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Melville Ruick | |
|---|---|
 Ruick as Dr. Barton Crane inCity Hospital in 1953. | |
| Born | (1898-07-08)July 8, 1898 Boise, Idaho, U.S. |
| Died | December 24, 1972(1972-12-24) (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1915–1972 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Barbara Ruick |
| Relatives | John Williams (son-in-law) Joseph Williams (grandson) |
Melville Ruick (July 8, 1898 – December 24, 1972) was an American actor.
Ruick was born inBoise, Idaho, in 1898.[citation needed] His father was a U.S.district attorney in Idaho,[1] and Ruick studied law at theUniversity of California.[citation needed]
World War I changed Ruick from a student lawyer to a student pilot. Ruick won his wings in the Air Service, Signal Corps, two weeks before the end of the war. He was the United States' youngest flier in the war at age 17 and became a lieutenant at age 18.[1]
During World War II, Ruick returned to uniform as a captain in theUSAFF, attached to the Radio Production Unit as a producer-director.
Ruick worked five years as master of ceremonies for theFanchon and Marco shows.[1]
During theGreat Depression, Ruick doubled as a bandleader and as an actor in theatrical stock. An offer came fromCBS to work as a localradio announcer while Ruick was leading a dance band in Los Angeles. He later won an audition for the spot of announcer on the CBS radio showLux Radio Theater,[2] staying with the show for six years.
After World War II, Ruick reentered show business, touring withLeo Carrillo in a revival ofThe Bad Man. While trying his luck onBroadway, Ruick received an offer to directPaul Whiteman's radio show for theU.S. National Guard.
Ruick starred as Chief John Randolph on the NBC adventure seriesThe Door with No Name (1951)[3]: 278 and as Dr. Barton Crane on the dramatic seriesCity Hospital (1951) on ABC-TV[3] and CBS radio.[4] He also guest-starred in a number of popular 1960s shows, includingThe Fugitive,The Wild Wild West andThe Invaders.
He was married to actressesLurene Tuttle and Claire Niesen (the former of whom he had a daughter with, actressBarbara Ruick).[5] He was also the father-in-law of composer-conductorJohn Williams and the maternal grandfather ofJoseph Williams.
Ruick died in Los Angeles on December 24, 1972, aged 74.[6]
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