Royal Dano


Royal Edward Dano Sr. was an American actor. In a career spanning 46 years, he was perhaps best known for playing cowboys, villains, and Abraham Lincoln. Dano also provided the voice of the Audio-Animatronic Lincoln for Walt Disney's Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction at the 1964 New York World's Fair, as well as Lincoln's voice at the "Hall of Presidents" attraction at Disney's Magic Kingdom in 1971.

Early life

Dano was born in New York City on November 16, 1922, the eldest of three siblings born to Mary Josephine, an Irish immigrant, and Caleb Edward Dano, a printer for newspapers. In World War II he entertained troops as a sergeant in the 44th Special Service Provisional Company.

Career

Dano appeared as McSnoyd the leprechaun in the stage show Barnaby and Mr. O'Malley, based on the comic strip by Crockett Johnson. McSnoyd appears to the audience only as a blinking light on a large mushroom, so only his voice is heard. However, at the conclusion of the show Dano joined the rest of the cast, wearing a leprechaun costume.
Dano is remembered for his supporting roles in a number of 1950s western and mystery films. The chance for the breakout role of a lifetime escaped him in the theatrical release of The Red Badge of Courage. Dano, cast as The Tattered Man, delivered such a disturbing performance in his death scene, according to director John Huston, that the initial test audience left the theater in droves, i.e., "I've never seen so many people get up and leave the theater ... they liked no part of it." The death scene was lent a human touch by Dano, and in 1951, war-weary Americans rejected it. Red Badge was immediately recut, and the death scene was removed. It is long believed, and as early as Huston commenting in an interview in 1972, the scene has been lost.
He often worked with Anthony Mann and James Stewart. Over the years, Dano made many television appearances, often in bizarre, macabre roles. Dano was also a frequent guest star on Gunsmoke, with a total of thirteen appearances.
Dano was the voice of Abraham Lincoln for Walt Disney's Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction, first presented at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Disney personally selected Dano, because he felt the actor came closest to the historical descriptions of Lincoln's voice. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was moved to Disneyland in 1965, and Dano's vocals continued to be a part of the attraction until 2001. In 1971, his voice was also used for a revised Lincoln speech in the new "Hall of Presidents" attraction at Magic Kingdom in Florida, which ran to 1993.
He was married to Peggy Ranck and together they had two sons, Rick and Royal Jr.. Through his son Rick, he is the grandfather of actor Hutch Dano.
He died of pulmonary fibrosis on May 15, 1994, in Santa Monica, California.
In 2009, Dano's vocals were returned to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland in an updated version of the show.

Selected filmography

  • Undercover Girl as The Moocher
  • Under the Gun as Sam Nugent
  • The Red Badge of Courage as The Tattered Soldier
  • Flame of Araby as Basra
  • Bend of the River as Long Tom
  • Carrie as Captain
  • Johnny Guitar as Corey
  • The Far Country as Luke
  • The Trouble with Harry as Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs
  • Gunsmoke as Henry Mather / Watney / Gideon Hale / Jessup / Jefferson Dooley / Rory Luken / Lambert Haggen / Praylie / Bender / Seth Tandy / Obie Tater
  • Tribute to a Bad Man as Abe
  • Moby Dick as 'Elijah'
  • Santiago as Lobo
  • Tension at Table Rock as Harry Jameson
  • Crime of Passion as Police Captain Charlie Alidos
  • All Mine to Give as Howard Tyler
  • Father Knows Best as Sageman
  • Trooper Hook as Mr. Trude, Stage Driver
  • Man in the Shadow as Aiken Clay
  • The Millionaire as Hap Connolly
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Martin Ross
  • The Restless Gun as Wilbur English
  • Saddle the Wind as Clay Ellison
  • Handle with Care as Al Lees
  • Man of the West as Trout
  • Never Steal Anything Small as Words Cannon
  • These Thousand Hills as Ike Carmichael
  • The Boy and the Bridge as Evangelist
  • Face of Fire as Jake Winter
  • Wanted Dead or Alive as Charlie Wright
  • Hound-Dog Man as Fiddling Tom Waller
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Mr. Atkins
  • Route 66 as Doctor
  • Wagon Train as John Bouchette / Boone Caulder
  • The Rifleman as Reverend Jamison / Able 'Abe' Lincoln / Aaron Wingate / Jonas Epps / Frank Blandon
  • The Rebel as Ben Crowe / Amos Cooper
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as Sheriff Harlan
  • Cimarron as Ike Howes
  • Have Gun – Will Travel as Curley Ashburne
  • Tate Pilot Episode
  • Tales of Wells Fargo as Robert Mapes / Cole Younger
  • Posse from Hell as Uncle Billy
  • King of Kings as Peter
  • Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol as Marley's Ghost
  • Rawhide as Sam Wentworth / Mr. Teisner / Jeb Newton / Monty Fox
  • The Virginian as Uncle Dell Benton / Daniels / Faraway McPhail / Dan Molder
  • Bonanza as Matt Jeffers / Hank Penn / Jason Ganther
  • The Dakotas as Reverend Walter Wyman
  • Savage Sam as Pack Underwood
  • Mr. Novak as Mr. Metcalfe
  • The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters as James Weston
  • 7 Faces of Dr. Lao as Carey
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Mr. Miley
  • The Fugitive as Preacher
  • Death Valley Days as Andrew Bonney / Hannibal McCall / Aaron Winters / Henderson Lewelling
  • Lost in Space as Major Domo
  • Gunpoint as Ode
  • Daniel Boone as John Maddox / Matty Brenner
  • The Big Valley as Ezra / The Vet / Jesse Bleeck / Rufus Morton
  • Welcome to Hard Times as John Bear
  • The Last Challenge as Pretty Horse
  • Day of the Evil Gun as Dr. Eli Prather
  • If He Hollers, Let Him Go! as Carl Blair
  • Death of a Gunfighter as Arch Brandt
  • The Undefeated as Major Sanders, CSA
  • Hawaii Five-O as Hody Linquist
  • Run, Simon, Run as Sheriff Tacksberry
  • Skin Game as John Brown
  • The Culpepper Cattle Co. as Cattle Rustler
  • The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid as Gustavson
  • Moon of the Wolf as Tom Sr.
  • Emergency! as Sam / Hallucinating Man
  • Kung Fu as Henry Skowrin
  • Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies as Jake
  • Messiah of Evil as Joseph Lang
  • Cahill U.S. Marshal as MacDonald, hermit who sells Cahill the mule
  • Electra Glide in Blue as Coroner
  • Planet of the Apes as Farrow
  • Big Bad Mama as Reverend Johnson
  • Adam-12 as Walter Covey
  • The Wild Party as Tex
  • Huckleberry Finn as Mark Twain
  • Capone as Anton J. Cermak
  • The Outlaw Josey Wales as Ten Spot
  • Drum as Zeke Montgomery
  • The Killer Inside Me as Father
  • Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell as Will Hays
  • Bad Georgia Road as Arthur Pennyrich
  • Quincy, M.E. as Dr. Williams / Holsang
  • The One Man Jury as Bartender
  • In Search of Historic Jesus as Prophet #1
  • The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang as Pa Dalton
  • Little House on the Prairie as Mr. Hector Webb / Harold
  • Take This Job and Shove It as Beeber
  • Hammett as Pops
  • Something Wicked This Way Comes as Tom Fury
  • The Right Stuff as Minister
  • Teachers as Ditto Stiles
  • Cocaine Wars as Bailey
  • Amazing Stories as Elmer Quick / Salvation Army Officer
  • Red Headed Stranger as Larn Claver
  • House II: The Second Story as Gramps
  • Date with an Angel as Treating Doctor in Hospital
  • Once Upon a Texas Train as Nitro Jones
  • Killer Klowns from Outer Space as Farmer Gene Green
  • Ghoulies II as Uncle Ned
  • Spaced Invaders — Wrenchmuller
  • Twin Peaks as Judge Clinton Sternwood
  • The Dark Half as Digger Holt