Edward Gildea De Corsia (September 29, 1903 – April 11, 1973) was an American radio, film, and television actor, best remembered for his chilling debut in The Lady from Shanghai (1947), as the ex-wrestler murderer Willie Garzah in the film The Naked City (1948), and as a gangster who turned state's evidence in the film The Enforcer (1951).

Ted de Corsia
De Corsia in Vengeance Valley (1951)
Born
Edward Gildea De Corsia

(1903-09-29)September 29, 1903
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 11, 1973(1973-04-11) (aged 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1928–1972
Spouses
Mary Robertson
(m. 1934; div. 1935)
Rachel Thurber
(m. 1939, divorced)
Children2

Early life

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Career

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Radio

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De Corsia was a member of the cast of Blackstone Plantation.[1] He starred in the title role on Mike Hammer[2] and played Sergeant Velie on The Adventures of Ellery Queen.[3] He also voiced roles on Family Theater,[2] The March of Time, Cavalcade of America, Gang Busters,[4] and The Shadow.

Film

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Ted de Corsia in The Big Combo (1955)

He made his film debut in Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai (1947) and went on to make a career playing villains and gangsters in 1940s and 1950s films, including The Naked City (1948), The Enforcer (1951), Crime Wave (1954), The Big Combo (1955), The Killing (1956), Baby Face Nelson (1957), Slightly Scarlet (1956), and The Joker is Wild (1957).

In his last feature, The Outside Man (1972) with Ann-Margret and Angie Dickinson, his character, the mobster Victor, is killed off early in the film, but he later appears as his embalmed corpse, posed in a chair, holding a cigar.

Television

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In the late 1950s and 1960s, he appeared in a number of television series, mostly westerns. He appeared in S2 E15 of "Wanted: Dead or Alive" playing George Winters in "Chain Gang" which aired 12/10/1959.

He was featured on three episodes of the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason, including the episodes "The Case of the Drifting Dropout" (1964), in which he played murder victim Mort Lynch, and "The Case of the Positive Negative" (1966), in the role of murder victim George Emory. Other notable television series appearances included The Lone Ranger; The Untouchables; The Twilight Zone; Sea Hunt; I Dream of Jeannie; The Outer Limits, and The Monkees

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1947 The Lady from Shanghai Sidney Broome
1948 The Naked City Willie Garzah
1949 The Life of Riley Norman
Neptune's Daughter Lukie Luzette
It Happens Every Spring Manager Jimmy Dolan
Mr. Soft Touch Rainey
1950 The Outriders Bye
Cargo to Capetown Rhys
Three Secrets Del Prince
1951 The Enforcer Joe Rico
Vengeance Valley Herb Backett
A Place In The Sun Judge R.S. Oldendorff
Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison Warden Ben Rickey
New Mexico Acoma, Indian Chief
Crazy Over Horses Duke
1952 Captain Pirate Captain Easterling
The Savage Iron Breast
The Turning Point Harrigan
1953 Man in the Dark Lefty
Ride, Vaquero! Sheriff Parker
Hot News Dino Rizzo
Crime Wave 'Doc' Penny
1954 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Farragut
1955 The Big Combo Ralph Bettini
Man with the Gun 'Frenchy' Lescaux
Kismet Police Sub-altern
1956 The Conqueror Kumlek
Slightly Scarlet Solly Caspar
The Steel Jungle Steve Marlin
The Kettles in the Ozarks Professor
Mohawk Indian Chief Kowanen
The Killing Patrolman Randy Kennan
Showdown at Abilene Dan Claudius
Dance with Me, Henry Big Frank
1957 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Shanghai Pierce
The Lawless Eighties Grat Bandas
The Midnight Story Lieutenant Kilrain
The Joker is Wild Georgie Parker
Gun Battle at Monterey Max Reno
Man on the Prowl Detective
Baby Face Nelson Rocca
1958 Handle with Care Sam Lawrence
South Seas Adventure Supplemental Narration Voice
Enchanted Island Captain Vangs
The Buccaneer Captain Rumbo
1959 Inside the Mafia Augie Martello
1960 Oklahoma Territory Chief Buffalo Horn
Noose for a Gunman Jack Cantrell
From the Terrace Mr. Ralph W. Benziger
Spartacus Legionnaire Uncredited
1962 It's Only Money Patrolman
1964 The Quick Gun Jud Spangler
Blood on the Arrow Jud
1965 The Money Trap Police Captain Uncredited
1966 Nevada Smith Hudson, Bartender
1967 The King's Pirate Captain McTigue
1968 5 Card Stud Eldon Bates
1970 The Delta Factor Ames
1972 The Outside Man Victor (final film role)

Selected television

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Year Title Role Notes
1955 The Lone Ranger Sam Slater Season 4 Episode 34: "Gold Freight"
1957 Have Gun - Will Travel Chief Harry Blackfoot Season 1 Episode 13: "The Englishman"
1957 Official Detective Lieutenant Evans Season 1 Episode 13: "Bombing Terror"
1958 Official Detective Lieutenant Evans Season 1 Episode 39: "Bombing Terror"
1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Police Inspector Salva Season 5 Episode 9: "Dead Weight"
1960 Wanted Dead or Alive Arthur Barchester Season 3, Episode 10 "The Medicine Man"
1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lieutenant Christensen Season 7 Episode 7: "You Can't Be a Little Girl All Your Life"
1961 Rawhide Sheriff Season 3 Episode 24: "Incident of the Lost Idol"
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Police Lieutenant Herlie Season 2 Episode 13: "The Magic Shop"
1967 Get Smart Spinoza Season 3, Episode 8 "When Good Fellows Get Together"[5]
1967 The Monkees Frank Season 2 Episode 12: "Hitting the High Seas"

References

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  1. ^ Key, Pierre V.R., ed. (1933). Pierre Key's Radio Annual (PDF). Pierre Key Publishing Corporation. p. 218. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Harry Wismer Off On Sports Trek". Brownwood Bulletin. Brownwood Bulletin. November 25, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved May 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Whistling Clown Sunday Mystery". Harrisburg Telegraph. Harrisburg Telegraph. March 2, 1940. p. 18. Retrieved May 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Grunwald, Edgar A. (1938). Variety Radio Directory. Variety, Inc. p. 1284.
  5. ^ Season 3 DVD
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