Michael Ansara


Actor
Michael Ansara

About

Also Known As
Michael G. Ansara
Birth Place
Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Born
April 15, 1922

Biography

Although best known for his roles playing Native American characters, veteran stage and screen actor Michael Ansara was in fact born in Syria and raised in California. Ansara developed an interest in acting after he entered Los Angeles City College, originally planning to become a doctor. To overcome shyness in class he took an acting course, which led to him working at the Pasadena Play...

Family & Companions

Barbara Eden
Wife
Actor. Married in 1958; divorced in 1973.
Jean Byron
Wife
Actor. Divorced.

Biography

Although best known for his roles playing Native American characters, veteran stage and screen actor Michael Ansara was in fact born in Syria and raised in California. Ansara developed an interest in acting after he entered Los Angeles City College, originally planning to become a doctor. To overcome shyness in class he took an acting course, which led to him working at the Pasadena Playhouse with students such as Charles Bronson and Aaron Spelling. Ansara made his screen debut in 1944 and gained the attention of Hollywood after an appearance in the 1953 big-budget biblical epic "The Robe." A few years later he appeared in the Cecil B. DeMille biblical epic "The Ten Commandments" before he received the most prominent role of his career, playing the lead role of famed Apache leader Cochise in the 1956 western TV series "Broken Arrow." While working on the series, the 20th Century Fox publicity department arranged a date between Ansara and Barbara Eden, after which they eventually married. The couple acted on Eden's show "I Dream of Jeannie" and on the film "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" before Ansara appeared in another religious picture, "The Greatest Story Ever Told," with Charlton Heston. Ansara has appeared on television extensively, including on science-fiction series such as "The Time Tunnel" and "The Outer Limits." Ansara appeared as the character Kang on the original "Star Trek" series and is one of six actors to play the same character on three different "Star Trek" shows.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Johnny Mysto Boy Wizard (1998)
Malfeasor
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998)
Victor Fries
Assassination (1987)
Senator Bunsen
Knights Of The City (1985)
Lethal (1985)
The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984)
Turk
The Guns and the Fury (1981)
Prince Sohrab
The Manitou (1978)
John Singing Rock
Kino, the Padre on Horseback (1977)
Day Of The Animals (1976)
Daniel Santee
Mohammad Messenger of God (1976)
The Barbary Coast (1975)
It's Alive (1974)
The Doll Squad (1974)
The Bears and I (1974)
Call to Danger (1973)
Frank Mulvey
Shootout In A One Dog Town (1973)
Reynolds
Ordeal (1973)
Sheriff Geeson
Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)
<I>Playboy</I> speaker
Dear Dead Delilah (1972)
Morgan [Charles]
Powderkeg (1971)
The Phynx (1970)
Colonel Rostinov
How To Make It (1969)
Maj. Miles Segora
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969)
Colonel Diego
The Pink Jungle (1968)
Raul Ortega
Daring Game (1968)
President Delgado
The Destructors (1968)
Count Mario Romano
Sol Madrid (1968)
Captain Ortega
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967)
Pucci
... And Now Miguel (1966)
Blas
Texas Across the River (1966)
Chief Iron Jacket
Harum Scarum (1965)
Prince Dragna
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Herod's commander
The Comancheros (1961)
Amelung
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)
Miguel Alvarez
Last of the Bad Men (1957)
Jess Kramer
The Tall Stranger (1957)
Zarata
Quantez (1957)
Delgadito
The Sad Sack (1957)
Moki
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Taskmaster
Gun Brothers (1956)
Shawnee [Jack]
Diane (1956)
Count Ridolfi
The Lone Ranger (1956)
Angry Horse
Pillars of the Sky (1956)
Kamiakin
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
Charlie
New Orleans Uncensored (1955)
Zero Saxon
Jupiter's Darling (1955)
Maharbal
Princess of the Nile (1954)
Capt. Kral
Three Young Texans (1954)
Apache Joe
The Saracen Blade (1954)
Count Alesandro Siniscola
Sign of the Pagan (1954)
Edecon
Bengal Brigade (1954)
Sgt. Maj. Puran Singh
The Egyptian (1954)
Hittite commander
The Robe (1953)
Judas
Serpent of the Nile (1953)
Florus
Slaves of Babylon (1953)
Belshazzar
The Diamond Queen (1953)
Mir Jumla
White Witch Doctor (1953)
De Gama
Bandits of Corsica (1953)
Emilio the blacksmith
The Lawless Breed (1953)
Gus
Road to Bali (1953)
Guard
Julius Caesar (1953)
Pindarus
Yankee Buccaneer (1952)
Lt. Romero
Diplomatic Courier (1952)
Ivan
Brave Warrior (1952)
The Prophet
The Golden Hawk (1952)
Bernardo Diaz
Bannerline (1951)
Floyd
Soldiers Three (1951)
Manik Rao
Only the Valiant (1951)
Tucsos
Kim (1951)
Guard
My Favorite Spy (1951)
House servant
Smuggler's Island (1951)
Sikh policeman
South Sea Sinner (1950)
Native policeman
The Desert Hawk (1950)
Guard
Intrigue (1947)
Radio operator
Action in Arabia (1944)
Hamid

Cast (Special)

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (1979)
The Adam MacKenzie Story (1963)
Dr Adam Mackenzie
The Indian (1959)
Sam Buckhart

Producer (Special)

The Barbara Eden Show (1973)
Executive Producer

Life Events

Videos

Movie Clip

Bears And I, The (1974) -- (Movie Clip) This Was His Home Country Patrick Wayne’s opening narration as U.S. Army veteran Bob Leslie (a real person, the original author), hiking through the Cascades in British Columbia, and meeting friends and family of his late comrade, including Valentin de Vargas, Michael Ansara and Chief Dan George as Chief Peter, in Walt Disney’s The Bears And I, 1974.
Golden Hawk (1952) -- (Movie Clip) The Smell Of Gold Dismissing his latest conquest (Donna Martell), “Kit” Gerardo (Sterling Hayden, title character) joins Diaz (Michael Ansara) with buccaneers downstairs on news that an enemy has arrived at their Caribbean hideout, tangling with Smithers (Paul Cavanaugh), in The Golden Hawk, 1952.
Golden Hawk (1952) -- (Movie Clip) Throw The Wench Back In Amid battle between ships helmed by Spaniard Del Toro (John Sutton) and pirate Gerardo (Sterling Hayden, title character), previously unmentioned prisoners appear, Columbia getting full Technicolor value from a dunked Rhonda Fleming, as Dutch “Jane,” in The Golden Hawk, 1952.
Lone Ranger, The (1956) -- (Movie Clip) White Man Talk With Two Tongues Investigating ranchers' claims of Indian raids on livestock, Clayton Moore (title character) and Jay Silverheels (as "Tonto") visit the accused chief Red Hawk (Frank de Kova) and his second (Michael Ansara), in the first movie based on the hit TV series, The Lone Ranger, 1956.
Doll Squad, The (1973) -- (Movie Clip) All-Star Doll Squad Cast After a not quite electrifying rocket launch sabotage opening, with file film and low rent animation, "the computer" recommends Sabrina (Francine York) and her team to agent Connelly (Anthony Eisley) and Senator Stockwell (John Carter), in The Doll Squad, 1973, from Ted V. Mikels.

Trailer

Family

Matthew Michael Ansara
Son
Actor. Born on August 29, 1965; mother, Barbara Eden; died on June 25, 2001.

Companions

Barbara Eden
Wife
Actor. Married in 1958; divorced in 1973.
Jean Byron
Wife
Actor. Divorced.

Bibliography