- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDominic Felix Amici
- Nickname
- The Latin Lover
- Height5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
- Don Ameche was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and '40s,
usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a
radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity
waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. His
film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an
aging millionaire in Trading Places (1983) and a rejuvenated oldster in
Cocoon (1985).
Ameche was born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Barbara Edda (Hertel) and Felice Amici, a bartender.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ray Hamel
- SpouseHonora M Prendergast(November 26, 1932 - September 5, 1986) (her death, 6 children)
- ParentsFelice AmiciBarbara Etta Amici
- Was well known for having a peaceful, soothing but authoritative sounding voice.
- He frequently apologized to his Trading Places (1983) co-star Eddie Murphy for the racist statements that his character made in the film.
- Calling the telephone the "Don Ameche" became popular American slang in
the 1930s and '40s due to his role as Alexander Graham Bell. - His father was an Italian immigrant. His mother had German, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry. Americans pronounced his last name incorrectly in
Italian ("Ah-mee-see"). So he changed it from "Amici" (correctly pronounced "Ah-mee-chee") into "Ameche", in
order to keep the original Italian pronunciation. - He made only five films from 1949 to 1983.
- He had not acted in a film for 13 years when he was cast in Trading Places (1983). The role revitalized his film career and he acted consistently until only a month before his death.
- [on Darryl F. Zanuck] Zanuck never did anything but be nice to me. Oh
yeah, maybe he chased Alice Faye around, but a lot of people chased
Alice Faye around. - You can't be happy unless you've found the thing you really want to do for a living. That goes for cowboys, farmers and chemists.
- So Goes My Love (1946) - $100 .000
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