Incisive, diminutive character actor, often bespectacled, who moved to Hollywood with Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater and is perhaps best remembered for playing Kane's loyal, bespectacled sidekick Bernstein in "Citizen Kane" (1941). Also excellent as the corrupt, crippled lawyer in Welles' "The Lady from Shanghai" (1948) and also in "The Men" (1950) and "Patterns" (1955).
- Born:
October 1, 1909 in New York, New York
- Died:
August 6, 1965.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Director, Runner for Wall Street firm
Family
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Father: Nathaniel Sloane.
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Mother: Rose Sloane.
Education
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University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Milestones
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1916 At age seven. played Puck in a school production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
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1929 After stock market crash, decided to try acting again
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1930 Performed in the radio drama "The Shadow"
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1935 Broadway acting debut, "Boy Meet Girl"
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1937 Had co-starring role in the play "Three Men on a Horse"
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1938 Joined Orson Welles' "Mercury Theatre on Air"
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1938 Performed in the now famous broadcast of "The War of the Worlds"
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1941 Feature acting debut, playing Bernstein in "Citizen Kane", directed by and starring Welles
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1942 Reteamed with Welles as co-star in "Journey Into Fear"
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1944 Returned to Broadway in "A Bell for Adano"
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1946 Directed stage productions "The Dancer" and "Twilight Bar"
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1948 Cast as Rita Hayworth's husband in Welles' "The Lady from Shanghai"
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1949 Co-starred with Tyrone Power and Welles in "Prince of Foxes"
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1951 Cast as the district attorney in "The Blue Veil"
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1951 Won attention as the gangster Albert Mendoza in "The Enforcer"
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1954 Originated role of ruthless businessman Ramsay in the Rod Serling-penned teleplay "Patterns"; recreated role in the 1956 feature film version
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1955 Co-starred in "The Big Knife"
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1956 Played Dr. Gachet in "Lust for Life", the Vincente Minnelli-directed biopic of artist Vincent Van Gogh
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1956 Portrayed the boxer's manager in "Somebody Up There Likes Me", a biographical drama about fighter Rocky Graziano
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1958 Essayed the rigid, religious father of Natalie Wood's title character in "Marjorie Morningstar"
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1961 Was the voice of the title character in the animated "The Dick Tracy Show"
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1964 Co-starred with Jerry Lewis in "The Patsy" and in "The Disorderly Orderly"; final feature film appearances
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1964 Provided character voices for the animated TV series "The Adventures of Jonny Quest"
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Born and raised in Manhattan
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Dropped out of college and joined the stock company at the Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania; after receiving harsh criticism, decided to quit acting
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Hosted the TV program "Official Detective"
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Played Sammy on "The Goldbergs" on radio
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Returned home to NYC; worked on Wall Street
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Worked in radio, including appearing on "Impossible Detective Mysteries"