Dick Wessel

Dick Wessel

Wessel in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball, 1946
Born Richard M. Wessel
(1913-04-20)April 20, 1913
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died April 20, 1965(1965-04-20) (aged 52)
Studio City, Los Angeles
California, U.S.
Cause of death Heart attack
Years active 1935-1966

Dick Wessel (April 20, 1913 – April 20, 1965) was an American film actor. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wessel appeared in more than 270 films between 1935 and 1966. He is best remembered for his chilling portrayal of the ruthless strangler Harry "Cueball" Lake in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball.

Modern viewers will remember Wessel for his appearances in the Three Stooges short subjects Punchy Cowpunchers and Fright Night, in which he played Chopper Kane, and its remake, Fling in the Ring.

From 1959 to 1961, Wessel co-starred as Carney Kohler in all forty-two episodes of Darren McGavin's NBC western television series, Riverboat, set along the Mississippi River prior to the American Civil War.

In 1959, he appeared as police captain Bob Rattigan in the episode "Rattigan and the Cat" of the syndicated Border Patrol series, starring Richard Webb. He also appeared in the John Bromfield syndicated crime drama, Sheriff of Cochise. He was cast as Charlie in the episode, "A Kind of a Stopwatch" of CBS's The Twilight Zone. He also guest starred in Jackie Cooper's CBS sitcom/drama Hennesey and on Stanley Holloway's ABC sitcom, Our Man Higgins.

Wessel died of a sudden heart attack at his home in Studio City, California on his 52nd birthday. He had just finished his role as Eddie the garbage man in the Disney film The Ugly Dachshund. Voice artist Paul Frees dubbed in Wessel's voice during post-production.


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