Origins & Early Life

Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which led to the offer of a movie contract from 20th Century Fox in 1935. In the 1950s, he worked on Broadway and in television and was the host of NBC's International Showtime from 1961 to 1965. Returning to film work in his later years, Ameche enjoyed a fruitful revival of his career, beginning with his role as a villain in the comedy hit Trading Places (1983).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cocoon (1985) and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in Things Change (1988). Don Ameche was born as Dominic Felix Amici on May 31, 1908, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His father, Felice Amici, was a bartender from Montemonaco, Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy. His mother, Barbara Etta Hertel, was of Scottish, Irish, and German ancestry. Ameche was the second oldest of eight children: sisters Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary and Anna, and brothers Louis, Umberto (Bert) and James (Jim Ameche), who was also...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Ama Ata Aidoo — Shared historical date (05-31 · Died) (2023): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• Chien-Shiung Wu — Shared historical date (05-31 · Born) (1912): Pioneering experimental physicist known for proving parity non-conservation.
• Afonso I of Portugal — Shared historical date (12-06 · Died) (1185): The first King of Portugal, founder of the independent Portuguese Kingdom.
• Alicia Machado — Shared historical date (12-06 · Born) (1976): Venezuelan-American star known for beauty pageants, acting, and singing.
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