Wally Cassell

Wally Cassell (March 3, 1912 – April 2, 2015), born as Oswaldo Silvestri Trippilini Rolando Vincenza Castellano, was an Italian-born American film-noir character actor and businessman. (A 1951 newspaper article gives Cassell's real name as Osvaldo Tripolini Ronaldo Vincennes Castelleno.)

Early years

The son of Luigi and Luisa Castellano, Castellano was born in Agrigento, Sicily, and moved with his family to the United States when he was 2 years of age. (Another source says that his parents brought him to Brooklyn, New York, "when I was a babe in arms.") As a youngster, Cassell was a dancer, but he abandoned dancing to concentrate on acting.

Film

Cassell began his film career in 1942, (Another source says, "He ... realized a childhood ambition to become an actor with a role in Labor Pains in 1937.") initially appearing in small, uncredited roles. Mickey Rooney, with whom Cassell appeared in the film noir Quicksand (1950), is credited with suggesting the change of name to Wally Cassell. Rooney is also credited with helping Cassell gain a screen test and a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

His films include The Thin Man Goes Home (1945), The Story of G.I. Joe (1945), The Clock (1945), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), Guilty (1947), Loves of Carmen (1948), Saigon (1948), Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), White Heat (1949),Quicksand (1950), City That Never Sleeps (1953), Island in the Sky (1953), Law and Order (1953), Princess of the Nile (1954), Until They Sail (1957), and I, Madman (1989).

Television

Cassell later appeared in two syndicated programs starring Jim Davis: Stories of the Century, in the role of gunman Luke Short, and Rescue 8, as Johnny French in "One More Step". Cassell also guest starred in several television series, including The Loretta Young Show (1955), Gunsmoke (1956), the 1959 premier episode of The Untouchables "The Empty Chair", Rawhide (1960), and The Beverly Hillbillies (1963).

Later years

Cassell retired from acting in 1964 and became a successful businessman.

Personal life

Cassell was married to actress and singer Marcy McGuire (b,1926) from August 30, 1947, until his death. Cassell's daughter, Cindy Cassell, became an actress. At age 13, she had the role of Pony Hutchinson in the Walt Disney Studios film Emil and the Detectives (1964).

Death

Cassell died aged 103 at his home in Palm Desert, California on April 2, 2015.

Filmography