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Alvy Moore

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Alvy Moore
Moore in Screaming Eagles (1956)
Born
Jack Alvin Moore

(1921-12-05)December 5, 1921
DiedMay 4, 1997(1997-05-04) (aged 75)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1952–1995
Spouse
Carolyn Moore
(m. 1950)
Children3

Jack Alvin "Alvy" Moore (December 5, 1921 – May 4, 1997) was an American actor best known for his role as scatterbrained county agricultural agent Hank Kimball on the CBS television series Green Acres. His character would often make a statement, only to immediately negate the statement himself and then negate the corrected statement until his stream of statements was interrupted by a frustrated Oliver Wendell Douglas portrayed by Eddie Albert. One such statement was, "Good morning, Mr. Douglas! Well, it's not a good morning ... but it's not a bad morning either!" Moore appeared in 142 of the 170 total Green Acres episodes.[2]

Early life

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Alvy Moore was born in Vincennes, Indiana,[3] the son of Indiana natives Roy and Elice Moore. When Alvy was young the family moved to Terre Haute, where Roy was a grocery store manager.[4] Alvy was president of the senior class at Wiley High School in 1940–41. He then attended Indiana State Teachers College—now Indiana State University—both before and after service with the United States Marine Corps during World War II, in which he saw combat in the Battle of Iwo Jima.[5][6]

Acting career

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He became an actor and furthered his training at the Pasadena Playhouse, succeeding David Wayne in the role of Ensign Pulver opposite Henry Fonda's Mister Roberts on Broadway, and later toured with the play for 14 months. He made his screen debut playing the quartermaster in Okinawa (1952).[5]

Moore appeared in guest and supporting roles in a number of movies and television shows, including My Little Margie in 1952, as Dillard Crumbly, an efficiency expert fresh out of Efficiency College, and The Mickey Mouse Club, where he hosted "What I Want to Be" segments as the Roving Reporter. He had a small role as a member of Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in the 1953 film The Wild One, and a similar bit part the same year as one of the Linda Rosa townspeople in The War of the Worlds. Moore co-starred with Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds in the 1954 film Susan Slept Here, in which he displayed his natural gift for physical comedy. In 1955, he co-starred with Brian Keith and Kim Novak in 5 Against the House. In the early 1960s he was cast in the recurring role of Howie in 11 episodes of the CBS sitcom Pete and Gladys, with Harry Morgan and Cara Williams.[5]

Moore made a brief appearance as a cab driver in the 1964 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Wednesday Woman." He also appeared in two episodes of another CBS sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show, "The Impractical Joke" posing, for a spoof, as an Internal Revenue Service agent and "The Case Of The Pillow" as a shifty home goods salesman named Mr. Wiley. In 1965 he appeared in an episode of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. ("Old Man Carter"). He found his niche in television, starring as the incompetent county agent Hank Kimball in Green Acres from 1965 to 1971. He was also a guest star on The Andy Griffith Show and later on Little House on the Prairie. He was an actor, producer, and uncredited scriptwriter for A Boy and His Dog. He attended DisCon II, the 1974 World Science Fiction Convention, to help promote the film. In 1978, Moore appeared as stage coach station master Swenson in three episodes of How the West Was Won (S2 E6 "Cattle Drive," S2 E7 "Robbers Roost," and S2 E10 "Gold"). One of Moore's last television appearances was a brief guest shot on the sitcom Frasier.

In the 1980s Moore appeared in many cult horror films, including Scream (1981), Mortuary (1983), They're Playing With Fire (1984), Intruder (1989), and The Horror Show (1989).

Personal life

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Moore met Carolyn Mohr in 1947 while both were actors with the Pasadena Playhouse. They married in 1950 and traveled with the national touring company of Mister Roberts before settling in Los Angeles to start their family.[7][8] The couple had three children: Janet, Alyson, and Barry.[6] Carolyn continued to be involved in acting, doing dinner theater and various church productions.

In his spare time during the 1960s, he umpired Little League baseball in Lake View Terrace and Toluca Lake, California, and played in charity golf tournaments across the country.[6] He was proud of his role of Hank Kimball in Green Acres, and drove a white Chrysler with the license plate "GRNACRS."[6]

Alvy and Carolyn Moore were married 47 years. Alvy died of heart failure on May 4, 1997, at their home in Palm Desert, California.[8] Former Green Acres actor Tom Lester was with him when he died.[9] For over 50 years Carolyn was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, a women's sorority group that raises money for charity. In 2008 she received the "International Award of Distinction," the highest honor the organization bestows on active members. She also was a member and treasurer of the "Motion Picture Mothers" for over 30 years. Carolyn Moore died at age 79 in 2009.[7]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1952 Okinawa Sailor on Bridge Uncredited
1952 Talk About a Stranger Sailor on Motorcycle Uncredited
1952 Skirts Ahoy! French-Speaking Sailor Uncredited
1952 You for Me Friend (scenes deleted)
1952 Fearless Fagan Pvt. Thomson Uncredited
1952 Battle Zone Marine Uncredited
1952 Flat Top Sailor Uncredited
1952 Off Limits Staff Sgt. Wagner Uncredited
1953 Battle Circus Runnker Uncredited
1953 Destination Gobi Aide, Argus HQ Uncredited
1953 The Girls of Pleasure Island Marine Uncredited
1953 The War of the Worlds Zippy Uncredited
1953 The Glory Brigade Pvt. 'Stoney' Stone
1953 Affair with a Stranger Television Announcer (scenes deleted)
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Winston – Olympic Team Uncredited
1953 The Affairs of Dobie Gillis Interrupted Registering Freshman Uncredited
1953 China Venture Carlson
1953 The Wild One Pigeon Uncredited
1954 Riot in Cell Block 11 Gator
1954 Secret of the Incas Young Man at Bar Uncredited
1954 Susan Slept Here Virgil, Mark's Gofer
1954 Return from the Sea Smitty
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business Katy's Date Uncredited
1955 An Annapolis Story Willie 'Seaweed' Warren
1955 5 Against the House Roy
1956 Screaming Eagles Pvt. Grimes
1957 The Persuader Willy Williams
1957 Designing Woman Luke Coslow
1957 The Invisible Boy Scientist #4 (pranks scene) Uncredited
1958 The Perfect Furlough Pvt. Marvin Brewer
1958 The Heart Is a Rebel Bill
1960 New Comedy Showcase Andy Episode "Johnny Come Lately"
1960 The Wackiest Ship in the Army Seaman J. Johnson
1961 Everything's Ducky Jim Lipscott
1961 Twist Around the Clock Dizzy Bellew
1963 The Virginian 2nd Man Episode "Run Away Home"
1963 For Love or Money George
1963 Sunday in New York Airport Ticket Clerk Uncredited
1963 Move Over, Darling Room Service Waiter
1963 The Raiders Corporal
1964 3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt Sutter T. Finley
1964 The Devil's Bedroom
1965 A Very Special Favor Ralph Uncredited
1965 Love and Kisses Officer Jones
1965 One Way Wahine Maxwell
1966 Hazel - A Car Named Chrysanthemum Mr. Haverstraw
1967 The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin Mr. Brown Uncredited
1967 The Gnome-Mobile Gas Station Mechanic Uncredited
1969 The Witchmaker Dr. Ralph Hayes
1971 The Brotherhood of Satan Tobey
1971 The Late Liz Bill Morris
1973 Time to Run Officer Andy Sildania
1974 Herbie Rides Again Angry Taxi Driver
1975 A Boy and His Dog Dr. Moore
1975 The Specialist Bailiff Humbolt
1975 Dr. Minx Sheriff Frank
1978 How the West Was Won Swenson 3 Episodes
1980 Smokey and the Hotwire Gang Sheriff Flower
1981 Scream Allen
1981 Early Warning Paul Marshal
1983 Mortuary Bob Stevens
1984 They're Playing with Fire Jimbo
1985 Here Come the Littles Grandpa Little Voice
1989 Intruder Officer Dalton
1989 The Horror Show Chili Salesman

See also

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Alvy Moore also had an appearance as Dr Grant on The Munsters TV series 1965 episode "Bats Of A Feather."[10]

References

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  1. ^ Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3rd ed.). McFarland. p. 526. ISBN 978-1476625997.
  2. ^ "Green Acres: Full Cast and Crew". IMDb. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  3. ^ ". . . the People of Hooterville," maggiore.net. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  4. ^ "Sixteenth Census of the United States" (1940), Family Search; Terre Haute, Indiana, April 5, 1940; film 005459859, image 483. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c "Overview for Alvy Moore". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d MacArthur, James. "Alvy Moore," Senior World Magazine. James MacArthur website. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Carolyn Rose Moore". Los Angeles Times. July 3, 2009. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Oliver, Myrna (May 7, 1997). "Alvy Moore, 75; Co-starred in 'Green Acres'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  9. ^ "1997 Interview with Eb, of the Green Acres TV Show". YouTube.
  10. ^ Broadcast on the Cozi network 10/9/2022
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