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Quick Facts
![George Dolenz](https://pplstatic.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.comhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Vendetta_%281950%29_1.jpg)
Biography
George Dolenz (born Jure Dolenc; a.k.a. Giorgio Dolenz and George Dolentz; 5 January 1908 – 8 February 1963) was an American film actor born in Trieste (then part of Austria-Hungary, now in Italy), in the city's Slovene community.
Biography
Under the name Giorgio Dolenz, he emigrated to the United States via Cuba, arriving by steamship at the port of Key West, Florida, in October 1934; by 1937, the young actor-to-be was in Hollywood and earning his living as a waiter. After appearing in small parts in minor movies, he graduated to supporting roles. Following the end of World War II, Dolenz became a leading man under contract to RKO Pictures under Howard Hughes. However, the failure of the feature film Vendetta in 1950, resulted in his return to character and supporting parts for other studios, including MGM's The Last Time I Saw Paris as the husband of Donna Reed's character.
Better luck came to him when he was cast as the star of the 1956 ITC Entertainment 39-episode television series, The Count of Monte Cristo as the title character, Edmond Dantes.
On April 21, 1958, Dolenz played Count Peter Von Gilsa in the episode "The Outlander" of the NBC western television series The Restless Gun.
In 1959, he portrayed Colonel Gutterez in "The Town Is a Prisoner" of the NBC western series, Cimarron City.
He was cast as Juan Amontillo in the 1961 episode "The Uncourageous" of the ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams. That same year, he played Ramon Ortega in "Brand of Honesty" on the NBC western, The Deputy, starring Henry Fonda and Allen Case.
Dolenz, who was of Slovene descent, married the actress Janelle Johnson. They had four children: actor and singer Micky Dolenz (George Michael Dolenz) of the 1960s musical group, The Monkees, Gemma "Coco" Dolenz, Gina Dolenz, and Debbie Dolenz.
Dolenz died of a heart attack in 1963 at the age of fifty-five. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Partial filmography
- Unexpected Uncle (1941) - George, Colony Club Headwaiter (uncredited)
- Take a Letter, Darling (1942) - Assistant Headwaiter (uncredited)
- No Time for Love (1943) - Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
- Young Ideas (1943) - Pepe
- Fired Wife (1943) - Oscar Blix
- The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler (1943) - Herman Marbach
- She's for Me (1943) - Phil Norwin
- Moonlight in Vermont (1943) - Lionel Devereau
- Resisting Enemy Interrogation (1944) - Capt. Volbricht (uncredited)
- In Society (1944) - Baron Alexis
- The Climax (1944) - Amato Roselli
- Bowery to Broadway (1944) - George Henshaw
- Enter Arsène Lupin (1944) - Dubose
- Song of the Sarong (1945) - Kalo
- Easy to Look at (1945) - Antonio
- The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945, serial) - Constable 'Frenchy' Moselle
- Girl on the Spot (1946) - Leon Lorenz
- Idea Girl (1946) - Wilfred Potts
- Night in Paradise (1946) - Frigid Ambassador
- Song of Scheherazade (1947) - Pierre, the Headwaiter
- Vendetta (1950) - Lt. Orso Antonio della Rabia
- My Cousin Rachel (1952) - Guido Rainaldi
- Scared Stiff (1953) - Mr. Cortega
- Wings of the Hawk (1953) - Col. Paco Ruiz
- The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954) - Claude Matine
- Sign of the Pagan (1954) - Emperor Theodosius
- The Racers (1955) - Count Salem
- A Bullet for Joey (1955) - Dr. Carl Macklin
- The Purple Mask (1955) - Marcel Cadonal
- The Sad Sack (1957) - Ali Mustapha
- Timbuktu (1959) - Colonel Charles Dufort
- Look in Any Window (1961) - Carlo
- Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962) - Gen. von Kleig