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person_profile-Mel Welles

Mel Welles Died at age: 81

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Mel Welles

Date of Birth:

Feb 17, 1924

Country of birth:

USA

Died:

Aug 19, 2005

Biography of

Mel Welles

    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.

Photos of

Mel Welles

Photos ( 1 Photos

Filmography of

Mel Welles

Found 49 Movies in total

Howard

Gravis Mushnick (archive footage) ( Actor )

... 2018

... 2007

... 1989

... 1988

Rented Lips

Milo ( Actor )

... 1987

Commando Squad

Quintano ( Actor )

... 1987

Medium Rare

Doctor ( Actor )

... 1987

Chopping Mall

Cook ( Actor )

... 1986

Homework

Doctor ( Actor )

... 1982

Body and Soul

Joe Gillardi ( Actor )

... 1981

Smokey Bites the Dust

Abu Habib Bibubu ( Actor )

... 1981

Wolfen

ESS Voice (voice) ( Actor )

... 1981

Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype

Dr. Vince Hinkle ( Actor )

... 1980

Joyride to Nowhere

Tank McCall ( Actor )

Writer

... 1977

Cut-Throats Nine

Ray (voice) (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1972

... 1968

The She Beast

Ladislav Groper ( Actor )

... 1966

The Keeler Affair

Yevgeni Ivanovich ( Actor )

... 1963

... 1962

The Red Sheik

Hassan ( Actor )

... 1962

Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man

Italian Sergeant (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1962

The Little Shop of Horrors

Gravis Mushnick ( Actor )

Second Unit Director

... 1960

... 1960

High School Confidential!

Charlie O'Flair ( Actor )

... 1958

The Brothers Karamazov

Trifon Borissovitch ( Actor )

... 1958

Hell on Devil's Island

Felix Molyneaux ( Actor )

... 1957

Rock All Night

Sir Bop ( Actor )

... 1957

The Shadow on the Window

Polikoff (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1957

The Undead

Gravedigger Smolkin ( Actor )

... 1957

Attack of the Crab Monsters

Jules Deveroux ( Actor )

... 1957

The 27th Day

Russian Marshal ( Actor )

... 1957

Flight to Hong Kong

Boris ( Actor )

... 1956

Calling Homicide

Valensi (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1956

Outside the Law

Milo ( Actor )

... 1956

The Fighting Chance

Al Moreno ( Actor )

... 1955

Hold Back Tomorrow

First Guard ( Actor )

... 1955

The Big Knife

Mustached Party Guest ( Actor )

... 1955

Kismet

Beggar (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1955

Duel on the Mississippi

Sheriff ( Actor )

... 1955

Spy Chasers

Nick ( Actor )

... 1955

... 1955

Soldier of Fortune

Fernand Rocha ( Actor )

... 1955

The Racers

Fiori (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1955

The Silver Chalice

Marcos (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1954

Pushover

Detective (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1954

Massacre Canyon

Gonzales ( Actor )

... 1954

... 1954

Wyoming Renegades

'Whiskey' Pearson ( Actor )

... 1954

Appointment in Honduras

Hidalgo (uncredited) ( Actor )

... 1953