Editing Wendell Corey (section)

==Biography==

===Early years===
Corey was born in [[Dracut, Massachusetts]],<ref name=s>{{cite news |last=Corby |first=Jane |title=Screenings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2642610/the_brooklyn_daily_eagle/ |newspaper=[[Brooklyn Eagle]] |date=January 22, 1950 |page=27 |access-date=June 18, 2015 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> the son of Milton Rothwell Corey (October 24, 1879 – October 23, 1951) and Julia Etta McKenney (April 11, 1882 – June 16, 1947). His father was a [[Congregational church|Congregationalist]] [[clergy]]man and an actor who appeared in ''[[Rawhide (1951 film)|Rawhide]]'' as Dr Tucker. Wendell was educated in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. His ancestors included U.S. Presidents [[John Adams]] and [[John Quincy Adams]].<ref name=s/>

===Stage ===
After graduating from high school in Springfield, Corey sold washing machines and refrigerators at a Springfield department store, when he stopped by to see a friend who was acting at the Springfield Repertory Theater.

The group needed an actor to play the role of a Swedish janitor in ''[[Street Scene (play)|Street Scene]]''. Corey took the role and stayed with the theater group for a year, working in the department store during the day and acting at night. Following that, he went into acting full-time with a theater group in [[Holyoke, Massachusetts|Holyoke]]. He went on to serve a long apprenticeship in the theater, producing, directing and acting in hundreds of plays in summer stock.<ref name=upi>{{cite news |title=Veteran Stage, TV, Film Actor Wendell Corey Dead at Age 54 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wendell-corey-obituary/122906653/ |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |agency=[[United Press International]] |page=22 |access-date=April 15, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Short Illness Claims Life Of Film Actor |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19681109&id=qaxVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5866,2034194&hl=en |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 9, 1968 |page=8A |access-date=June 12, 2024}}</ref> Corey also was employed by the [[Federal Theatre Project]].<ref name=lawrence>{{cite news |title=Wendell Corey Dies Friday; Liver Ailment |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19681109&id=NRxUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-zkNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7113,977753&hl=en |newspaper=[[Lawrence Journal-World]] |date=November 9, 1968 |page=7 |access-date=June 19, 2015}}</ref>

===Film===
While appearing as the cynical newspaperman in [[Elmer Rice]]'s comedy ''[[Dream Girl (play)|Dream Girl]]'' (1945), he was seen by [[Film producer|producer]] [[Hal B. Wallis|Hal Wallis]], who persuaded him to sign a contract with [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] and pursue a [[Film|motion picture]] career in [[Hollywood, California|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news |date=November 11, 1950 |title=Film Scout Found Wendell Corey |page=5 |work=Times Pictorial |location=Dublin}}</ref> Corey's feature film debut came as a gangster in Wallis's ''[[Desert Fury]]'' (1947) starring [[Burt Lancaster]], [[John Hodiak]], [[Lizabeth Scott]], and [[Mary Astor]]. In 1947 he appeared in ''[[The Voice of the Turtle (play)|The Voice of the Turtle]]'' on stage with [[Margaret Sullavan]] in England.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |title=Astaire Will Prepare New Dance Routines |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/381175257/?match=1&terms=%22astaire%20will%20prepare%20new%20dance%22|url-access=subscription |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 5, 1948 |page=22}}</ref>

Wallis promoted him to co-star status in ''[[The File on Thelma Jordon]]'' (1950) in which he appeared opposite [[Barbara Stanwyck]]. Corey had a good part in Columbia's ''[[No Sad Songs for Me]]'' (1950) playing Margaret Sullavan's husband.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |title=Wendell Corey Male Star in 'No Sad Songs'; Erickson Gets Ace Role |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=October 7, 1949 |page=A7}}</ref> He co-starred with [[Lana Turner]] in ''[[A Life of Her Own]]'' but pulled out after only a few days, claiming he was miscast. He was replaced by [[Ray Milland]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Brady |first=Thomas F. |title=Ray Milland Gets Metro Movit Lead: Replaces Wendell Corey, Who Withdraws From 'Life of Her Own' During Filming Columbia Releases Ireland Of Local Origin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1950/02/18/archives/ray-milland-gets-metro-movie-lead-replaces-wendell-corey-who.html?searchResultPosition=2 |url-access=subscription |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 18, 1950 |page=9}}</ref> Corey had one of his most memorable roles when he played Lt. Thomas Doyle in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Rear Window]]'' (1954) starring [[James Stewart]] and [[Grace Kelly]]. He toured the US on stage in ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (play)|The Caine Mutiny Court Martial]]'' in 1954.<ref>{{cite news |last=Scheuer |first=Philip K. |title=Corey Hits Road With 'Mutiny' |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 18, 1954 |page=D1}}</ref>

===Television===
[[File:Wendell Corey, Patty McCormack, Ray Farrell, and Marsha Hunt from Peck's Bad Girl - 1959.jpg|thumb|Corey and cast of the 1959 [[Mid-season replacement|summer replacement]] TV series ''Peck's Bad Girl'']]
Corey portrayed [[Lou Gehrig]] in "The Lou Gehrig Story" for the television series ''[[Climax!]]'' (1955). He was a series lead in ''[[Harbor Command]]'' (1957–1958), starring alongside [[Casey Walters]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Terrace |first=Vincent |title=Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EDsYAgAAQBAJ |publisher=Scarecrow Press |date=November 7, 2013 |page=84 |isbn=978-0-8108-9250-7 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>