Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

Harve Presnell

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Years active
  
1960–2009

Name
  
Harve Presnell


Role
  
Actor

Height
  
1.93 m

Harve Presnell Harve Presnell Biography and Filmography 1933

Born
  
September 14, 1933 (
1933-09-14
)

Occupation
  
Film and television actor; musical theatre and opera singer

Died
  
June 30, 2009, Santa Monica, California, United States

Spouse
  
Veeva Suzanne Hamblen (m. 1966–2009), Sheryl M. Green (m. 1957–1966)

Movies
  
Fargo, Paint Your Wagon, Saving Private Ryan, The Unsinkable Molly Bro, Mr Deeds

Evan almighty 8 10 movie clip there s going to be a flood 2007 hd


Harve Presnell (September 14, 1933 – June 30, 2009) was an American actor and singer. He began his career in the mid-1950s as a classical baritone, singing with orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States. His career reoriented away from classical music to musical theatre in 1960 after Meredith Willson cast him in the lead role of his new Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown. His portrayal of "Leadville Johnny" was a resounding success and he reprised the role in the 1964 film version of the musical, winning a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal.

Contents

Harve Presnell Harve Presnell 1933 2009 Find A Grave Memorial

Presnell went on to star in a few more films during the 1960s, but by the early 1970s that aspect of his career came to a standstill. From 1970 to 1995 he mostly worked as a musical theatre performer on Broadway, the West End, and in touring productions out of New York. In his early 60s, Presnell saw a resurgence in his movie career which lasted until his death. He played character roles in films like Fargo (1996), Saving Private Ryan (1998), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006). He also appeared on television as Mr. Parker in The Pretender and Lew Staziak in Andy Barker, P.I.. He had recurring roles on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Dawson's Creek.

Harve Presnell iamediaimdbcomimagesMMV5BMTQwMjc3MTYyOV5BMl5

They call the wind maria paint your wagon harve presnell


Early life and classical singing career

Presnell was born as George Harvey Presnell in 1933, in Modesto, California. He made his professional stage debut performing in an opera at the young age of sixteen. He attended the University of Southern California, earning a bachelor's degree in vocal performance. He then pursued further vocal studies in Europe and at the Music Academy of the West. He appeared with a number of opera companies and orchestras during the 1950s. In 1957 he made his debut with the San Francisco Opera as the Officer in Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos. He went on to sing several more comprimario roles with the company that year, including the Jailer in the United States premiere of Francis Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites. During the late 1950s he made several appearances and recordings with both the Roger Wagner Chorale and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the latter under the baton of Eugene Ormandy.

Stage and film career

In 1956, Presnell co-starred with Herva Nelli in the American premiere of Darius Milhaud's opera David at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1960, he was a featured soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in another concert at the Bowl. In attendance at the concert was musical theater composer Meredith Willson who was at that time in the midst of creating his musical on the life of Molly Brown, Titanic survivor. Willson contacted him after the concert and asked him to audition for him. Presnell complied and Wilson ended up offering him the role of "Leadville Johnny." At this point the musical was not completed and Wilson went on to compose much of the music for Leadville Johnny with Presnell's voice in mind.

On November 3, 1960, The Unsinkable Molly Brown opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre to a resounding success. Presnell stayed with the show for its entire 532 performance run, which ended on February 10, 1962. He reprised the role in the 1964 film The Unsinkable Molly Brown for which he won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year. He starred in two films in 1965: portraying Sol Rogers, a cavalry scout, in The Glory Guys and Danny Churchill, the romantic lead, in the musical film When the Boys Meet the Girls.

He had one more sizable film role in the 1960s, the role of "Rotten Luck Willie" in Paramount's 1969 musical Western film Paint Your Wagon. He sang "They Call the Wind Mariah". The New York Times said that Presnell's role in the film "delivered the golden opportunity to sing the unforgettable ballad." Theater writer Thomas Hischak said that "in one of the film's few pleasing moments, Harve Presnell gave full voice to They Call the Wind Mariah and it was lovely to hear". Referring to Eastwood and Marvin, film reviewer Brian W. Fairbanks wrote that "Harve Presnell steals both stars' thunder with a knockout version of the best song"

Presnell did some other film and television work in the 1960s and early 1970s, but for the next couple of decades concentrated primarily on stage work, playing Rhett Butler in the West End production of Scarlett and touring the United States as Daddy Warbucks in Annie and its sequel, Annie Warbucks, among other productions. In 1966, Presnell played the role of Sir Lancelot in Camelot in the Regional Equity production at The Houston Music Theatre, owned by Art Linkletter and Nick Mayo (the partnership also owned the Valley Music Theatre in California).

In 1984 Presnell appeared as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha at the Darien Dinner Theater, an appearance well received by The New York Times. Theater critic Alvin Klein called Presnell "a winning leading man", and wrote:

As an actor, Mr. Presnell promises much, and as a singer, he delivers. Here is one of the shiniest vocal accounts of the role yet. The actor is on the verge of suggesting that in his implausible way, the Don can bring a measure of grace to the world and fulfill that old impossible dream.

His film career was revived when he played William H. Macy's testy father-in-law in Fargo (1996). Subsequent films included The Whole Wide World (1996), Larger than Life (1996), The Chamber (1996), Face/Off (1997), Julian Po (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998, as General George Marshall), Patch Adams (1998), Walking Across Egypt (1999), The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), The Family Man (2000), Escanaba in da Moonlight (2001), Mr. Deeds (2002),Super Sucker (2003), Flags of Our Fathers (2006), and Evan Almighty (2007). He also starred on television as Mr. Parker on The Pretender, Dr. Sam Lane on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, A.I. Brooks on Dawson's Creek, and NBC's Andy Barker, P.I..

Recordings

Presnell sang the baritone role in Eugene Ormandy's 1960 recording of Carmina Burana, released by Columbia/Sony on LP and CD. His earliest recordings were as a soloist with the Roger Wagner Chorale (Capitol) in the 1950s with the Chorale in the background particularly in the LP Joy to the World where he sang in "O Holy Night" and the LPs Folk Songs of the New World [Capitol P8324 (1955)] and Folk Songs of the Frontier [Capitol P8332 (1956)], where he sang, among other songs, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" and "Streets of Laredo".

Death

Presnell died on June 30, 2009, aged 75, from pancreatic cancer, at Saint John's Health Center, in Santa Monica, California.

Filmography

Actor
2010
Love Ranch as
Dr. Smathers
2010
Glenn Martin DDS (TV Series)
- Hail to the Teeth (2010) - (voice)
2007
American Dad! (TV Series) as
Judge / Frank, the Judge
- Man in the Moonbounce (2009) - Judge (voice)
- The Magnificent Steven (2007) - Frank, the Judge (voice)
2009
Cold Case (TV Series) as
Harry Kemp Jr. '09
- Libertyville (2009) - Harry Kemp Jr. '09
2008
Bait Shop (Video) as
Jack
2007
Evan Almighty as
Congressman Burrows
2007
Andy Barker, P.I. (TV Series) as
Lew Staziak
- Three Days of the Chicken (2007) - Lew Staziak
- The Lady Varnishes (2007) - Lew Staziak
- The Big No Sleep (2007) - Lew Staziak
- Fairway, My Lovely (2007) - Lew Staziak
- Dial M for Laptop (2007) - Lew Staziak
- Pilot (2007) - Lew Staziak
2006
Flags of Our Fathers as
Dave Severance
2006
Hope & Faith (TV Series) as
Jack
- Unaired Pilot (2006) - Jack
2006
ER (TV Series) as
Mr. Venema
- Split Decisions (2006) - Mr. Venema
2005
Monk (TV Series) as
Zach Ellinghouse
- Mr. Monk and Mrs. Monk (2005) - Zach Ellinghouse
2004
Charmed (TV Series) as
Captain Black Jack Cutting
- Charrrmed! (2004) - Captain Black Jack Cutting
2003
Legally Blonde (TV Movie) as
Henry Whitehouse
2003
The Lyon's Den (TV Series) as
Elliott Beacon
- Hubris (2003) - Elliott Beacon
2003
The Practice (TV Series) as
Judge Dickem
- We the People (2003) - Judge Dickem
2003
Old School as
Mr. Springbrook
2003
Frasier (TV Series) as
Mike Shaw
- Daphne Does Dinner (2003) - Mike Shaw
2003
Strong Medicine (TV Series) as
Andrew 'Andy' March
- Orders (2003) - Andrew 'Andy' March
2002
Mr. Deeds as
Preston Blake
2002
Super Sucker as
Winslow Schnaebelt
2001
The Pretender: Island of the Haunted (TV Movie) as
Mr. Parker
2001
Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (TV Movie) as
Joe Kennedy
2000
Dawson's Creek (TV Series) as
Mr. Brooks
- A Winter's Tale (2001) - Mr. Brooks
- Hopeless (2001) - Mr. Brooks
- The Tao of Dawson (2001) - Mr. Brooks
- Self Reliance (2000) - Mr. Brooks
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2000) - Mr. Brooks
- The Unusual Suspects (2000) - Mr. Brooks
- You Had Me at Goodbye (2000) - Mr. Brooks
- A Family Way (2000) - Mr. Brooks
- Two Gentlemen of Capeside (2000) - Mr. Brooks
2001
Escanaba in da Moonlight as
Albert Soady
2001
The Pretender 2001 (TV Movie) as
Mr. Parker
2000
The Family Man as
Big Ed
2000
The Legend of Bagger Vance as
John Invergordon
1997
The Pretender (TV Series) as
Mr. Parker
- The Inner Sense: Part 2 (2000) - Mr. Parker
- The Inner Sense: Part 1 (2000) - Mr. Parker
- Spin Doctor (2000) - Mr. Parker
- 'Til Death Do Us Part (2000) - Mr. Parker
- Rules of Engagement (2000) - Mr. Parker
- The World's Changing (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Qallupilluit (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Donoterase: Part 2 (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Donoterase: Part 1 (1999) - Mr. Parker
- End Game (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Wake Up (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Ties That Bind (1999) - Mr. Parker
- PTB (1999) - Mr. Parker
- At the Hour of Our Death (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Pool (1999) - Mr. Parker
- "Mr. Lee" (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Murder 101 (1999) - Mr. Parker
- Someone to Trust (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Hope & Prey (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Crazy (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Bloodlines: Part 2 (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Bloodlines: Part 1 (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Bank (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Amnesia (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Toy Surprise (1998) - Mr. Parker
- A Stand-Up Guy (1998) - Mr. Parker
- Past Sim (1997) - Mr. Parker
- Exposed (1997) - Mr. Parker
- Dragon House: Part 2 (1997) - Mr. Parker
- Dragon House: Part 1 (1997) - Mr. Parker
- Keys (1997) - Mr. Parker
1999
Walking Across Egypt as
Finner
1999
Payne (TV Series) as
Colonel Forest Brinkman
- Wedding Fever (1999) - Colonel Forest Brinkman
1998
The Lionhearts (TV Series)
- Don't Bug the Neighbors: Part Two (1998) - (voice)
- Don't Bug the Neighbors: Part One (1998) - (voice)
- The Pony Show (1998) - (voice)
- Leo's Diet (1998) - (voice)
- The Treehouse (1998) - (voice)
- Greta Garbo Ears (1998) - (voice)
- No Place Like Home (1998) - (voice)
1998
Patch Adams as
Dean Anderson
1998
The Outer Limits (TV Series) as
Greg Matheson
- The Balance of Nature (1998) - Greg Matheson
1998
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (TV Series) as
Edgar J. Hagerty
- Two Guys, a Girl and a Landlord (1998) - Edgar J. Hagerty
1998
Saving Private Ryan as
General Marshall
1998
Everything That Rises (TV Movie) as
Garth
1998
A Bright Shining Lie (TV Movie) as
MACV General
1998
From the Earth to the Moon (TV Mini Series)
- For Miles and Miles (1998)
1998
George & Leo (TV Series)
- The Poker Game (1998)
1997
The Guardian (TV Movie) as
Clovis McConnell
1997
Players (TV Series) as
Roy Erickson
- Three of a Con (1997) - Roy Erickson
1997
Julian Po as
Mayor Henry Leech
1997
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (TV Series) as
Sir Declan McManus
- My Feral Lady (1997) - Sir Declan McManus (voice)
1997
Face/Off as
Victor Lazarro
1995
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV Series) as
Dr. Sam Lane
- The Family Hour (1997) - Dr. Sam Lane
- Twas the Night Before Mxymas (1996) - Dr. Sam Lane
- Swear to God, This Time We're Not Kidding (1996) - Dr. Sam Lane
- I Now Pronounce You- (1996) - Dr. Sam Lane
- Home Is Where the Hurt Is (1995) - Dr. Sam Lane
1997
Tidal Wave: No Escape (TV Movie) as
Stanley Schiff
1997
Grace Under Fire (TV Series) as
Jack
- Vegas (1997) - Jack
1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (TV Series) as
Doug / NRC Man #2
- Nuclear Netherworld (1996) - Doug / NRC Man #2 (voice)
1996
Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) as
Colonel Q
- The Q and the Grey (1996) - Colonel Q
1996
EZ Streets (TV Series) as
Jack deLanae
- Neither Have I Wings to Fly - Jack deLanae
1996
Nash Bridges (TV Series) as
Corick McMillan
- The Brothers McMillan (1996) - Corick McMillan
1996
The Chamber as
Atty. Gen. Roxburgh
1996
Larger Than Life as
Trowbridge Bowers
1996
Fargo as
Wade Gustafson
1996
The Whole Wide World as
Dr. Howard
1995
The Client (TV Series) as
Buddy Hutchinson
- The Peach Orchard (1995) - Buddy Hutchinson
1984
Ryan's Hope (TV Series) as
Matthew Crane
1975
Blood Bath as
Peter Brown
1972
The Great Man's Whiskers (TV Movie) as
Ballad Singer
1969
Paint Your Wagon as
Rotten Luck Willie
1965
The Red Skelton Hour (TV Series) as
Harkness the Gardener
- A Taste of Money (1965) - Harkness the Gardener
1965
When the Boys Meet the Girls as
Danny Churchill
1965
The Glory Guys as
Sol Rogers
1964
The Unsinkable Molly Brown as
'Leadville' Johnny J. Brown
1955
General Electric Theater (TV Series) as
Dismas
- A Child Is Born (1956) - Dismas
- A Child Is Born (1955) - Dismas
1956
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) as
Mitch
- Place of Shadows (1956) - Mitch (uncredited)
Soundtrack
2012
Welcome to the Basement (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- Paint Your Wagon (2012) - (performer: "They Call The Wind Maria")
2004
50 First Dates (performer: "They Call the Wind Mariah")
1973
The Julie Andrews Hour (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- Episode #1.23 (1973) - (performer: "When I Look In Your Eyes")
1969
Paint Your Wagon (performer: "They Call The Wind Maria", "There's A Coach Comin' In", "Finale" (I'm On My Way))
1965
When the Boys Meet the Girls (performer: "But Not For Me", "Embraceable You", "I Got Rhythm")
1964
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (performer: "Colorado, My Home", "I'll Never Say No", "I Ain't Down Yet" (Reprise), "Colorado, My Home" (Reprise), "He's My Friend", "Leadville Johnny Brown (Soliloquy)" - uncredited)
1964
The 36th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) (performer: "So Little Time")
Self
2006
Life After Tomorrow (Documentary) as
Self
1993
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (TV Special) as
Self
1992
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (TV Special) as
Self
1988
Lerner and Loewe: Broadway's Last Romantics (TV Movie) as
Self
1966
The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) as
Self - Actor
- Episode #17.196 (1978) - Self - Actor
- Episode #5.87 (1966) - Self - Actor
1973
The Julie Andrews Hour (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.23 (1973) - Self
1972
The Harry Secombe Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #4.2 (1972) - Self
1972
Salute to Oscar Hammerstein II (TV Special) as
Self
1971
The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Salute to Rudolf Friml (1971) - Self
- Songs That Stirred America - Part II (1971) - Self
- Songs That Stirred America - Part I (1971) - Self
1969
The David Frost Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.41 (1969) - Self
1969
George Jessel's Here Come the Stars (TV Series) as
Self
- Laurence Harvey (1969) - Self
1965
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- Bob Hope, Richard Chamberlain, Hedda Hopper, Carol Lawrence, Barbara Parkins, Harve Presnell (1965) - Self - Guest
1961
The Bell Telephone Hour (TV Series) as
Self - Singer / Self
- The Masques of Music (1965) - Self - Singer
- The Younger Generation: Part I (1961) - Self
1965
The Danny Kaye Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.21 (1965) - Self
1964
The Story of a Dress (Documentary short) as
Self
1964
Blackpool Night Out (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.7 (1964) - Self
1964
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) as
Self - Singer
- Episode #17.37 (1964) - Self - Singer
1964
The 36th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Performer
Archive Footage
-
Sammy LaBella: The Real Skip E. Lowe (filming) as
Self
2022
Weekend Express (TV Series) as
General George C. Marshall
- Episode dated 24 July 2022 (2022) - General George C. Marshall
2010
16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV Special) as
Self - In Memoriam
2003
Minnesota Nice (Video short documentary) as
Self
1985
That's Dancing! (Documentary) as
Archival footage from 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown'

References

Harve Presnell Wikipedia