{{short description|American actor (1907–1984)}} {{Infobox person | name = Ray Middleton | image = Ray Middleton in I Dream of Jeanie (cropped).jpg | caption = Middleton in 1952 | birth_date = {{birth date|1907|2|8|mf=y}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1984|4|10|1907|2|8|mf=y}} | death_place = Panorama City, California, U.S. | years_active = 1933–1984 | spouse = Caroline Maye }} [[File:Martin Middleton South Pacific.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ray Middleton and Mary Martin in ''South Pacific'' (1950) ]]
'''Raymond Earl Middleton''' (February 8, 1907 – April 10, 1984) was an American singer and stage, TV and movie actor.
==Early years== Middleton was born in Chicago, Illinois,<ref name="ibdb">{{cite web |title=Ray Middleton |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ray-middleton-52979 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |accessdate=January 5, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105231631/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ray-middleton-52979 |archivedate=January 5, 2020}}</ref> and attended the University of Illinois.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=Lawrence |title=New York Skylines |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41687705/ray_middleton/ |accessdate=January 4, 2020 |work=The Pittsburgh Press |date=November 19, 1950 |location=Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh |page=Section 4-1|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Career== Soon after he graduated from college, Middleton sang with the Detroit Civic Opera Company, after which he sang with the St. Louis Opera Company and the Chicago Civic Opera. He declined to join the Metropolitan Opera Company, preferring a career in film.<ref>{{cite news |title=Majestic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41709408/ray_middleton/ |accessdate=January 5, 2020 |work=Shamokin News-Dispatch |date=June 27, 1940 |location=Pennsylvania, Shamokin |page=8|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In 1933, Middleton appeared in the Broadway play ''Roberta''. Later in 1938, he appeared in the musical ''Knickerbocker Holiday''.<ref name="ibdb" /> During the early 1940s, he appeared in the movies ''Gangs of Chicago'', the original ''Hurricane Smith'' (playing the title role), and ''Lady for a Night'', which starred Joan Blondell and John Wayne.<ref name=TVGuide>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ray-middleton/credits/170984/|title=Ray Middleton| website=TVGuide.com|publisher=TV Guide|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref>
At the New York World's Fair, July 3, 1940 was declared "Superman Day" and Superman was featured at the World of Tomorrow exhibit as the "Man of Tomorrow." At the event, Middleton became the first actor to portray Superman in public.<ref>{{citation |title=Ray Middleton was the first actor to portray Superman in public |publisher=Superman Homepage |url=https://www.supermanhomepage.com/other/other.php?topic=dyk-ray-middleton |access-date=2024-03-19}}</ref>
He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, appearing in the Air Forces show ''Winged Victory''.
In 1946, he co-starred with Ethel Merman in the Broadway production of ''Annie Get Your Gun''. In 1948, he starred in ''Love Life'' with Nanette Fabray.<ref name=ibdb/>
In 1950, he co-starred with Mary Martin in ''South Pacific'', succeeding Ezio Pinza.<ref name=":0" /> In 1965, he played the innkeeper in ''Man of La Mancha''.<ref name=ibdb/>
In television, Middleton's appearances included ''The Ed Sullivan Show,'' once as a guest host; the ''Colgate Comedy Hour;'' and ''Chrysler's Shower of Stars'' in the 1950s. He co-starred with Phil Silvers and Lee Remick in a 1967 TV adaptation of ''Damn Yankees!''
During the 1970s, Middleton appeared in the TV movie ''Hec Ramsey'' as a judge, in the musical movie ''1776'',<ref name=TVGuide /> as Colonel Thomas McKean, and in the first TV adaptation of ''Helter Skelter'' as ranch-owner George Spahn.<ref name=TVGuide /> He also voiced the character Pepperino in the cartoon ''Tubby the Tuba.''
Middleton's last appearances were as Cardinal Reardon in an episode of ''M*A*S*H'' <ref name=TVGuide /> entitled "Blood Brothers," featuring Patrick Swayze; and as grandfather Huey Rush in the comedy ''Too Close for Comfort''.<ref name=TVGuide />
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1938|| ''You and Me'' || Salesman || Uncredited |- |1940|| ''Gangs of Chicago'' || Bill Whitaker || |- | rowspan="3" |1941|| ''Lady from Louisiana'' || Blackburn 'Blackie' Williams || |- | ''Hurricane Smith'' || 'Hurricane' Smith || |- | ''Mercy Island'' || Warren Ramsey || |- | rowspan="2" |1942|| ''Lady for a Night'' || Alan Alderson || |- | ''The Girl from Alaska'' || Steve Bently || |- |1952|| ''I Dream of Jeanie'' || Edwin P. Christy || |- |1953|| ''Sweethearts On Parade'' || Cameron "Cam" Ellerby || |- |1954|| ''Jubilee Trail'' || Charles Hale || |- | rowspan="2" |1955|| ''I Cover the Underworld'' || Police Chief Corbett || |- | ''The Road to Denver'' || John Sutton || |- |1972|| ''1776'' || Col. Thomas McKean || |- |1975|| ''Tubby the Tuba'' || The Great Pepperino || Voice |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="3" |1954|| ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' || J.J. Marshall || 2 episodes, uncredited |- | ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' || Carlos, the Miller || adaptation of ''Revenge with Music'' |- | ''The Best of Broadway'' || Nick Bullett || adaptation of Cole Porter's ''Panama Hattie'' |- |1955|| ''Shower of Stars'' || Fred/Ghost of Christmas Present || 2 adaptations of ''A Christmas Carol'' |- | rowspan="2" |1967|| ''Damn Yankees!'' || Joe Boyd || TV movie |- | ''Coronet Blue'' || Chief Loomis || episode "The Rebels" |- | rowspan="2" |1972|| ''Hec Ramsey'' || Judge Leroy Tate || pilot episode |- | ''Ironside'' || Judge || episode "Buddy, Can You Spare a Life?" |- |1975|| ''S.W.A.T.'' || Gregory Kenyon || episode "Strike Force" |- |1976|| ''Helter Skelter'' || George Spahn || TV movie |- |1977|| ''Charlie's Angels'' || Hal Jardine || episode "I Will Be Remembered" |- | rowspan="2" |1981|| ''M*A*S*H'' || Cardinal James Reardon || episode "Blood Brothers" |- | ''Border Pals'' || Old John || TV movie |- |1984|| ''Too Close for Comfort'' || Huey Rush || 4 episodes |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0585553}} * {{IBDB name|52979}} * {{iobdb name|26238}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Middleton, Ray}} Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Chicago Category:1907 births Category:1984 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:20th-century American singers Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II