Nathan Davis (actor)

For other people with the same name, see Nathan Davis (disambiguation).
Nathan Davis
Born(1917-05-22)May 22, 1917
Chicago, Illinois, U.S
DiedOctober 15, 2008(2008-10-15) (aged 91)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Years active1970s-2008
Children3, including Richie and Andrew

Nathan Davis (May 22, 1917 – October 15, 2008)[1] was an American film and television actor. He was featured in Holes, Chain Reaction, Flowers in the Attic, Stony Island.

Life and career

Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Romanian-Jewish immigrants, Rose (née Marcus) and Fred Davis.[2][3] He served in Europe during World War II and performed on the local stage and in radio productions after the war. Davis was also a pharmaceutical sales rep by trade but pursued acting after being fired from his sales job in the late '70s.

Davis started acting in the late 1970s. He appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1975 and in films such as Dunston Checks In, Holes, Code of Silence, Chain Reaction, Thief, Poltergeist III, and many others. He was nominated for a 1980 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for his performance in Buried Child at the Northlight Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. He was again nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for The Sunshine Boys at the National Jewish Theater in Chicago, Illinois in 1991. He was nominated for the last time for a 2001 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for 2 1/2 Jews at the Apple Tree Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was married to Metta (née Talmy). They had three children: Chicago musician Richard "Richie" Peter Davis, Hollywood film director Andrew Davis, and Jo Ellen Davis Friedman. Mr. Davis also left behind Seven Grandchildren (Jessica, Danny, Jason, Julian, Gena, Jackie and Emilio) as well as Nine Great Grand Children (Jakob, Noah, Matt, Miles, Zachary, Edie, Devon, George, and Leo).


Davis died from emphysema and complications of pneumonia in Chicago at age 91.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1978 A Steady Rain
Stony Island Lewis
1979 Dummy Policeman
1981 Hudson Taylor
On the Right Track Mario
Thief Grossman
The Children Nobody Wanted Orville TV movie
1983 Risky Business Business Teacher
1984 Windy City Mr. Jones
1985 Code of Silence Felix Scalese Directed by Andrew Davis
1986 One More Saturday Night Desk Clerk
Tough Guys Jimmy Ellis
1987 Burglar Mr. Paggif
Flowers in the Attic Grandfather Foxworth
1988 Poltergeist III Reverend Henry Kane
1989 The Package Soviet Press Secretary Directed by Andrew Davis
1990 Shaking the Tree Grandpa Sullivan
1995 Steal Big Steal Little Harry Lordly, Attorney of Record for Bonnie Martin Directed by Andrew Davis
1996 Dunston Checks In Victor Dubrow
Chain Reaction Morris Grodsky Directed by Andrew Davis
2001 Almost Salinas Zelder Hill
2003 Holes Stanley Yelnats II Directed by Andrew Davis
2006 Let's Go to Prison Old Juror (final film role)

Television

Year Show Title Episode Title Role
1982 Will: G. Gordon Liddy
1984 Too Close for Comfort "The Enemy Above" Mr. Rosenberg
1986 Hill Street Blues "A Case of Klapp" Aaron Levine
1987 Crime Story "Fatal Crossroads" Izzy 'The Dancer' Abrams
"Torello on Trial" Izzy 'The Dancer' Abrams
1987 Wiseguy Don "Joey Bags" Baglia
1987 Murder Ordained Doctor
1988 Sable "Mob" Philip Lazlo
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries "The Visiting Priest Mystery" Malko
1991 Cheers "Carla Loves Clavin" Mr. Quincy
1995 Frasier "The Innkeepers" Otto
1997 ER "The Long Way Around" Mr. Novotny
1999 Becker "Larry Spoke" Milton Fowler

References

  1. ^ Nathan Davis at IMDb
  2. ^ Nathan Davis Biography (1917-)
  3. ^ Trevor Jensen (October 17, 2008). "Obituary of Nathan Davis". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 21, 2009.