Paul Comi

Paul Comi
Born Paul Domingo Comi
February 11, 1932
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died August 26, 2016 (aged 84)
Pasadena, California, U.S.
Alma mater University of Southern California
Occupation Actor
Years active 1958–1995
Spouse(s) Eva Comi
Children 3

Paul Domingo Comi (February 11, 1932 – August 26, 2016[1]) was an American film and television actor.

Biography

Paul Comi in The Twilight Zone

Comi grew up in North Quincy, Massachusetts. Joined the army after graduation in 1949. He is a three purple heart veteran of Korea (1950-1951)[2] and after his release from the hospital in Japan was assigned to Kyoto, where he booked talent and wrote skits for the NCO and Officer's club. After his discharge in 1952, he went to California where he attended El Camino Jr. College and was elected Student Body President for two terms.

Awarded a scholarship to USC School of Dramatic Arts[3][4] at the University of Southern California, he graduated in 1958 Magna Cum Laude with membership in Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Blue Key honors.[5][6] He was married to wife Eva and had three children. As an apprentice at the La Jolla Playhouse the summer of 1957. 20th Century Fox picked him up and cast him as Pvt Abbott in The Young Lions with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift; he would act for four more decades.[7] Comi died on August 26, 2016 at the age of 84.[8]

Acting career

Comi's acting career spanned four decades, from the mid-1950s through the mid-1990s. He made over three hundred television appearances, twenty movies, and a number of recurring television roles. These included Deputy Johnny Evans in the syndicated western series Two Faces West (1960–61), starring Charles Bateman, the part of Brad Carter, prosecuting attorney in The Virginian while Lee J. Cobb was in the cast. He was cast along with others, including Bruce Dern and Joby Baker, who were all part of Paul Burke's crew in Burke's initial introduction, on 12 O'Clock High.

Paul Comi in Star Trek

Comi's professional acting career began in 1957, when, as an apprentice at the La Jolla Playhouse, he was given a small part in the play Career that starred Don Taylor and Una Merkel.[9] His comedy scene as a drunken GI earned rave reviews in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, leading to his being signed by 20th Century Fox for the role of Pvt. Abbott in The Young Lions with Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin. At Fox, he appeared in several films: In Love and War with Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Wagner; A Private's Affair with Ernie Kovacs; and was lent out to Warner Bros. for the role of "Jenkins" in the Michael Garrison production of The Dark at the Top of the Stairs with Robert Preston and Dorothy McGuire. He also played Lt Tim, Steve McQueen's assistant in The Towering Inferno.

In 1960, Comi appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "People Are Alike All Over", as Warren Marcusson.[10] Between 1961-62, he portrayed airplane pilot Chuck Lambert on the first-run syndicated TV adventure show Ripcord, and was a series regular on the television series Rawhide with Clint Eastwood. Paul also played Catherine Hickland's father, Victor Markham for one and one half seasons on the daytime soap, "CAPITOL'. This was followed by two seasons as George Durnley in General Hospital. He also had two guest appearances on "Voyage to the Bottom Of The Sea" in the episodes "Submarine Sunk Here" and "Deadly Creature Below!"

Comi played navigator Lt. Stiles for the Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" (1966). When the enemy Romulans are revealed to resemble Vulcans, Stiles becomes suspicious of the motives of first officer Spock.[11]

Comi was a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Business interests

He was President of Caffe D'Amore Inc. a coffee company started by wife, Eva, the creator of the world's first flavored instant cappuccino, Caffe D'Amore.[12]

Filmography (Selection)

Awards and decorations

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Paul Comi, character actor – obituary". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  2. ↑ Uzal W. Ent: Fighting on the Brink - Defense of the Pusan Perimeter; S. 337-339, Turner, 1997, ISBN 563112094-1
  3. ↑ Daily Trojan, Vol. 49, No. 44, Stop-Gap To Present Brick and the Rose, S. 1, November 22, 1957, University of Southern California, Online-Version
  4. ↑ Daily Trojan, Vol. 59, No. 61, Stop Gap hosts run of After the Fall, S. 1, January 08, 1968, University of Southern California, Online-Version
  5. ↑ USC School of Dramatic Arts, records 5287, USC Libraries Special Collections, Alumni 1957-2006, Scope and Content, Clippings and promotional materials regarding notable alumni of the School of Dramatic Arts, Paul Comi 1957-1978, Box 1, Folder 13, Box 10, Folder 16, Online Archive of California
  6. ↑ Tkeusc.org: Distinguished Alumni, Beta-Sigma’s Own 9. July 2016
  7. ↑ Internet Movie Database, The Young Lions, imdb.com; accessed July 31, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Paul Comi". The Quincy Sun. September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016.
  9. ↑ Lajollaplayhouse.org: La Jolla Playhouse, Production History (1959-1947), Career, Written by James Le, Performance Dates: August 6-18, 1957, July 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Stewart Stanyard: Dimensions Behind the Twilight Zone - A Backstage Tribute to Television's, Paul Comi, S. 190, ECW Press, 2007, ISBN 1550227440
  11. ↑ Clark, Mark (2012). "Outmaneuvering the Romulans". Star Trek FAQ. Applause Theatre & Cinema. ISBN 9781557839633.
  12. ↑ Cal Orey: The Healing Powers of Chocolate, S. 130, Kensington, 2010; ISBN 0758238207
  13. ↑ Internet Movie Database, Leap of Faith
  14. ↑ Internet Movie Database, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
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