Paul Douglas

With his husky build and gruff delivery, actor Paul Douglas was an unlikely choice for a leading man in 1950s Hollywood. A one-time professional footballer and radio sports commentator, Douglas began his acting career on the Broadway stage, earning rave reviews for his performance as tycoon Harry Brock in the original 1946 production of Garson Kanin's "Born Yesterday." He quickly made the transition to feature films in 1949, appearing as the pragmatic Porter Hollingsway in director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's witty social comedy "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949). But Douglas found his true niche in baseball films, and drew upon its explosive personalities to essay loud-mouthed yet ultimately good-natured characters such as catcher Monk Lanigan (1949's "It Happens Every Spring") and manager "Guffy" McGovern (1951's "Angels in the Outfield"). While he continued to be a popular draw for moviegoers well into the 1950s, Douglas made his biggest impact on television later in his career, with memorable guest appearances on programs like "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," among others. On September 11, 1959, just days after being cast as Jeff Sheldrake on director Billy Wilder's classic 1960 comedy "The Apartment," Paul Douglas died of a heart attack. Douglas's part ultimately went to actor Fred MacMurray.