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Created page with "{{Infobox person | name = Thomas J. "Tom" D'Andrea | image = | caption = | birth_date = May 15, 1909 | birth_place =..."
{{Infobox person
| name = Thomas J. "Tom" D'Andrea
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = May 15, 1909
| birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], USA
| death_date = May 14, 1998
| death_place = Charlotte County, [[Florida]]
| death_cause = Heart trouble<br>
Complications from a fall
| resting_place = At sea
| occupation = Film, radio, stage, television actor
| party =
| spouse = Helen D'Andrea
| years_active = 1934–1974
| religion =[[Roman Catholic]]
| children = Tom M. D'Andrea<br>
Bobby D'Andrea<br>
Michael D'Andrea (deceased)<br>
Four grandchildren
}}
'''Thomas J. D'Andrea''', known as '''Tom D'Andrea''' (May 15, 1909 – May 14, 1998), was a [[United States|American]] [[actor]] of [[radio]], [[film]] and [[television]] best known for his supporting roles on two [[NBC]] Television series. He specialized in [[comedy]].
==Biography==
From 1953 to 1958, he played the [[California]] aircraft company worker Jim Gillis in sixty-seven episodes of the situation comedy, '' The Life of Riley,'' starring William Bendix as factory worker Chester T. Riley who is living the "American dream." D'Andrea obtained the part of Gillis after he was cast as a myopic ballplayer in Bendix's 1950 comedy film, ''Kill the Umpire''. He left ''The Life of Riley'' to co-star with Hal March in the failed 1956 summer series, ''The Soldiers'', but returned when that program ended after a single summer. Gloria Blondell played Gillis' wife, Honeybee in the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/16439/Tom-D-Andrea|title=Tom D'Andria|publisher=''[[New York Times]]''|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref> From 1960 to 1961, he was cast as Biff the [[bartender]] in ''Dante'', starring Howard Duff as Willie Dante, a former [[Gambling|gambler]] supposedly trying to run a legitimate nightclub in [[San Francisco]] but tempted by the lawless element.<ref name=obit/>
D'Andrea first worked in the Chicago Public Library in his native [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. He was then employed at the Sherman Hotel in the Chicago Loop, where many of the lodgers were members of the big bands passing through Chicago. In 1934, he moved to [[Hollywood]] to work as a publicist for [[Gene Autry]], Mae Clark, Jackie Coogan, and [[Betty Grable]]. He debuted in a comedy stage act with his friend, Wilkie Mahoney, for whom he had previously substituted on a radio program. In 1937, D'Andrea began writing radio scripts for comedians [[Jack Benny]] and Eddie Cantor.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/may/28/local/me-54090|title=Thomas J. D'Andrea; Actor, Fixture in Comedy|publisher=''The Los Angeles Times''|date=May 28, 1997|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
During [[World War II]], D'Andrea was drafted] into the [[United States Army]] Air Corps. At Camp Roberts, California, he wrote a radio program for a British performer. Similar work followed while he was affiliated with the military. A [[Warner Brothers]] executive spotted D'Andrea at the former Ciro's nightclub on the [[Sunset Strip]] in West Hollywood and cast him with [[Ronald W. Reagan]] in the 1943 film, ''This Is the Army''. Andrea wrote dialogue for this film too.<ref name=obit/>
.
Altogether, D'Andrea appeared in thirty-five films, including ''Pride of the Marines'', a 1945 picture starring John Garfield and Eleanor Parker; ''Silver River'' with [[Errol Flynn]], and ''Night and Day'', with [[Cary Grant]], a 1946 picture based on the life of [[composer]] [[Cole Porter]]. In 1947, he was cast in his favorite role in ''Dark Passage'' as Sam the Cabbie, a taxi driver assigned to drive the [[Humphrey Bogart]] character, Vincent Parry, an escaped convict to obtain plastic surgery so as to change his identity.<ref name=obit/> D'Andrea's last theater film was in the role of Gabe in the author Polly Adler's ''A House Is Not a Home'' (1964) with [[Shelly Winters]]. His last television film was as the father of the lead Ted Bessell character in ''Bobby Parker and Company'', a comedy. [[Joan Blondell]] was cast as D'Andrea's wife in this production.<ref name=imdb/>
His television guest-starring roles varied from ''The Danny Thomas Show'', ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Green Acres (three appearances) to, finally, ''That Girl'', starring Marlo Thomas, as the character Frankie in the 1971 episode, "Chef's Night Out".<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0195235/?ref_=tt_cl_t5|title=Tom D'Andrea|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
D'Andrea performed with [[Frank Sinatra]] at the Sands Hotel and Casino in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]. He was a [[Roman Catholic]] and a member of the Friar's Club and the [[Screen Actors Guild]].<ref name=obit/>
After his acting career, D'Andrea resided for more than three decades in Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, California. He relocated to Charlotte County, [[Florida]] not long before his death on the day before his 89th birthday. A heart patient, he died in his sleep at his home in South Port Square. A few days earlier, he had sustained a fall in [[restaurant]]. He was survived by his wife, Helen, then a resident of a nursing home in Fort Myers, Florida. He had two sons, Tom M. D'Andrea, a former military officer, and Bobby Andrea, both of Fort Myers. A third son, Michael, predeceased his father. D'Andrea also had a brother named Bobby, who resided in [[Oklahoma City]], [[Oklahoma]], and two sisters, Lois Atherton of Chicago and Maddy Olson of Hendersonville, [[North Carolina]], and four grandchildren. He was buried in a ceremony at sea.<ref name=obit/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Andrea, Tom}}
[[Category:Chicago]]
[[Category:Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Florida]]
[[Category:Radio]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Catholics]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
| name = Thomas J. "Tom" D'Andrea
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = May 15, 1909
| birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], USA
| death_date = May 14, 1998
| death_place = Charlotte County, [[Florida]]
| death_cause = Heart trouble<br>
Complications from a fall
| resting_place = At sea
| occupation = Film, radio, stage, television actor
| party =
| spouse = Helen D'Andrea
| years_active = 1934–1974
| religion =[[Roman Catholic]]
| children = Tom M. D'Andrea<br>
Bobby D'Andrea<br>
Michael D'Andrea (deceased)<br>
Four grandchildren
}}
'''Thomas J. D'Andrea''', known as '''Tom D'Andrea''' (May 15, 1909 – May 14, 1998), was a [[United States|American]] [[actor]] of [[radio]], [[film]] and [[television]] best known for his supporting roles on two [[NBC]] Television series. He specialized in [[comedy]].
==Biography==
From 1953 to 1958, he played the [[California]] aircraft company worker Jim Gillis in sixty-seven episodes of the situation comedy, '' The Life of Riley,'' starring William Bendix as factory worker Chester T. Riley who is living the "American dream." D'Andrea obtained the part of Gillis after he was cast as a myopic ballplayer in Bendix's 1950 comedy film, ''Kill the Umpire''. He left ''The Life of Riley'' to co-star with Hal March in the failed 1956 summer series, ''The Soldiers'', but returned when that program ended after a single summer. Gloria Blondell played Gillis' wife, Honeybee in the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/16439/Tom-D-Andrea|title=Tom D'Andria|publisher=''[[New York Times]]''|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref> From 1960 to 1961, he was cast as Biff the [[bartender]] in ''Dante'', starring Howard Duff as Willie Dante, a former [[Gambling|gambler]] supposedly trying to run a legitimate nightclub in [[San Francisco]] but tempted by the lawless element.<ref name=obit/>
D'Andrea first worked in the Chicago Public Library in his native [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. He was then employed at the Sherman Hotel in the Chicago Loop, where many of the lodgers were members of the big bands passing through Chicago. In 1934, he moved to [[Hollywood]] to work as a publicist for [[Gene Autry]], Mae Clark, Jackie Coogan, and [[Betty Grable]]. He debuted in a comedy stage act with his friend, Wilkie Mahoney, for whom he had previously substituted on a radio program. In 1937, D'Andrea began writing radio scripts for comedians [[Jack Benny]] and Eddie Cantor.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/may/28/local/me-54090|title=Thomas J. D'Andrea; Actor, Fixture in Comedy|publisher=''The Los Angeles Times''|date=May 28, 1997|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
During [[World War II]], D'Andrea was drafted] into the [[United States Army]] Air Corps. At Camp Roberts, California, he wrote a radio program for a British performer. Similar work followed while he was affiliated with the military. A [[Warner Brothers]] executive spotted D'Andrea at the former Ciro's nightclub on the [[Sunset Strip]] in West Hollywood and cast him with [[Ronald W. Reagan]] in the 1943 film, ''This Is the Army''. Andrea wrote dialogue for this film too.<ref name=obit/>
.
Altogether, D'Andrea appeared in thirty-five films, including ''Pride of the Marines'', a 1945 picture starring John Garfield and Eleanor Parker; ''Silver River'' with [[Errol Flynn]], and ''Night and Day'', with [[Cary Grant]], a 1946 picture based on the life of [[composer]] [[Cole Porter]]. In 1947, he was cast in his favorite role in ''Dark Passage'' as Sam the Cabbie, a taxi driver assigned to drive the [[Humphrey Bogart]] character, Vincent Parry, an escaped convict to obtain plastic surgery so as to change his identity.<ref name=obit/> D'Andrea's last theater film was in the role of Gabe in the author Polly Adler's ''A House Is Not a Home'' (1964) with [[Shelly Winters]]. His last television film was as the father of the lead Ted Bessell character in ''Bobby Parker and Company'', a comedy. [[Joan Blondell]] was cast as D'Andrea's wife in this production.<ref name=imdb/>
His television guest-starring roles varied from ''The Danny Thomas Show'', ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Green Acres (three appearances) to, finally, ''That Girl'', starring Marlo Thomas, as the character Frankie in the 1971 episode, "Chef's Night Out".<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0195235/?ref_=tt_cl_t5|title=Tom D'Andrea|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
D'Andrea performed with [[Frank Sinatra]] at the Sands Hotel and Casino in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]. He was a [[Roman Catholic]] and a member of the Friar's Club and the [[Screen Actors Guild]].<ref name=obit/>
After his acting career, D'Andrea resided for more than three decades in Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, California. He relocated to Charlotte County, [[Florida]] not long before his death on the day before his 89th birthday. A heart patient, he died in his sleep at his home in South Port Square. A few days earlier, he had sustained a fall in [[restaurant]]. He was survived by his wife, Helen, then a resident of a nursing home in Fort Myers, Florida. He had two sons, Tom M. D'Andrea, a former military officer, and Bobby Andrea, both of Fort Myers. A third son, Michael, predeceased his father. D'Andrea also had a brother named Bobby, who resided in [[Oklahoma City]], [[Oklahoma]], and two sisters, Lois Atherton of Chicago and Maddy Olson of Hendersonville, [[North Carolina]], and four grandchildren. He was buried in a ceremony at sea.<ref name=obit/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Andrea, Tom}}
[[Category:Chicago]]
[[Category:Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Florida]]
[[Category:Radio]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Catholics]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:United States Army]]