Two years ago I wrote a blog about Meredith Baxter. It was not related to a new project or any
other milestone – I just felt like celebrating an impressive and diverse
television career. That’s the best thing about having your own blog – no editors
to tell you what you can or can’t do.
Such pieces will now be a
recurring feature here. There have been so many wonderful actors who, while not icons
in the medium, have built a remarkable legacy of fine work. If, like me, you
have access to enough classic television to create programming nights focused
around a particular star or theme, perhaps these pieces will provide some
inspiration.
I’ve selected David Wayne
because I’m now enjoying a second journey through the classic and sadly
short-lived Ellery Queen series, in
which he costarred as Ellery’s father.
Not every actor has a
screen persona but some certainly get repeatedly cast into specific types of
roles. With David Wayne, it was intelligent but temperamental men who were always
annoyed about something – usually the vacuousness or incompetence of
others. That was certainly the case with
Police Inspector Richard Queen, as well as several of these other moments that
are worth revisiting.
The Twilight Zone (1959)
“Escape Clause” is not in
the first tier of TZ classics – you may guess the twist in Rod Serling’s script
before it is revealed – but Wayne is ideally cast as Walter Bedeker, a surly,
self-centered hypochondriac who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for an
extended life span of “a few hundred, or a few thousand” years.
Naked City (1962)
One
of the best DVD investments I’ve ever made is 80 bucks for 138 episodes of this
groundbreaking 1958-1962 series, shot in evocative, atmospheric black and white
on the streets of New York City. “The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish” is a
typically strong outing, with Wayne as the title character – a mild-mannered
broker who creates several other identities for himself. It’s up to Adam Flint
to discover whether any of Konish’s aliases are also criminals. The answer is
not what you might expect.
Batman (1966)
Since I have memories of
watching Batman when I was 8 or 9,
this was probably the first David Wayne performance I ever enjoyed. As with the
series’ other famous guest villains I had no idea at the time that he had a
career before arriving in Gotham City. To me he was just the Mad Hatter. The
first of his two appearances (“The Thirteenth Hat/Batman Stands Pat”) is more
memorable, as Jervis Tetsch is joined in his criminal escapades by a statuesque
hat-check girl played by the stunning Diane McBain.
The Good Life (1971)
I’ve never watched this
series but I’ve seen clips on YouTube. It’s listed here because the concept and
cast are so intriguing that I can’t imagine it not being enjoyable. Larry
Hagman and Donna Mills play a middle-class married couple who take jobs as a
butler and cook for wealthy industrialist Charles Dutton (played by David
Wayne). Just 15 episodes were made before everyone moved on to more successful
projects.
Banacek (1973)
This is one of those shows
I’ve wanted to write about for years but haven’t gotten to yet. Consider this a
start: “Ten Thousand Dollars a Page” finds insurance investigator Banacek
trying to discover how someone managed to steal a priceless book encased amidst
high-tech alarms. David Wayne plays the book’s owner, a self-proclaimed tyrant.
It was Emmy-worthy work, and from an acting-with-a-capital-A standpoint his
best performance of those on this list.
Ellery Queen (1975)
Wayne possessed one of
those resonant golden-age Hollywood voices, instantly recognizable, which fit
perfectly into this 1940s-set series where distinctive voices abound. Jim
Hutton had the easygoing cadences of Jimmy Stewart, John Hillerman the cultured
tones of William Powell, and the gung-ho reporter played by Ken Swofford would
have blended right into His Girl Friday.
Family (1978)
Ellery Queen may have temporarily trapped David Wayne in the “dad” zone with
casting directors, as he would play several more fathers over the next few
years. In “The Covenant” he played the ailing father of Doug Lawrence (James
Broderick). It’s a typical Family
episode, which means it’s better than 98% of everything else that has ever been
on television.
Dallas (1978)
Full disclosure: I actually
think Keenan Wynn’s take on embittered drunk Digger Barnes seemed more
authentic than that of David Wayne, who originated the role. But Wayne had
better material to play in the series’ early seasons, as he had to contend with
his daughter Pamela marrying into the family he blamed for all his misfortune.
Eight is Enough (1979)
In “Fathers and Other
Strangers” the Bradfords vacation in Hawaii and Tom confronts his estranged
father (played by you-know-who). There’s a bit too much filler in this
stretched-out two-part episode, but its best scenes are shared by David Wayne
and Willie Aames. Unless you count the scene with Elizabeth in a bikini.
What, you’re just finding out now that I’m shallow?
House Calls (1979)
Now in his 60s, his cranky
persona gracefully aging like vintage Port, David Wayne added some much-needed
cynicism into this romantic sitcom about the romance between hospital coworkers
played by Wayne Rogers and Lynn Redgrave. Wayne’s Dr. Amos Weatherby was going
senile but preferred to think he was the last sane person in a world that was
going crazy. I can relate.