Mel Welles

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.

Cast

Homework

(Doctor)

Spy Chasers

(Nick)

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II

(Caedmon)

The Little Shop of Horrors

(Gravis Mushnick)

Code of Silence

Attack of the Crab Monsters

(Jules Deveroux)

Chopping Mall

(Cook)

The Undead

(Gravedigger Smolkin)

The Fighting Chance

(Al Moreno)

The Brothers Karamazov

(Trifon Borissovitch)

Duel on the Mississippi

(Sheriff)

Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein

Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype

(Dr. Vince Hinkle)

The Racers

(Fiori (uncredited))

The 27th Day

(Russian Marshal)

The She Beast

(Ladislav Groper)

Calling Homicide

(Valensi (uncredited))

The Silver Chalice

(Marcos (uncredited))

Outside the Law

(Milo)

Jesse James vs. the Daltons

Flight to Hong Kong

(Boris)

Howard

(Gravis Mushnick (archive footage))

Massacre Canyon

(Gonzales)

Hold Back Tomorrow

(First Guard)

The Shadow on the Window

(Polikoff (uncredited))

The Day the Hot Line Got Hot

Medium Rare

(Doctor)

Commando Squad

(Quintano)

The Red Sheik

(Hassan)

Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here

(Mr. Davar)

Wyoming Renegades

('Whiskey' Pearson)

Rock All Night

(Sir Bop)

The Keeler Affair

(Yevgeni Ivanovich)

The Reluctant Saint

Hell on Devil's Island

(Felix Molyneaux)

The Truth About Lady Frankenstein

(Self)

The Big Knife

(Mustached Party Guest)

Rented Lips

(Milo)

Wolfen

(ESS Voice (voice))

High School Confidential!

(Charlie O'Flair)

Appointment in Honduras

(Hidalgo (uncredited))

Soldier of Fortune

(Fernand Rocha)

Smokey Bites the Dust

(Abu Habib Bibubu)

Joyride to Nowhere

(Tank McCall)

Cut-Throats Nine

(Ray (voice) (uncredited))

Pushover

(Detective (uncredited))

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy

(Iben)

Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man

(Italian Sergeant (uncredited))

Body and Soul

(Joe Gillardi)

Kismet

(Beggar (uncredited))

Cheyenne

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

(Police Inspector Kafir)

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Have Gun, Will Travel

I Led Three Lives

Private Secretary

Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers

The Walter Winchell File

Jungle Jim

Maverick

(Carlos)

Mr. Lucky

(Hoodlum)

The Lone Ranger

(Sheriff Pender)

The Ford Television Theatre

(Fat Man)

The Texan

(Matt Lane)