Donald Buka

Donald Buka
Buka in 1943
Born(1920-08-17)August 17, 1920
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 21, 2009(2009-07-21) (aged 88)
Reading, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1943–1987
Spouse(s)Irene Maskell Mitchell (1968-1968) (divorced)
Joy Weber (1972-?) (1 child)
Suzanne Sinaiko (1993-1998) (her death)[1]
Children1

Donald Buka (August 17, 1920 – July 21, 2009) was an American supporting actor in radio, films, and television from 1943 to 1971.

Early years

Buka was born on August 17, 1920,[2] in Cleveland, Ohio.[3] When he was 17 years old, he went to Pittsburgh to study at Carnegie Tech.[4]

Career

While he was at Carnegie Tech, aged 17, Buka read a scene for Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in an otherwise-empty theater. They invited him to join their company immediately, and he accepted. He toured with them for three years.[4]

Buka had worked on a film for Howard Hughes for three days when Hughes offered him a seven-year contract and told the screenwriter to expand Buka's part for the scenes that had not yet been filmed. Buka agreed to the contract with the stipulation that he be allowed to act on stage during the nine months of the traditional theatrical season each year.[4]

After some early experience in the theater, he got his start in mass media by appearing on the CBS radio program Let's Pretend.[5]

He appeared in episodes of Dragnet, Ironside, Perry Mason and The High Chaparral.[citation needed]

Buka's Broadway debut came in Twelfth Night (1940).[2] He concluded his Broadway career in Design for Living (1984).[6]

Death

Buka died on July 21, 2009,[2] in Reading, Massachusetts.[3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1943 Watch on the Rhine Joshua [citation needed]
1948 The Street with No Name Shivvy [citation needed]
1950 Between Midnight and Dawn Ritchie Garris
Vendetta Padrino, the Bandit
1951 New Mexico Private Van Vechton
1953 Stolen Identity Toni Sponer
1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mental Patient at the door Season 5 Episode 27: "The Cuckoo Clock"
1961 Operation Eichmann David
1964 Shock Treatment Psychologist
1970 The Great White Hope Reporter Uncredited
1971 A Memory of Two Mondays Mr. Eagle

References

  1. ^ https://playbill.com/article/donald-buka-veteran-stage-and-film-actor-dies-at-88-com-163015 [bare URL]
  2. ^ a b c Eder, Bruce. "Donald Buka". AllMovie. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Donald Buka, Veteran Stage and Film Actor, Dies at 88 Archived September 28, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c "Donald Buka of Pittsburgh H. Hughes' New Discovery". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 18, 1947. p. 18. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Bertel, Dick; Corcoran; Ed (June 1972). "Donald Buka". The Golden Age of Radio. Season 3. Episode 3. Broadcast Plaza, Inc.. WTIC Hartford, Conn.
  6. ^ "Donald Buka". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
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