From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mel Welles (February 17, 1924 - August 18, 2005) was an American film actor. His best-remembered role may be that of hapless flower shop owner Gravis Mushnik in the 1960 low-budget Roger Corman dark comedy, The Little Shop of Horrors (which featured Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient).
Not much is known of Welles' early life, except that he was born Ira Meltcher in New York City. He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School, in 1940. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University, a Master of Arts degree from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University.
Welles held a number of jobs during his lifetime; at one time or another he worked as a clinical psychologist, radio DJ, television actor, writer and film director. He did some stage work before traveling to Hollywood, where in 1953 he appeared in his first film, Appointment in Honduras. His favorite role (The Little Shop of Horrors) was also his last in the U.S. for many years.
In the early 1960s, he left the United States to act, produce and direct primarily in European film productions including the cult horror films Maneater of Hydra (1967) and Lady Frankenstein (1971). His fluency in five languages proved to be most helpful. He also served as a film consultant. Later he returned to the U.S., appearing in a number of films, doing voice work, and teaching voice acting.
Probably his most widely seen work in the late 1970's was his English adaptation of the Japanese television show, "Spectreman" which was seen on UHF and cable across the United States. While he shares writing credit with two other people, it's clear that most of the English voice work, and the offbeat humor, is his.
In 1998, Welles took to the stage in a community theater production of Little Shop of Horrors (musical) as Mushnik, the role he created in the original Roger Corman film. Welles had never performed in the musical and was happy to be asked to do the role, which he described as a "mitzvah" for Scotts Valley Performing Arts. Jonathan Haze, who played Seymour in the original film, attended the opening, and Welles also received a visit from Martin P. Robinson, the designer of the Audrey II plant puppets used in the off-Broadway production (Robinson is also famous for his puppetry on Sesame Street).
Welles was working on a horror screenplay, tentatively titled House of a Hundred Horrors, at the time of his death.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Mel Welles, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0003203
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6810902
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Filmography (Movies)
Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein
Character:
Release Date:18/08/2018
Howard
Character:Gravis Mushnick (archive footage)
Release Date:22/04/2018
The Truth About Lady Frankenstein
Character:Self
Release Date:04/08/2007
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Character:Caedmon
Release Date:01/03/1989
Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here
Character:Mr. Davar
Release Date:22/08/1988
Rented Lips
Character:Milo
Release Date:01/07/1988
Commando Squad
Character:Quintano
Release Date:01/06/1987
Medium Rare
Character:Doctor
Release Date:04/03/1987
Chopping Mall
Character:Cook
Release Date:14/11/1986
Spectreman versus Hedron
Character:Various
Release Date:01/01/1984
Homework
Character:Doctor
Release Date:27/08/1982
The Last American Virgin
Character:Druggist
Release Date:26/06/1982
Body and Soul
Character:Joe Gillardi
Release Date:09/10/1981
Smokey Bites the Dust
Character:Abu Habib Bibubu
Release Date:01/10/1981
Wolfen
Character:ESS Voice (voice)
Release Date:24/07/1981
Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype
Character:Dr. Vince Hinkle
Release Date:01/10/1980
Joyride to Nowhere
Character:Tank McCall
Release Date:01/06/1977
The Day the Hot Line Got Hot
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1968
The She Beast
Character:Ladislav Groper
Release Date:02/05/1966
The Keeler Affair
Character:Yevgeni Ivanovich
Release Date:09/11/1963
The Reluctant Saint
Character:
Release Date:02/11/1962
The Red Sheik
Character:Hassan
Release Date:18/08/1962
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Character:Italian Sergeant (uncredited)
Release Date:25/07/1962
Code of Silence
Character:
Release Date:29/05/1960
The Little Shop of Horrors
Character:Gravis Mushnick
Release Date:04/05/1960
High School Confidential!
Character:Charlie O'Flair
Release Date:30/05/1958
The Brothers Karamazov
Character:Trifon Borissovitch
Release Date:20/02/1958
Hell on Devil's Island
Character:Felix Molyneaux
Release Date:04/08/1957
Rock All Night
Character:Sir Bop
Release Date:01/04/1957
The Shadow on the Window
Character:Polikoff (uncredited)
Release Date:06/03/1957
The Undead
Character:Gravedigger Smolkin
Release Date:01/03/1957
Attack of the Crab Monsters
Character:Jules Deveroux
Release Date:10/02/1957
The 27th Day
Character:Russian Marshal
Release Date:07/01/1957
Flight to Hong Kong
Character:Boris
Release Date:08/10/1956
Calling Homicide
Character:Valensi (uncredited)
Release Date:30/09/1956
Outside the Law
Character:Milo
Release Date:01/06/1956
The Fighting Chance
Character:Al Moreno
Release Date:15/12/1955
Hold Back Tomorrow
Character:First Guard
Release Date:01/11/1955
The Big Knife
Character:Mustached Party Guest
Release Date:25/10/1955
Kismet
Character:Beggar (uncredited)
Release Date:08/10/1955
Duel on the Mississippi
Character:Sheriff
Release Date:16/09/1955
Spy Chasers
Character:Nick
Release Date:31/07/1955
Soldier of Fortune
Character:Fernand Rocha
Release Date:24/05/1955
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
Character:Iben
Release Date:16/04/1955
The Racers
Character:Fiori (uncredited)
Release Date:04/02/1955
The Silver Chalice
Character:Marcos (uncredited)
Release Date:20/12/1954
Pushover
Character:Detective (uncredited)
Release Date:14/07/1954
Massacre Canyon
Character:Gonzales
Release Date:01/05/1954
Jesse James vs. the Daltons
Character:
Release Date:02/04/1954
Wyoming Renegades
Character:'Whiskey' Pearson
Release Date:27/03/1954
Appointment in Honduras
Character:Hidalgo (uncredited)
Release Date:16/10/1953
Gun Fury
Character:
Release Date:09/10/1953
Television Appearances
Mr. Lucky
Character:Hoodlum
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Character:
The Texan
Character:Matt Lane
The Walter Winchell File
Character:
Maverick
Character:Carlos
Have Gun, Will Travel
Character:
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
Character:
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character:Police Inspector Kafir
Jungle Jim
Character:
Cheyenne
Character:
Private Secretary
Character:
I Led Three Lives
Character:
The Ford Television Theatre
Character:Fat Man
The Lone Ranger
Character:Sheriff Pender
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