Don Ameche

Biography

Don Ameche, born Dominic Felix Amici on May 31, 1908, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was a celebrated American actor known for his charm and versatility, especially during the 1930s and 1940s. He typically portrayed the suave, mustached leading man and gained immense popularity as a master of ceremonies on radio. Although his film career slowed in the 1950s, Ameche remained active in theater and television. His career experienced a remarkable resurgence in the 1980s with memorable performances in *Trading Places* (1983) and *Cocoon* (1985), which showcased his talent as an aging millionaire and a revitalized senior, respectively. Notably, he earned an Academy Award for his contributions to cinema.

Standing at 5' 11", Ameche came from a diverse background; his father, Felice, was an Italian immigrant, while his mother, Barbara Edda Hertel, had German, English, Irish, and Scottish roots. To maintain the original Italian pronunciation of his surname, he changed it from "Amici" to "Ameche." Nicknamed "The Latin Lover," he married Honore Prendergast on December 6, 1932, and they had six children together. He became a father for the first time at 25, with the birth of his son, Dominic Felix Ameche Jr. His beloved wife Honore passed away on September 5, 1986, and Don Ameche himself died from prostate cancer on December 6, 1993, in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 85.