© Copyright Harutyunyan 2024

sunfilm-logo
Home/Mel Welles
Mel Welles‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1924-02-17

Popularity

star2.2

Mel Welles

New York City, New York, USA

Mel Welles

New York City, New York, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1924-02-17

Popularity

star2.2

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mel Welles (February 17, 1924 - August 18, 2005) was an American film actor. His best-remembered role may be that of hapless flower shop owner Gravis Mushnik in the 1960 low-budget Roger Corman dark comedy, The Little Shop of Horrors (which featured Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient). Not much is known of Welles' early life, except that he was born Ira Meltcher in New York City. He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School, in 1940. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University, a Master of Arts degree from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University. Welles held a number of jobs during his lifetime; at one time or another he worked as a clinical psychologist, radio DJ, television actor, writer and film director. He did some stage work before traveling to Hollywood, where in 1953 he appeared in his first film, Appointment in Honduras. His favorite role (The Little Shop of Horrors) was also his last in the U.S. for many years. In the early 1960s, he left the United States to act, produce and direct primarily in European film productions including the cult horror films Maneater of Hydra (1967) and Lady Frankenstein (1971). His fluency in five languages proved to be most helpful. He also served as a film consultant. Later he returned to the U.S., appearing in a number of films, doing voice work, and teaching voice acting. Probably his most widely seen work in the late 1970's was his English adaptation of the Japanese television show, "Spectreman" which was seen on UHF and cable across the United States. While he shares writing credit with two other people, it's clear that most of the English voice work, and the offbeat humor, is his. In 1998, Welles took to the stage in a community theater production of Little Shop of Horrors (musical) as Mushnik, the role he created in the original Roger Corman film. Welles had never performed in the musical and was happy to be asked to do the role, which he described as a "mitzvah" for Scotts Valley Performing Arts. Jonathan Haze, who played Seymour in the original film, attended the opening, and Welles also received a visit from Martin P. Robinson, the designer of the Audrey II plant puppets used in the off-Broadway production (Robinson is also famous for his puppetry on Sesame Street). Welles was working on a horror screenplay, tentatively titled House of a Hundred Horrors, at the time of his death. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mel Welles, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movie Credits

Homework

Homework‌
star3.5
calendar 1982

Spy Chasers

Spy Chasers‌
star7.0
calendar 1955

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II‌
star2.4
calendar 1989

The Little Shop of Horrors

The Little Shop of Horrors‌
star6.3
calendar 1960

Code of Silence

Code of Silence‌
star5.0
calendar 1960

Attack of the Crab Monsters

Attack of the Crab Monsters‌
star5.1
calendar 1957

Chopping Mall

Chopping Mall‌
star5.8
calendar 1986

The Undead

The Undead‌
star4.4
calendar 1957

The Fighting Chance

The Fighting Chance‌
star4.0
calendar 1955

The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov‌
star6.6
calendar 1958

Duel on the Mississippi

Duel on the Mississippi‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein

Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein‌
star6.0
calendar 2018

Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype

Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype‌
star5.0
calendar 1980

The Racers

The Racers‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

The 27th Day

The 27th Day‌
star6.2
calendar 1957

The She Beast

The She Beast‌
star5.0
calendar 1966

Calling Homicide

Calling Homicide‌
star5.6
calendar 1956

The Silver Chalice

The Silver Chalice‌
star4.5
calendar 1954

Outside the Law

Outside the Law‌
star5.8
calendar 1956

Jesse James vs. the Daltons

Jesse James vs. the Daltons‌
star5.2
calendar 1954

Flight to Hong Kong

Flight to Hong Kong‌
star6.6
calendar 1956

Howard

Howard‌
star6.9
calendar 2018

Massacre Canyon

Massacre Canyon‌
star5.0
calendar 1954

Hold Back Tomorrow

Hold Back Tomorrow‌
star6.3
calendar 1955

The Shadow on the Window

The Shadow on the Window‌
star5.7
calendar 1957

The Day the Hot Line Got Hot

The Day the Hot Line Got Hot‌
star5.0
calendar 1968

Medium Rare

Medium Rare‌
star5.0
calendar 1987

Commando Squad

Commando Squad‌
star4.0
calendar 1987

The Red Sheik

The Red Sheik‌
star6.0
calendar 1962

Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here

Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here‌
star2.2
calendar 1988

Wyoming Renegades

Wyoming Renegades‌
star5.8
calendar 1954

Rock All Night

Rock All Night‌
star5.7
calendar 1957

The Keeler Affair

The Keeler Affair‌
star6.0
calendar 1963

The Reluctant Saint

The Reluctant Saint‌
star7.6
calendar 1962

Hell on Devil's Island

Hell on Devil's Island‌
star6.0
calendar 1957

The Truth About Lady Frankenstein

The Truth About Lady Frankenstein‌
star10.0
calendar 2007

The Big Knife

The Big Knife‌
star5.9
calendar 1955

Rented Lips

Rented Lips‌
star4.2
calendar 1987

Wolfen

Wolfen‌
star5.9
calendar 1981

High School Confidential!

High School Confidential!‌
star5.7
calendar 1958

Appointment in Honduras

Appointment in Honduras‌
star5.7
calendar 1953

Soldier of Fortune

Soldier of Fortune‌
star5.9
calendar 1955

Smokey Bites the Dust

Smokey Bites the Dust‌
star2.5
calendar 1981

Joyride to Nowhere

Joyride to Nowhere‌
star4.5
calendar 1977

Cut-Throats Nine

Cut-Throats Nine‌
star6.8
calendar 1972

Pushover

Pushover‌
star6.4
calendar 1954

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy‌
star6.1
calendar 1955

Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man

Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man‌
star4.8
calendar 1962

Body and Soul

Body and Soul‌
star3.9
calendar 1981

Kismet

Kismet‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

Tv Credits

Cheyenne

Cheyenne‌
star5.8
calendar 1955

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents‌
star7.7
calendar 1955

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse‌
star5.3
calendar 1958

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel‌
star7.4
calendar 1957

I Led Three Lives

I Led Three Lives‌
star0.0
calendar 1953

Private Secretary

Private Secretary‌
star5.0
calendar 1953

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers‌
star5.0
calendar 1956

The Walter Winchell File

The Walter Winchell File‌
star5.0
calendar 1957

Jungle Jim

Jungle Jim‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

Maverick

Maverick‌
star6.8
calendar 1957

Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky‌
star7.0
calendar 1959

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger‌
star6.8
calendar 1949

The Ford Television Theatre

The Ford Television Theatre‌
star7.0
calendar 1952

The Texan

The Texan‌
star5.5
calendar 1958