Mel Welles

Biography

Mel Welles (February 17, 1924 - August 18, 2005) was a multifaceted American actor renowned for his portrayal of the inept flower shop proprietor Gravis Mushnik in Roger Corman's cult classic, *The Little Shop of Horrors* (1960), which also featured a young Jack Nicholson. Born Ira Meltcher in New York City, Welles completed his high school education at Mt. Carmel High School in 1940 and pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University, a Master’s from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University.

Throughout his career, Welles embraced a variety of roles, working as a clinical psychologist, radio DJ, television actor, writer, and director. He made his film debut in 1953 with *Appointment in Honduras*, but it was his role in *The Little Shop of Horrors* that would remain iconic for years. In the early 1960s, he transitioned to European cinema, contributing to horror films such as *Maneater of Hydra* (1967) and *Lady Frankenstein* (1971), utilizing his proficiency in five languages.

Welles later returned to the U.S., where he lent his voice to various projects and became known for adapting the Japanese show *Spectreman* for American audiences in the late 1970s. In a touching return to his roots, he reprised his role as Mushnik in a community theater production of *Little Shop of Horrors* in 1998. At the time of his passing, Welles was engaged in writing a horror screenplay titled *House of a Hundred Horrors*.