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Paul Douglas Fleischer (April 11, 1907 − September 11, 1959), known professionally as Paul Douglas, was an American actor.
Early years
Douglas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Margaret (Douglas) and William Paul Fleischer. He attended Yale University and participated in dramatics as a student there.[1]
Douglas was host of the 22nd annual Academy Awards in March 1950. Continuing in radio, he was the announcer for The Ed Wynn Show, and the first host of NBC Radio's The Horn & Hardart Children's Hour. In April 1959 Douglas appeared on The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show as Lucy Ricardo's television morning show co-host in the episode "Lucy Wants a Career".
In 1955 he appeared in the play The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, but his union placed him on probation for allegedly saying, "The South stinks. It's a land of sowbelly and segregation," which offended Southern audiences. Douglas claimed that he was misquoted.[3]
Douglas was originally cast in the 1960 episode of The Twilight Zone called "The Mighty Casey", a role written for him by Rod Serling based on his character in Angels in the Outfield. Douglas died the day after production of the episode had been completed. He had been in his last stages of illness during filming, and his severe physical state was apparent on film. (The crew incorrectly assumed that his condition was the result of heavy drinking.) The episode – which was a comedy – was deemed unairable. It was, however, resurrected some months later, and Douglas's scenes were re-shot with Jack Warden.
Douglas was married five times and went through four divorces.[5] He first wife was Susie Wells (dates unknown), while he married his second wife Elizabeth Farnum in 1931. His third marriage to Geraldine "Gerri" Higgins was short, lasting from 1940-41.[6]
In 1942, he married actress Virginia Field, with whom he had a daughter, Margaret.[7] The couple divorced in 1946.[6] Douglas subsequently married Jan Sterling on May 12, 1950, who became his widow.[8] They had a son, Adams, born October 20, 1955.[1]
He died a day after he finished filming scenes for the Twilight Zone episode "The Mighty Casey". As with Angels in the Outfield, he played a manager frustrated by a losing team. Most of his scenes were re-shot with Jack Warden as the manager. Douglas appeared in the episode's final shot, in the distance with his back to the camera.[9]
Complete filmography
P's and Cues (1935, Short) - Narrator
Calling All Tars (1936, Short) - Semaphore Signalman (uncredited)
^Katz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee Books. ISBN0-399-50601-2. pp. 355–356.
