Lorne Greene
Encyclopedia
Lorne Greene was the stage name
of Lyon Himan Green, OC
, a Canadian
actor.
His television roles include Ben Cartwright
on the western Bonanza
, and Commander Adama
in the science fiction
movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica
. He also worked on the Canadian television nature
documentary
series Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
, and in television commercials as a dog food spokesman.
, Ontario
, to Russia
n Jewish immigrants, Daniel and Dora Green. He was called "Chaim" by his mother, and his name is shown as "Hyman" on his school report card
s. In his biography
, the author, his daughter Linda Greene Bennett, stated that it was not known when he began using "Lorne", nor when he added an "e" to Green.
Greene began acting while attending Queen's University
in Kingston
, where he also acquired a knack for broadcasting with the Radio Workshop of the university's Drama Guild on the campus radio station CFRC. He gave up on a career in chemical engineering
and, upon graduation, found a job as a radio
broadcaster
for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC).
on the CBC National News. The CBC gave him the nickname
"The Voice of Canada"; however, his role in delivering distressing war news in sonorous tones following Canada's entry into World War II
in 1939 caused many listeners to call him "The Voice of Doom". During his radio days, Greene invented a stopwatch that ran backwards. Its purpose was to help radio announcers gauge how much time they had available while speaking. He also narrated documentary film
s, such as the National Film Board of Canada
's Fighting Norway
(1943). In 1957 Greene played the role of the prosecutor in the movie Peyton Place
.
Actress and theater producer Katharine Cornell
cast him twice in her Broadway productions. In 1953, he was cast in The Prescott Proposals. In that same year, she cast him in a verse drama by Christopher Fry
, The Dark is Light Enough (play)
.
Greene began appearing on isolated episodes on live television in the 1950s. In 1953, he was seen in the title role of a one-hour adaptation of Shakespeare
's Othello
, and in 1955, he was rather incongruously cast as Ludwig van Beethoven
in an episode of the televised version of You Are There.
The first of his continuing roles in a TV series was as the family patriarch
Ben Cartwright on the western series
Bonanza
(1959–1973), making Greene a household name. He garnered the role after his performance as O'Brien in the CBS production of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
In 1973, after the cancellation of Bonanza following a 14-year run, Greene joined Ben Murphy
in the ABC
crime drama, Griff
, about a Los Angeles
, California
, police officer, Wade "Griff" Griffin, who retires to become a private detective. When Griff failed to gain sufficient ratings and was cancelled after thirteen episodes, Greene thereafter hosted the syndicated
nature
documentary
series Last of the Wild from 1974 to 1975. In the 1977 miniseries
Roots
, he played the first master of Kunta Kinte, John Reynolds. Greene was the spokesman for Alpo
Beef Chunks dog food commercials throughout the 1970s. In 2007, TV Guide listed Ben Cartwright as the nation's second most popular TV Father (behind Cliff Huxtable).
Greene was also known for his role as Commander Adama
, another patriarchal figure, in the science fiction
feature film
and television series Battlestar Galactica
(1978–1979) and Galactica 1980
(1980). Greene's typecasting
as a wise father character continued with the 1981 series, Code Red
as a Fire Department
Fire Chief
whose command includes his children as subordinates. Greene also made an appearance with Michael Landon
on an episode of Highway to Heaven
.
In the 1960s, Greene capitalized on his image as "Pa" Benjamin Cartwright by recording several albums of country-western/folk songs, which Greene performed in a mixture of spoken word and singing. In 1964, Greene had a #1 single
on the music charts with his spoken-word ballad
, "Ringo
" (which referred to the real-life Old West outlaw Johnny Ringo
), and got a lot of play time from, "Saga of the Ponderosa", which detailed the Cartwright founding of the famous ranch. In the 1980s Greene devoted his energies to wildlife and environmental issues. He was the host and narrator
of the nature
series, Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
, a show which promoted environmental awareness. He also appeared in the HBO mockumentary
The Canadian Conspiracy
, about the supposed subversion of the United States
by Canadian-born media personalities. For nearly a decade, Greene co-hosted the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
on NBC
. He is also fondly remembered as the founder of Toronto
's Academy of Radio Arts (originally called the Lorne Greene School of Broadcasting).
His second wife was Nancy Deale (1961–1987, Greene's death), with whom he had one child, Gillian Dania Greene, born January 6, 1968 in Los Angeles, California. In 1993, Gillian married actor/director/producer Sam Raimi
; they have five children.
in Santa Monica, California
. He was interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
in Culver City
. Weeks before his death, he had been signed to appear in a revival of Bonanza
, whose storyline included characters played by his own daughter Gillian, along with Michael Landon Jr.
on October 28, 1969, "For services to the Performing Arts and to the community." He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by his alma mater, Queen's University, in 1971. Greene was the 1987 recipient of the Earle Grey Award
for Lifetime Achievement at the Canadian Gemini Awards. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 1559 N. Vine Street.
In May 2006, Greene became one of the first four entertainers to ever be honoured by Canada Post
by being featured on a postage stamp
.
In February 1985, Greene was the Krewe of Bacchus
King of Mardi Gras.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
of Lyon Himan Green, OC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actor.
His television roles include Ben Cartwright
Ben Cartwright
Ben Cartwright may refer to:* Ben Cartwright , British actor* Ben Cartwright , a cattle rancher in the television show Bonanza...
on the western Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, and Commander Adama
Commander Adama
Commander Adama is a fictional character in the 1978 movie and subsequent ABC television series Battlestar Galactica and its continuation series, Galactica 1980. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the...
in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
. He also worked on the Canadian television nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
Lorne Greene's New Wilderness was a Canadian television nature documentary series starting in 1982 starring Lorne Greene. The series initially aired on CTV but was later widely syndicated...
, and in television commercials as a dog food spokesman.
Early life
Greene was born in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Jewish immigrants, Daniel and Dora Green. He was called "Chaim" by his mother, and his name is shown as "Hyman" on his school report card
Report card
A report card communicates a student's performance. In most places, the report card is issued by the school to the student or the student's parents twice or four times yearly. A typical report card uses a grading scale to determine the quality of a student's school work...
s. In his biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
, the author, his daughter Linda Greene Bennett, stated that it was not known when he began using "Lorne", nor when he added an "e" to Green.
Greene began acting while attending Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, where he also acquired a knack for broadcasting with the Radio Workshop of the university's Drama Guild on the campus radio station CFRC. He gave up on a career in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
and, upon graduation, found a job as a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcaster
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC).
Career
Greene was assigned as the principal newsreaderNews presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
on the CBC National News. The CBC gave him the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"The Voice of Canada"; however, his role in delivering distressing war news in sonorous tones following Canada's entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939 caused many listeners to call him "The Voice of Doom". During his radio days, Greene invented a stopwatch that ran backwards. Its purpose was to help radio announcers gauge how much time they had available while speaking. He also narrated documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s, such as the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
's Fighting Norway
Fighting Norway
Fighting Norway is a 1943 Canadian documentary film, produced by the National Film Board of Canada and directed by Sydney Newman. Ten minutes in length, the film examines the role of the free forces of occupied Norway during the Second World War...
(1943). In 1957 Greene played the role of the prosecutor in the movie Peyton Place
Peyton Place (film)
Peyton Place is a 1957 American drama film directed by Mark Robson. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes is based on the bestselling 1956 novel of the same name by Grace Metalious.-Plot:...
.
Actress and theater producer Katharine Cornell
Katharine Cornell
Katharine Cornell was an American stage actress, writer, theater owner and producer. She was born to American parents and raised in Buffalo, New York.Cornell is known as the greatest American stage actress of the 20th century...
cast him twice in her Broadway productions. In 1953, he was cast in The Prescott Proposals. In that same year, she cast him in a verse drama by Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry was an English playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, notably The Lady's Not for Burning, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
, The Dark is Light Enough (play)
The Dark is Light Enough (play)
The Dark is Light Enough is a 1954 play by Christopher Fry, which he wrote for Dame Edith Evans and set during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848...
.
Greene began appearing on isolated episodes on live television in the 1950s. In 1953, he was seen in the title role of a one-hour adaptation of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
, and in 1955, he was rather incongruously cast as Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
in an episode of the televised version of You Are There.
The first of his continuing roles in a TV series was as the family patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
Ben Cartwright on the western series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
(1959–1973), making Greene a household name. He garnered the role after his performance as O'Brien in the CBS production of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
In 1973, after the cancellation of Bonanza following a 14-year run, Greene joined Ben Murphy
Ben Murphy
Benjamin E. Murphy is an American actor. He is known for his role in the ABC television series Alias Smith and Jones, co-starring as Kid Curry, first with Pete Duel and later with Roger Davis.-Early life:...
in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
crime drama, Griff
Griff (TV series)
Griff is a 13-episode ABC crime drama starring Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy, which aired from September 29, 1973, to January 4, 1974. Nine months after the expiration of his nearly 14-year role as Ponderosa Ranch patriarch Ben Cartwright on NBC's Bonanza western series, the Canadian native Greene...
, about a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, police officer, Wade "Griff" Griffin, who retires to become a private detective. When Griff failed to gain sufficient ratings and was cancelled after thirteen episodes, Greene thereafter hosted the syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series Last of the Wild from 1974 to 1975. In the 1977 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Roots
Roots (TV miniseries)
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
, he played the first master of Kunta Kinte, John Reynolds. Greene was the spokesman for Alpo
Alpo (pet food)
Alpo is an American brand of dog food marketed and manufactured by the Nestlé Purina Petcare subsidiary of Nestlé. The brand is offered as a canned or packaged soft food, as well as in dry kibbles.-History:...
Beef Chunks dog food commercials throughout the 1970s. In 2007, TV Guide listed Ben Cartwright as the nation's second most popular TV Father (behind Cliff Huxtable).
Greene was also known for his role as Commander Adama
Commander Adama
Commander Adama is a fictional character in the 1978 movie and subsequent ABC television series Battlestar Galactica and its continuation series, Galactica 1980. Adama is the commander of the great military vessel Battlestar Galactica, commander of the refugee fleet and military commander of the...
, another patriarchal figure, in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
and television series Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
(1978–1979) and Galactica 1980
Galactica 1980
Galactica 1980 is a science fiction television series, and a spin-off from the 1978–1979 series Battlestar Galactica. It was first broadcast on the ABC network in the United States from January 27 to May 4, 1980.-Development:...
(1980). Greene's typecasting
Typecasting (acting)
In TV, film, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character; one or more particular roles; or, characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ethnic groups...
as a wise father character continued with the 1981 series, Code Red
Code Red (TV series)
Code Red is an American television series that ran from 1981 to 1982 on ABC and was produced by Irwin Allen. This was Allen's sixth and final television series....
as a Fire Department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
Fire Chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
whose command includes his children as subordinates. Greene also made an appearance with Michael Landon
Michael Landon
Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is widely known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza , Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie , and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven...
on an episode of Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
.
In the 1960s, Greene capitalized on his image as "Pa" Benjamin Cartwright by recording several albums of country-western/folk songs, which Greene performed in a mixture of spoken word and singing. In 1964, Greene had a #1 single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on the music charts with his spoken-word ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, "Ringo
Ringo (song)
"Ringo" was a hit single for the Canadian-born actor, Lorne Greene, in 1964.The song's actual sung lyrics are limited to the title word alone, performed by an unidentified male chorus. Throughout the rest of the performance, Greene talks about the legendary gunfighter...
" (which referred to the real-life Old West outlaw Johnny Ringo
Johnny Ringo
John Peters "Johnny" Ringo was an outlaw Cowboy of the American Old West who was affiliated with Ike Clanton and Frank Stilwell in Cochise County, Arizona Territory during 1881-1882.-Early life:...
), and got a lot of play time from, "Saga of the Ponderosa", which detailed the Cartwright founding of the famous ranch. In the 1980s Greene devoted his energies to wildlife and environmental issues. He was the host and narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
of the nature
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
series, Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
Lorne Greene's New Wilderness
Lorne Greene's New Wilderness was a Canadian television nature documentary series starting in 1982 starring Lorne Greene. The series initially aired on CTV but was later widely syndicated...
, a show which promoted environmental awareness. He also appeared in the HBO mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
The Canadian Conspiracy
The Canadian Conspiracy
The Canadian Conspiracy is a 1985 HBO/CBC mockumentary, co-written and directed by Robert Boyd, about the way the Canadian government is subverting the United States by taking over its entertainment industry...
, about the supposed subversion of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Canadian-born media personalities. For nearly a decade, Greene co-hosted the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. He is also fondly remembered as the founder of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Academy of Radio Arts (originally called the Lorne Greene School of Broadcasting).
Personal life
Greene was married twice, first to Rita Hands of Toronto (1938–1960, divorced). Some reports list the start of their marriage as 1940. They had two children, twins born in 1945, Belinda Susan Bennet (née Greene) and Charles Greene.His second wife was Nancy Deale (1961–1987, Greene's death), with whom he had one child, Gillian Dania Greene, born January 6, 1968 in Los Angeles, California. In 1993, Gillian married actor/director/producer Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
; they have five children.
Death
Greene died in 1987 of complications from prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. He was interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California, USA. Many Jewish people from the entertainment industry are buried here.-Notable interments:*Irving Aaronson, composer...
in Culver City
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
. Weeks before his death, he had been signed to appear in a revival of Bonanza
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Bonanza: The Next Generation is a 1988 TV-movie sequel to the television series Bonanza which presents none of the original characters . Lorne Greene had signed-on to reprise patriarch Ben, but died shortly before production began...
, whose storyline included characters played by his own daughter Gillian, along with Michael Landon Jr.
Tributes
He was made an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
on October 28, 1969, "For services to the Performing Arts and to the community." He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by his alma mater, Queen's University, in 1971. Greene was the 1987 recipient of the Earle Grey Award
Earle Grey Award
The Earle Grey Award is the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Canadian Gemini Awards. The Earle Grey Award is presented annually to an actor or actress in recognition of their body of work in television...
for Lifetime Achievement at the Canadian Gemini Awards. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 1559 N. Vine Street.
In May 2006, Greene became one of the first four entertainers to ever be honoured by Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
by being featured on a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
.
In February 1985, Greene was the Krewe of Bacchus
Krewe of Bacchus
The Krewe of Bacchus is an organization that parades during the New Orleans Mardi Gras, on the Sunday evening before Mardi Gras. Bacchus was founded in 1968 by Owen Brennan, Jr. as one of the first modern "superkrewes," defined by their size, spectacular floats, and celebrity riders...
King of Mardi Gras.
Filmography
- Churchill's IslandChurchill's IslandChurchill's Island is a 1941 propaganda film chronicling the defence of Great Britain during World War II...
(1941) as narrator - Warclouds in the Pacific (1941) as narrator
- Inside Fighting ChinaInside Fighting ChinaInside Fighting China is a 1941 Canadian short documentary film directed by Stuart Legg, and narrated by Lorne Greene. The film documents China's resistance to Japan's invasion during World War II...
(1941) as narrator - Studio One's "1984" (1948) as O'Brien
- OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
(1953) (television) as Othello - The Philip Morris Playhouse (one episode, 1953) — Joe
- Omnibus (one episode, 1953) — Ed Bailey
- DangerDanger (TV series)Danger is an anthology series which brought half hour-long dramas to television from 1950 to 1955.-Television:It first aired on September 19, 1950 on CBS. The first episode, entitled "The Black Door", was directed by Yul Brynner with a story by Henry Norton and a teleplay by Irving Elman. It...
(one episode, 1954) — Stranger - The Silver ChaliceThe Silver ChaliceThe Silver Chalice is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail and includes 1st century biblical and historical figures: Luke, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon Magus and his companion Helena, and the...
(1954) — Saint Peter - JusticeJustice (1954 TV series)Justice is an NBC half-hour drama television series about attorneys of the Legal Aid Society of New York, which aired from April 8, 1954 to March 25, 1956. In the 1954-1955 season, Justice starred Dane Clark as Richard Adams and Gary Merrill as Jason Tyler. In the 1955-1956 season, William Prince...
(one episode, 1954, "The Desperate One") - You Are There (three episodes, 1954–1955) — Ludwig van Beethoven, Charles Stewart Parnell
- Tight SpotTight SpotTight Spot is an American film noir directed by Phil Karlson and written by William Bowers, based on the play Dead Pigeon, by Leonard Kantor. It stars Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson, Brian Keith, Lorne Greene, and Eve McVeagh...
(1955) — Benjamin Costain - Climax! (one episode, 1955) — Dr. Charles Saunders
- The Elgin Hour (one episode, 1955) — Vernon Dyall
- Studio 57Studio 57Studio 57 was the name of an American television series that was broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network.The program was a filmed anthology television series sponsored by Heinz 57 and produced by Revue Studios...
(one episode, 1955) — Gentry Morton - Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
(one episode, 1956) — Mr. X - Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (film)Autumn Leaves is a 1956 Columbia Pictures drama film starring Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson in an older woman/younger man tale of mental illness. The screenplay was written by Jean Rouverol and Hugo Butler, though it was credited to Jack Jevne, Rouverol and Butler being blacklisted at the time...
(1956) — Mr. Hanson - The Alcoa HourThe Alcoa HourThe Alcoa Hour is a live anthology television series sponsored by Alcoa and telecast in the United States from 1955 to 1957. The series was seen Sundays on NBC at 9pm.-Overview:...
(one episode, 1956) — Sheriff Gash - Armstrong Circle TheatreArmstrong Circle TheatreArmstrong Circle Theatre is an American anthology drama television series which ran from 1950 to 1957 on NBC, and then until 1963 on CBS. It alternated weekly with The U.S. Steel Hour.-Synopsis:...
(one episode, 1956) — Angelina - The United States Steel HourThe United States Steel HourThe United States Steel Hour is an anthology series which brought hour-long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation....
(one episode, 1956) — Dallas - Sailor of Fortune (26 episodes, 1955–1956) as Capt. Grant 'Mitch' Mitchell
- Producers' Showcase (three episodes, 1955–1957) — Julius Caesar, Gorgas
- Kraft Television TheatreKraft Television TheatreKraft Television Theatre is an American drama/anthology television series that began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. In January 1948, it moved to 9pm on Wednesdays, continuing in that timeslot until 1958. Initially produced by the J...
(one episode, 1957) — Col. Matthews - Playhouse 90Playhouse 90Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California...
(one episode, 1957) — Lowell Williams - Studio One (five episodes, 1953–1957)
- Peyton PlacePeyton Place (film)Peyton Place is a 1957 American drama film directed by Mark Robson. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes is based on the bestselling 1956 novel of the same name by Grace Metalious.-Plot:...
(1957) — Prosecutor - The Hard Man (1957) — Rice Martin
- The Gift of LoveThe Gift of LoveThe Gift of Love is a 1958 film directed by Jean Negulesco. It stars Lauren Bacall and Robert Stack.-Cast:*Lauren Bacall as Julie Beck*Robert Stack as William Bill Beck*Evelyn Rudie as Hitty*Lorne Greene as Grant Allan*Anne Seymour as Miss McMasters...
(1958) — Grant Allan - SuspicionSuspicion (TV series)Suspicion is the title of an American television mystery drama series which aired on the NBC from 1957 through 1959. The executive producer of Suspicion was film director Alfred Hitchcock.-Overview:...
(one episode, 1958) - Shirley Temple's StorybookShirley Temple's StorybookShirley Temple's Storybook is an American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales and other family-oriented stories performed by well-known actors, although one episode, an adaptation of The House of the Seven Gables, was...
(one episode, 1958) — King Bertrand - The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) — Michael O'Reilly
- The BuccaneerThe Buccaneer (1958 film)The Buccaneer is a 1958 War film, made by Paramount Pictures like the 1938 version and shot in Technicolor and VistaVision. It takes place during the War of 1812, and tells a heavily fictionalized version of how the pirate Jean Lafitte helped in the Battle of New Orleans and how he had to choose...
(1958) — Mercier - The TrapThe Trap (1959 film)The Trap is a 1959 color film noir directed by Norman Panama and released through 20th-Century Fox. It stars Richard Widmark, Lee J. Cobb, Tina Louise, Earl Holliman, and Lorne Greene -Plot:...
(1959) — Davis - BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
(431 episodes, 1959–1973) — Ben Cartwright - The Third ManThe Third ManThe Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
(one episode, 1959) - The Gale Storm ShowThe Gale Storm ShowThe Gale Storm Show is an American sitcom starring Gale Storm. The series premiered on September 29, 1956, and ran until 1960 for 143 half-hour black-and-white episodes, initially on CBS and in its last year on ABC...
(one episode, 1959) — Constable Barnaby - Mike HammerMike HammerMichael "Mike" Hammer is a fictional detective created by the American author Mickey Spillane in the 1947 book I, the Jury .-Description:...
(two episodes, 1959) — Carl Kunard, Emmett Gates - BroncoBroncoBronco, or bronc is a term used in the United States, northern Mexico and Canada to refer to an untrained horse or one that habitually bucks. It may refer to a feral horse that has lived in the wild its entire life, but is also used to refer to domestic horses not yet fully trained to saddle, and...
(one episode, 1959) — Capt. Amos Carr - Wagon TrainWagon TrainWagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
(one episode, 1959) as Christopher Webb - CheyenneCheyenneCheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
(two episodes, 1960) — Colonel Bell - Destiny of a Spy (1969) — Peter Vanin
- Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970) — George Washington
- The Harness (1971) — Peter Randall
- The Special London Bridge Special (1972) — Fiddler on the Roof
- Nippon ChinbotsuNihon Chinbotsu (1973 film)is a 1973 film directed by Shiro Moritani. It is based on the novel Japan Sinks by Sakyo Komatsu, published the same year. The film stars Lorne Greene, Keiju Kobayashi, Hiroshi Fujioka and Ayumi Ishida. A remake was released in 2006, Nihon Chinbotsu, loosely based on a second section of this...
(1973) — Ambassador Warren Richards - GriffGriff (TV series)Griff is a 13-episode ABC crime drama starring Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy, which aired from September 29, 1973, to January 4, 1974. Nine months after the expiration of his nearly 14-year role as Ponderosa Ranch patriarch Ben Cartwright on NBC's Bonanza western series, the Canadian native Greene...
(13 episodes, 1973–1974) — Wade Griffin - Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love (1974)
- EarthquakeEarthquake (film)Earthquake is a 1974 American disaster film that achieved huge box-office success, continuing the disaster film genre of the 1970s where recognizable all-star casts attempt to survive life or death situations...
(1974) — Sam Royce - Nevada SmithNevada SmithNevada Smith is a 1966 American Western film starring Steve McQueen and made by Embassy Pictures and Solar Productions, in association with and released by Paramount Pictures. The movie was produced and directed by Henry Hathaway with Joseph E...
(1975) — Jonas Cord - Man on the Outside (1975) — Wade Griffin
- Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers (1976) — George Quartermain
- RootsRoots (TV miniseries)Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
(two episodes, 1977) — John Reynolds - SST: Death FlightSST: Death FlightSST Death Flight is a 1977 made-for-TV movie produced by ABC Circle Films. It featured an all-star television cast and was directed by David Lowell Rich, who went on to direct The Concorde ... Airport '79...
(1977) — Marshall Cole - The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew MysteriesThe Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew MysteriesThe Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries is a television series which aired for three seasons on ABC...
(two episodes, 1977) — Inspector Hans Stavlin - The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald (1977) — Matthew Arnold Watson
- The BastardThe Bastard (film)is a 1963 Japanese youth film directed by Seijun Suzuki for the Nikkatsu Corporation. It is based on the loosely autobiographical novel of the same name by Toko Kon. Ken Yamanouchi stars as Togo Konno, the titular bastard...
(1978) — Bishop Francis - The Little Brown Burro (1978) — Storyteller (voice)
- Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
(21 episodes, 1978–1979) — Commander Adama - The Love BoatThe Love BoatThe Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
(three episodes, 1979–1982) — Buck Hamilton, Buddy Bowers - Klondike FeverKlondike FeverKlondike Fever is a 1980 Canadian adventure film, based on the writings of Jack London.- Plot :* Jack London's journey from San Francisco to the Canadian Klondike gold fields in 1898.- Awards :...
(1980) — Sam Steele - Galactica 1980Galactica 1980Galactica 1980 is a science fiction television series, and a spin-off from the 1978–1979 series Battlestar Galactica. It was first broadcast on the ABC network in the United States from January 27 to May 4, 1980.-Development:...
(ten episodes, 1980) as Commander Adama - Living Legend: The King of Rock and Roll (1980)
- Pink Lady (one episode, 1980)
- Vega$Vega$Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series, was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas...
(two episodes, 1980) — Emil Remick - A Time for MiraclesA Time for MiraclesA Time For Miracles is a 1980 made for TV film chronicling the life story of America's first native born saint, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton. It was produced by ABC Circle Films for the American Broadcasting Company and telecast December 21, 1980 as a Christmas special. The film was created by...
(1980) — Bishop John Carroll - Aloha Paradise (one episode, 1981) — Businessman
- A Gift of Music (1981) — Host
- Code RedCode Red (TV series)Code Red is an American television series that ran from 1981 to 1982 on ABC and was produced by Irwin Allen. This was Allen's sixth and final television series....
(1981) — Captain Joe Rorchek - Ozu no mahôtsukai (1982) — The Wizard (voice)
- Code RedCode Red (TV series)Code Red is an American television series that ran from 1981 to 1982 on ABC and was produced by Irwin Allen. This was Allen's sixth and final television series....
(12 episodes, 1981–1982) — Battalion Chief Joe Rorchek - Police Squad!Police Squad!Police Squad! is a television comedy series first broadcast in 1982, created by Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and starring Leslie Nielsen. A spoof of police procedurals, the series was packed with ZAZ's usual sight gags, wordplay and non sequiturs...
(one episode, 1982) — Stabbed Man - Heidi's SongHeidi's SongHeidi's Song is a 1982 animated musical feature film produced by Hanna-Barbera. The film is based on the novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Among the voice cast of the film are Lorne Greene as Grandfather, Margery Gray as Heidi and Sammy Davis Jr...
(1982) — Grandfather (voice) - Highway to HeavenHighway to HeavenHighway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
(one episode, 1985) — Fred Fusco - Noah's ArkNoah's ArkNoah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
(1986) — Noah (voice) - Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter (1986) — Theo Marshall
- The Alamo: Thirteen Days to GloryThe Alamo: Thirteen Days to GloryThe Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory is a made-for-TV film starring Brian Keith as Davy Crockett, James Arness as James Bowie, Alec Baldwin as Col. Travis, Raul Julia as Santa Anna, and a single scene cameo by Lorne Greene as Sam Houston...
(1987) — Gen. Sam Houston
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Robin Hood of El Dorado | — | MGM |
| 1962 | Bonanza Ponderosa Party Time | — | RCA |
| 1963 | Young at Heart | — | |
| Christmas on the Ponderosa | — | ||
| 1964 | Peter and the Wolf | — | |
| Welcome to the Ponderosa | 35 | ||
| 1965 | The Man The Man (Lorne Greene album) The Man is an album recorded and released by Canadian musician and actor Lorne Greene in 1965.-Original release:#"Pop Goes The Hammer" – 3:09#"End Of Track" – 2:28#"Nine Pound Hammer" – 2:37#"Bring On The Dancing Girls" – 2:16... |
— | |
| American West | — | ||
| Have a Happy Holiday | 54 | ||
| 1966 | Portrait of the West | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
|||
| 1962 | "My Sons My Sons" | — | — | — | — | Robin Hood of El Dorado |
| 1963 | "I'm the Same Ole Me" | — | — | — | — | single only |
| 1964 | "Ringo Ringo (song) "Ringo" was a hit single for the Canadian-born actor, Lorne Greene, in 1964.The song's actual sung lyrics are limited to the title word alone, performed by an unidentified male chorus. Throughout the rest of the performance, Greene talks about the legendary gunfighter... " |
— | 1 | 21 | 1 | Welcome to the Ponderosa |
| 1965 | "The Man" | 3 | 72 | — | — | The Man |
| "Ol' Tin Cup" | — | — | — | — | Welcome to the Ponderosa | |
| 1966 | "Five Card Stud" | — | — | — | — | American West |
| "Daddy's Little Girl" | — | — | — | — | singles only | |
| "Waco" | — | — | 50 | — | ||
| 1969 | "It's All in the Game" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1970 | "Daddy (I'm Proud to Be Your Son)" | — | — | — | — | |
| "First Word" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Spirit of America" | — | — | — | — |