19 Facts About Harve Presnell

George Harvey Presnell was an American actor and singer.

Harve Presnell began his career in the mid-1950s as a classical baritone, singing with orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States.

Harve Presnell's career reoriented away from classical music to musical theatre in 1960 after Meredith Willson cast him in the lead role of his new Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Harve Presnell's portrayal of "Leadville Johnny" was a resounding success and he reprised the role in the 1964 film version of the musical, winning a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal.

Harve Presnell played character roles in films like Fargo, Saving Private Ryan, and Flags of Our Fathers.

Harve Presnell made his professional stage debut performing in an opera at the young age of sixteen.

Harve Presnell attended the University of Southern California, earning a bachelor's degree in vocal performance.

Harve Presnell then pursued further vocal studies in Europe and at the Music Academy of the West.

Harve Presnell appeared with a number of opera companies and orchestras during the 1950s.

Harve Presnell went on to sing several more comprimario roles with the company that year, including the Jailer in the United States premiere of Francis Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites.

In 1956, Harve Presnell co-starred with Herva Nelli in the American premiere of Darius Milhaud's opera David at the Hollywood Bowl.

Harve Presnell stayed with the show for its entire 532 performance run, which ended on February 10,1962.

Harve Presnell reprised the role in the 1964 film The Unsinkable Molly Brown for which he won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.

Harve Presnell starred in two films in 1965: portraying Sol Rogers, a cavalry scout, in The Glory Guys and Danny Churchill, the romantic lead, in the musical film When the Boys Meet the Girls.

Harve Presnell had one more sizable film role in the 1960s, the role of "Rotten Luck Willie" in Paramount's 1969 musical Western film Paint Your Wagon, singing "They Call the Wind Maria".

Harve Presnell did some other film and television work in the 1960s and early 1970s, but for the next couple of decades concentrated primarily on stage work, playing Rhett Butler in the West End production of Scarlett and touring the United States as Daddy Warbucks in Annie and its sequel, Annie Warbucks, among other productions.

In 1966, Harve Presnell played the role of Sir Lancelot in Camelot in the Regional Equity production at The Houston Music Theatre.

In 1984, Harve Presnell appeared as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha in Darien, Connecticut, an appearance well received by The New York Times critic Alvin Klein, who wrote that Harve Presnell was "a winning leading man", and wrote:.

Harve Presnell died on June 30,2009, aged 75, from pancreatic cancer at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.