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Mel Welles

Acting 81 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 0.3
Born: February 17, 1924
Died: August 19, 2005

Biography

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (66)

Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein
Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein 2018
Howard
Howard Gravis Mushnick (archive footage) 2018
The Truth About Lady Frankenstein
The Truth About Lady Frankenstein Self 2007
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II Caedmon 1989
Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here
Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here Mr. Davar 1988
Rented Lips
Rented Lips Milo 1988
Commando Squad
Commando Squad Quintano 1987
Medium Rare
Medium Rare Doctor 1987
Chopping Mall
Chopping Mall Cook 1986
Spectreman versus Hedron
Spectreman versus Hedron Various 1984
Homework
Homework Doctor 1982
The Last American Virgin
The Last American Virgin Druggist 1982
Body and Soul
Body and Soul Joe Gillardi 1981
Smokey Bites the Dust
Smokey Bites the Dust Abu Habib Bibubu 1981
Wolfen
Wolfen ESS Voice (voice) 1981
Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype
Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype Dr. Vince Hinkle 1980
Joyride to Nowhere
Joyride to Nowhere Tank McCall 1977
The Day the Hot Line Got Hot
The Day the Hot Line Got Hot 1968
The She Beast
The She Beast Ladislav Groper 1966
The Keeler Affair
The Keeler Affair Yevgeni Ivanovich 1963
The Reluctant Saint
The Reluctant Saint 1962
The Red Sheik
The Red Sheik Hassan 1962
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man Italian Sergeant (uncredited) 1962
Code of Silence
Code of Silence 1960
The Little Shop of Horrors
The Little Shop of Horrors Gravis Mushnick 1960
Mr. Lucky
Mr. Lucky Hoodlum 1959
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse 1958
The Texan
The Texan Matt Lane 1958
High School Confidential!
High School Confidential! Charlie O'Flair 1958
The Brothers Karamazov
The Brothers Karamazov Trifon Borissovitch 1958
The Walter Winchell File
The Walter Winchell File 1957
Maverick
Maverick Carlos 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Have Gun, Will Travel 1957
Hell on Devil's Island
Hell on Devil's Island Felix Molyneaux 1957
Rock All Night
Rock All Night Sir Bop 1957
The Shadow on the Window
The Shadow on the Window Polikoff (uncredited) 1957
The Undead
The Undead Gravedigger Smolkin 1957
Attack of the Crab Monsters
Attack of the Crab Monsters Jules Deveroux 1957
The 27th Day
The 27th Day Russian Marshal 1957
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers 1956
Flight to Hong Kong
Flight to Hong Kong Boris 1956
Calling Homicide
Calling Homicide Valensi (uncredited) 1956
Outside the Law
Outside the Law Milo 1956
The Fighting Chance
The Fighting Chance Al Moreno 1955
Hold Back Tomorrow
Hold Back Tomorrow First Guard 1955
The Big Knife
The Big Knife Mustached Party Guest 1955
Kismet
Kismet Beggar (uncredited) 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Police Inspector Kafir 1955
Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim 1955
Cheyenne
Cheyenne 1955
Duel on the Mississippi
Duel on the Mississippi Sheriff 1955
Spy Chasers
Spy Chasers Nick 1955
Soldier of Fortune
Soldier of Fortune Fernand Rocha 1955
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy Iben 1955
The Racers
The Racers Fiori (uncredited) 1955
The Silver Chalice
The Silver Chalice Marcos (uncredited) 1954
Pushover
Pushover Detective (uncredited) 1954
Massacre Canyon
Massacre Canyon Gonzales 1954
Jesse James vs. the Daltons
Jesse James vs. the Daltons 1954
Wyoming Renegades
Wyoming Renegades 'Whiskey' Pearson 1954
Appointment in Honduras
Appointment in Honduras Hidalgo (uncredited) 1953
Gun Fury
Gun Fury 1953
Private Secretary
Private Secretary 1953
I Led Three Lives
I Led Three Lives 1953
The Ford Television Theatre
The Ford Television Theatre Fat Man 1952
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger Sheriff Pender 1949

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