BIOGRAPHY
From Missouri to London and Huck to U.S.A.—and Recognition
Vincent Price had to journey all the way from Missouri,
U.S.A., to London, England, to be discovered.
The actor, who portrays the debonair gentleman-adventurer,
Simoa Templar, in NBC’s “The Saint” on Sundays 7.30 p.m., FDD, just couldn’t
get a break in the States. But years later, in New York, he was hailed as a new
British discovery.
Born in St. Louise and educated in private schools, Price
decided at an early age that acting was for him. After attending Yale, he went
to the University of London. He had been deeply discouraged by New York
producers who seemed to have no regard for his talents. Price figured if a
break not forthcoming in England at least he could study his second love,
history.
But in England he was signed to play role of an American in
a production of “Chicago”. He did well. When New York producer Gilbert Miller
began casting for the Broadway version of “Victoria Regina”, he signed Price, “the
brilliant English discovery” who had played the role in the British version.
Price played opposite Helen Hayes’ Victoria for three years
and most people still believed he was a suave continental. Soon he was signed
to play the laconic Southern artillery man in “The Eve of St.Mark”-and his fans
decided he must be from Alabama or Georgia.
The topper was Price’s joke in “The Baron of Arizona”, in
which be played James Addison Reaves, the self-asked baron of that state who
almost changed the map of the U.S. so Price the “brilliant English discovery”
from St. Louise came home in the role of Reavis-who was himself a native
Missourian.
And now Price portrays the “Saint”, a soave, willy sleuth
who solves profound mysteries each Sunday. The “Saint” is an Englishman’
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