Russell Harold Nype (April , â€" May , ) was an American actor and
singer.Born in Zion, Illinois, Nype majored in speech and English at
Lake Forest College, earning a bachelor's degree. In World War II, he
served in the Army. Early in his New York career, press stories
frequently mentioned his Illinois roots and religiously strict
upbringing: "I come from the severest aspects of the Midwestern Bible
belt. My family hasn't actually written me off because I'm in show
business, but they'd be much happier if I concentrated my performances
on singing hymns in church. My answer is that I couldn't support my
wife and children."After teaching ballroom dance and singing in
nightculbs, Nype made his Broadway debut in Marc Blitzstein's opera
Regina in . The following year he won critical acclaim and both the
Tony and Theatre World Awards for his performance opposite Ethel
Merman in Call Me Madam. One Broadway columnist provided a measure of
how quickly he rose from obscurity in the show: "A week ago, Russell
Nype was such an unknown that Celebrity Service, which keeps files on
performers, didn't even list his name. The day after he opened in Call
Me Madam Celeb Service received phone calls from agents, writers, and
producers asking for background material on him, and his phone number.
He gets featured billing in the show next week." Merman and Nype were
reunited in when, late in the run of the original production of
Hello, Dolly!, Merman joined the show in the title role and Nype was
cast as Cornelius Hackl. Nype later appeared in revivals of Carousel,
Brigadoon, and Morning's at Seven, and opposite Elaine Stritch in the
short-lived musical Goldilocks, for which he won his second Tony. A
Bucks County (PA) Playhouse engagement in was a revival of the play
"Petticoat Fever," with added new songs.Nype caught Hollywood's
attention early and was offered a role in MGM's "Young Man in a
Hurry." MGM released him after eight days of filming, and the movie
eventually debuted with Glenn Ford as Young Man with Ideas in . As
Nype explained, "I realized from the outset that I was too young for
the role. It was originally written for Jimmy Stewart and the
character was supposed to be married years and have three
children--eight, five, and one years old....When the studio bosses saw
the first eight days' rushes, they agreed with me that I was too young
for the part."
singer.Born in Zion, Illinois, Nype majored in speech and English at
Lake Forest College, earning a bachelor's degree. In World War II, he
served in the Army. Early in his New York career, press stories
frequently mentioned his Illinois roots and religiously strict
upbringing: "I come from the severest aspects of the Midwestern Bible
belt. My family hasn't actually written me off because I'm in show
business, but they'd be much happier if I concentrated my performances
on singing hymns in church. My answer is that I couldn't support my
wife and children."After teaching ballroom dance and singing in
nightculbs, Nype made his Broadway debut in Marc Blitzstein's opera
Regina in . The following year he won critical acclaim and both the
Tony and Theatre World Awards for his performance opposite Ethel
Merman in Call Me Madam. One Broadway columnist provided a measure of
how quickly he rose from obscurity in the show: "A week ago, Russell
Nype was such an unknown that Celebrity Service, which keeps files on
performers, didn't even list his name. The day after he opened in Call
Me Madam Celeb Service received phone calls from agents, writers, and
producers asking for background material on him, and his phone number.
He gets featured billing in the show next week." Merman and Nype were
reunited in when, late in the run of the original production of
Hello, Dolly!, Merman joined the show in the title role and Nype was
cast as Cornelius Hackl. Nype later appeared in revivals of Carousel,
Brigadoon, and Morning's at Seven, and opposite Elaine Stritch in the
short-lived musical Goldilocks, for which he won his second Tony. A
Bucks County (PA) Playhouse engagement in was a revival of the play
"Petticoat Fever," with added new songs.Nype caught Hollywood's
attention early and was offered a role in MGM's "Young Man in a
Hurry." MGM released him after eight days of filming, and the movie
eventually debuted with Glenn Ford as Young Man with Ideas in . As
Nype explained, "I realized from the outset that I was too young for
the role. It was originally written for Jimmy Stewart and the
character was supposed to be married years and have three
children--eight, five, and one years old....When the studio bosses saw
the first eight days' rushes, they agreed with me that I was too young
for the part."
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