Date of Birth

12 February 1915, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Date of Death

11 September 1987, Santa Monica, California, USA

Canadian-born Lorne Greene began acting while attending Canada's Queen's University, and after graduation got a job in radio broadcasting. His rich, deep, authoritarian voice quickly propelled him to prominence as Canada's top newscaster. He left Canada in the early 1950s for a film career in Hollywood, and soon began appearing regularly in television, films and on radio. His greatest successes came in two television series, the long-running Western "Bonanza" (1959), in which he played the patriarch of a wealthy frontier family, and the sci-fi series "Battlestar Galactica" (1978).

Attended Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa, Ontario.

Had a #1 hit in the US with his 1960s recording of "Ringo," a spoken-word song.

When he was an announcer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the early years of World War II, he was nicknamed "The Voice of Doom" for the combination of his deep voice and the usually gloomy news reports about the war he had to read.

Interred at Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California, USA.

Just before his death, Greene had signed on to reprise the role of Ben Cartwright in a TV-movie revival of "Bonanza."

He was the Monday night host for CBS Radio's "Sears Mystery Theater" (1979). He was still Monday's host when it became "The Mutual Radio Theater" on Mutual Radio (1980).

Founded Toronto's Academy of Radio Arts.

Invited to play Ben Cartwright after a well-received performance as Big Brother in a CBS production of 1984 on "Studio One" (1948).

Served, along with Betty White, as co-host of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC-TV for almost a decade, 1963-72.

Ben Cartwright, Greene's character on "Bonanza" (1959), was ranked #2 by TV Guide in its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

His daughter Gillian Greene (b. 1968), is married to director Sam Raimi. One of the Raimis' sons is named Lorne, after him.

Died the same day as Peter Tosh.

Has two children, Belinda Susan Bennet (née Greene) and Charles Greene (both b. 1945), from his first marriage.

Pictured (as Ben Cartwright, his character on "Bonanza" (1959)) on one of four 51¢ Canadian commemorative postage stamps honoring "Canadians in Hollywood", issued 22 May 2006. Others honored in this set are John Candy, Fay Wray, and Mary Pickford.

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives." Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 355-356. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.

He was awarded the O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) on June 27, 1969 for his services to the performing arts and community.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as father Ben Cartwright on "Bonanza" (1959).

He was scheduled to appear in a flashback scene using archival footage on the new Battlestar Galactica TV series, but the plan fell through.

Once played George Wahington in a short film produced for the National Park Service.

He is the only actor to appear in every episode of both "Battlestar Galactica" (1978) and "Galactica 1980" (1980).

Price:  £80.00