Rex Everhart
Encyclopedia
Rex Everhart was an American film and musical theatre actor.
Everhart appeared in such films as 1978's Superman. He was also known for his role in 1980's classic horror film, Friday the 13th, as "Enos", the truck driver.
He provided the voice of Belle's father, Maurice in the 1991 musical animated Disney
classic, Beauty and the Beast
.
Everhart performed in numerous roles on Broadway
including 1776 (musical)
, Chicago
, Woman of the Year
and the revival of Anything Goes
. He was nominated for a 1978 Tony Award
as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for Working
.
In 1969, he was the understudy to Howard Da Silva
in the role of Benjamin Franklin
in the musical 1776
. When Da Silva suffered a heart attack just prior to the show's opening, Everhart took over the role until Da Silva was well enough to return to the show. Because he appeared in the opening night cast, he was contractually eligible to perform the role on the original Broadway cast recording (Da Silva was finally able to record the role when 1776 was filmed in 1972). Ironically, when 1776 was revived on Broadway in 1997, Everhart again served as the understudy for the role of Benjamin Franklin.
He died of lung cancer
in March 2000, three months before his 80th birthday. He was survived by his wife Claire.
Everhart appeared in such films as 1978's Superman. He was also known for his role in 1980's classic horror film, Friday the 13th, as "Enos", the truck driver.
He provided the voice of Belle's father, Maurice in the 1991 musical animated Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
classic, Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
.
Everhart performed in numerous roles on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
including 1776 (musical)
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
, Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
, Woman of the Year
Woman of the Year (musical)
Woman of the Year is a musical with a book by Peter Stone and score by John Kander and Fred Ebb.Based on the Ring Lardner Jr.-Michael Kanin screenplay for the 1942 Katharine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy film of the same name, the musical changes the newspaper reporters of the original to television...
and the revival of Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
. He was nominated for a 1978 Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for Working
Working (musical)
Working is a musical with a book by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers, and James Taylor, and lyrics by Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead....
.
In 1969, he was the understudy to Howard Da Silva
Howard Da Silva
Howard Da Silva was an American actor.-Early life:He was born Howard Silverblatt in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Benjamin and Bertha Silverblatt. His parents were both Yiddish speaking Jews born in Russia. He had a job as a steelworker before beginning his acting career on the stage...
in the role of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
in the musical 1776
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
. When Da Silva suffered a heart attack just prior to the show's opening, Everhart took over the role until Da Silva was well enough to return to the show. Because he appeared in the opening night cast, he was contractually eligible to perform the role on the original Broadway cast recording (Da Silva was finally able to record the role when 1776 was filmed in 1972). Ironically, when 1776 was revived on Broadway in 1997, Everhart again served as the understudy for the role of Benjamin Franklin.
He died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in March 2000, three months before his 80th birthday. He was survived by his wife Claire.