Sam Levene was the actor who originated "craps-shooter extraordinaire"
Nathan Detroit in the seminal American musical "Guys and Dolls" on the
Great White Way in the original 1950 production. Levene was not a good
singer and had trouble staying in key, so his solo number "Sue Me" had
to be written in one octave to compensate for his lack of pipes.
Singing great
Frank Sinatra played the
Nathan Detroit role in the movie version of the musical
Guys and Dolls (1955)) after
producer
Samuel Goldwyn cast non-singer
Marlon Brando as Sky Masterston. Many
critics noted that Sinatra -- who would not use the character's New
York, ethnic accent when singing -- would have been perfect as Sky and
rued the lack of "Jewish wry" the Italian-American crooner brought to
the role, openly wishing that Levene had been cast as Nathan Detroit to
Old Blue Eyes' Masterson. That was not meant to be, although 20 years
later he would not be asked to reproduce another of his memorable roles
on Broadway.
Born in Russia on August 28, 1905, Sam Levene made his Broadway debut
in 1927 in the melodrama "Wall Street", two years before "Variety"
noted that the fabled temple of capitalism had "laid an egg".
Fifty-four years later he appeared in his 40th and last Broadway show,
"Horowitz and Mrs. Washington", a flop that lasted but four
performances. Along the way he was nominated for a Tony Award in 1961
as Best Actor in a Play for "The Devil's Advocate." Levene also starred
in the original Broadway production of
Neil Simon "The Sunshine Boys",
playing Al Lewis to
Jack Albertson's
Willie Clark. However, the role in the 1975 movie
(
The Sunshine Boys (1975))
originally was earmarked for
Jack Benny, who
was replaced by his friend
George Burns
after Benny's death. Burns won an Oscar playing the role, another big
one that got away from Levene.
Levene made over 45 movies. He was brought to Hollywood to recreate his
stage role as -- fittingly -- a gambler in
Three Men on a Horse (1936),
following it up with the first of two appearances as San Francisco
police Lt. Abrams in the "Thin Man" series:
After the Thin Man (1936) and
Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).
His last film role was in the 1979 film
And Justice for All (1979).
The highlight of his movie career arguably are his turns in the
hard-boiled film noir classics
The Killers (1946),
Brute Force (1947) and
Crossfire (1947). He also appeared in
one of the ultimate New York movies, the classic
Sweet Smell of Success (1957).
Sam Levene died of a heart attack on December 28, 1980. He was 75 years
old.
And Justice for All(1979)as Arnie
Us Two(1979)
Last Embrace(1979)as Sam Urdell
The Champ(1979)as Uncle Eddie
The Royal Family(1977)as Oscar Wolfe
What's My Line?(1968)as Self
The Dick Cavett Show(1968)as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show(1948)as Self - Audience Bow, Self, Self - Actor - Dramatic Reading
Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon(1966)as Self (1967)
The Rules of Film Noir(2009)as Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky (clip from The Killers (1946))
Broadway: The American Musical(2004)as Nathan Detroit
American Cinema(1995)as Samuels (clip from Crossfire (1947))
Great Performances(1971)as Police Lt. Abrams (clip from After the Thin Man (1936))
Henry Fonda: The Man and His Movies(1982)as Actor in 'The Mad Miss Manton'
