Wally Cassell


Wally Cassell was an Italian-born American character actor and businessman.

Early years

Wally Cassell was born as Oswaldo Silvestri Trippilini Rolando Vincenza Castellano.
The son of Luigi and Luisa Castellano, Castellano was born in Agrigento, Sicily, and moved with his family to the United States when he was two years of age. As a youngster, Cassell was a dancer, but he abandoned dancing to concentrate on acting.

Film

Cassell began his film career in 1942, initially working in small, uncredited roles. Mickey Rooney, with whom Cassell appears in the 1950 film noir Quicksand, is credited with suggesting the change of name to Wally Cassell. Rooney is also credited with helping Cassell gain a screen test and a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
His films include The Thin Man Goes Home, The Story of G.I. Joe, The Clock, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Guilty, Loves of Carmen, Saigon, Sands of Iwo Jima, White Heat,Quicksand, City That Never Sleeps, Island in the Sky, Law and Order, Princess of the Nile, Until They Sail, and I, Madman.

Television

Cassell was later cast in two syndicated programs starring Jim Davis: Stories of the Century, in the role of gunman Luke Short, and Rescue 8, as Johnny French in "One More Step." Cassell also guest-starred in several television series, including The Loretta Young Show, Gunsmoke, the 1959 premier episode of The Untouchables, Rawhide, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Later years

Cassell retired from acting in 1964 and became a successful businessman.

Personal life and death

Cassell was married to actress and singer Marcy McGuire from August 30, 1947, until his death. Cassell's daughter, Cindy Cassell, became an actress. At age 13, she had the role of Pony Hutchinson in the Walt Disney Studios film Emil and the Detectives.
Cassell died at his home in Palm Desert, California in 2015 at age 103.

Filmography