selected filmography

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References

  1. New York, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1943 - Ancestry.com
  2. "Studio Flashes". The Age. Australia, Victoria, Melbourne. November 27, 1937. p. 40. Retrieved September 10, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Maurice Cass". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  4. Great Movie Musicals on DVD - A Classic Movie Fan's Guide by John Howard Reid - Google search with book preview