Melville Ruick
Melville Ruick was an American actor.
Early years
Ruick was born in Boise, Idaho, in 1898 to Amanda and Norman Ruick. His father was a U.S. district attorney in Idaho, and Ruick studied law at the University of California.Military service
changed Ruick from a student lawyer to a student pilot. Ruick won his wings in the Air Service, Signal Corps, two weeks before the end of the war. He was the United States' youngest flier in the war at age 17 and became a lieutenant at age 18.During World War II, Ruick returned to uniform as a captain in the USAFF, attached to the Radio Production Unit as a producer-director.
Career
Ruick worked five years as master of ceremonies for the Fanchon and Marco shows.During the Great Depression, Ruick doubled as a bandleader and as an actor in theatrical stock. An offer came from CBS to work as a local radio announcer while Ruick was leading a dance band in Los Angeles. He later won an audition for the spot of announcer on the CBS radio show Lux Radio Theater, staying with the show for six years.
After World War II, Ruick reentered show business, touring with Leo Carrillo in a revival of The Bad Man. While trying his luck on Broadway, Ruick received an offer to direct Paul Whiteman's radio show for the U.S. National Guard.
Ruick starred as Chief John Randolph on the NBC adventure series The Door with No Name and as Dr. Barton Crane on the dramatic series City Hospital on ABC-TV and CBS radio. He also guest-starred in a number of popular 1960s shows, including The Fugitive, The Wild Wild West and The Invaders.