Rex Everhart
Publicity Photo of Rex Everhart
Born(1920-06-13)June 13, 1920
DiedMarch 13, 2000(2000-03-13) (aged 79)
Occupation
  • Actor
Years active19391997
Spouses
Jill Reardon
(m. 1944; div. 1957)
    Claire Everhart
    (m. 1962)
    Children1

    Rex Everhart (June 13, 1920 March 13, 2000) was an American film and theatre actor.

    Everhart appeared in such films as Superman, in 1978. He was also known for his role as Enos the Truck-Driver in the horror film, Friday the 13th (1980). He provided the voice of Maurice, Belle's father, in the 1991 musical animated Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.

    Everhart performed in numerous roles on Broadway including 1776, Chicago, Woman of the Year and the revival of Anything Goes. He was nominated for a 1978 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for Working.

    Early life and education

    Everhart was born on June 13, 1920, in Watseka, Illinois to Dr. Arthur McKinley Everhart and Jeanette M. (née Dodson) Everhart. His mother died when Everhart was 15.[1] Everhart attended Western Military Academy[2] in 1935 and graduated in 1938. Everhart studied at the University of Missouri. He received a degree in theater at the Pasadena Playhouse and a bachelor's and master's degrees at New York University. He studied acting in Manhattan with Paul Mann, Martin Ritt and Curt Conway.

    Career

    Everhart started his theatre career in 1939, worked in regional and repertory theaters including the Phoenix Theater, Yale Repertory Theater and seven seasons at The American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut. Everhart also served to 1st lieutenant in the United States Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1947. He appeared in Pasadena Playhouse productions, acted and directed shows for NYU and acted at Sarah Stamms Theatre in Newport, Rhode Island and at the Margo Jones Theatre in Dallas. Having made his 1955 Broadway debut in No Time for Sergeants, Everhart's other Broadway shows included Anything Goes, Rags and Woman of the Year. Reviewing the Shakespeare Theater's production of The Comedy of Errors in The New York Times in 1963, Howard Taubman wrote, "Rex Everhart handles the two Dromios with unfailing comic gusto." And in 1964, reviewing Much Ado About Nothing, Taubman said that as the constable Dogberry, Everhart "somehow pries a grin out of us even when we know every simple-minded joke that is coming." In 1969, he was the understudy to Howard Da Silva in the role of Benjamin Franklin in the musical 1776. Da Silva suffered a heart attack just before the show's opening, and Everhart took over the role until Da Silva was well enough to return. Because of Da Silva's illness, Everhart performed the role on the original Broadway cast recording (Da Silva was finally able to record the role when 1776 was filmed in 1972). When 1776 was revived on Broadway in 1997, Everhart again served as the understudy for the role of Benjamin Franklin. In 1978, Everhart was nominated for a Featured Actor Tony Award for his role in the musical, Working.

    The actor's television career, which started back in days of live broadcasting, included series, plays, films, soap operas and commercials. Appearing in 16 feature films, Everhart gave his last film performance as the voice of Belle's father, Maurice in the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.

    Personal life

    Everhart first married Jill Reardon on February 11, 1944. The two divorced in 1957 and had no children. In 1960, he met Claire Violet (née Richard), who was an actress, when they were in the Broadway musical Tenderloin. They were married on December 21, 1962 and had a daughter named Degan (born 1966). He lived for 37 years in Westport, Connecticut.

    Death

    Everhart died of lung cancer on March 13, 2000, at age 79, three months short of his 80th birthday.

    Filmography and performances

    Stage

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1955–1957No Time for SergeantsA Colonel, Lt. Abel, Sergeant KingAlso was Assistant Stage Manager.
    1959Tall StoryClark
    1959The MoonbirdsMr. Perisson
    1959LysistrataDrunk
    1959–1960Pictures in the HallwayPrincipal
    1960Peer GyntAslak, Herr Von Eberkopf
    1960Henry IV, Part 1Bardolph
    1960Henry IV, Part 2Bardolph
    1960–1961TenderloinJoe
    1963A Rainy Day in NewarkLionel Davis, John T. Kodiak
    1965–1966SkyscraperStanley
    1967–1968How Now, Dow JonesBradbury
    1969–19721776Benjamin FranklinRex Everhart, who was Da Silva's understudy, replaced him on the original Broadway cast album after Da Silva suffered a mild heart attack, which required him to leave the show temporarily. Everhart would also play in the 1997 revival.
    1973–1974The Iceman ComethPat McGloin
    1975–1977ChicagoAmos Hart
    1978WorkingHerb Rosen, Booker PageNominated – Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
    1981–1983Woman of the YearMaury
    1985The Playboy of the Western WorldMichael James Flaherty
    1986Rags"Big Tim" Sullivan
    1987–1989Anything GoesElisha Whitney

    Film

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1965 Who Killed Teddy Bear? Rude Customer
    1973 The Seven-Ups Inspector Gilson
    1978 Matilda ASPCA attendant #1
    1978 Superman Desk Sergeant (Superman's 1st Night)
    1980 Friday the 13th Enos, The Truck Driver
    1987 The Rosary Murders Father Skiarski
    1989 Family Business Ray Garvey
    1991 Beauty and the Beast Maurice Voice

    Television

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1960 Sunday Showcase Officer LeBaron 2 episodes
    1961 'Way Out Fred Tench Episode: "The Croaker"
    1961 Armstrong Circle Theatre Martin De Vries Episode: "Spin a Crooked Record"
    1962–1965 The Defenders Vince Fargo and Al Randall 2 episodes
    1962 Naked City Police Officer Episode: "Today the Man Who Kills Ants Is Coming"
    1962 Car 54, Where Are You? Door Guard Police Officer Episode: "No More Pickpockets"
    1963 The DuPont Show of the Week Charlie Episode: "Windfall"
    1965 For the People Pete Farina Episode: "To Prosecute All Crimes"
    1966 The Trials of O'Brien Coffee Man Episode: "The 10-Foot, 6-Inch Pole"
    1966 ABC Stage 67 Klein Episode: "The Love Song of Barney Kempinski"
    1968 Man in a Suitcase Packard Episode: "The Boston Square"
    1974–1975 Feelin' Good Mac TV series
    1976 Strandad John Rados Television film
    1977 The Blue Hotel Scully Television film
    1979 The Baby with Four Fathers Paddy O'Brien Television film
    1980 Gnomes Voice, Animated television film
    1982 The Elephant Man Snork Television film
    1983 Running Out Frank Television film
    1984 ABC Afterschool Special Captain Splasher Wilking Episode: "Summer Switch"
    1991 Law and Order Fire Inspector Episode: "The Torrents of Greed: Part 2"
    1992 Square One Television Blinky Isenglass Episode: 5.35
    1992 Lincoln Additional Voices Television film
    1993 Ghostwriter Ralph Dugan Episode: Over a Barrel: Part 2
    1997 Backyard Safari Crinkleroot Voice, TV series

    References

    1. "Journal and Courier". Newspapers.com. 7 November 1935.
    2. "Journal and Courier". Newspapers.com. 3 October 1935.
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