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Carleton Carpenter
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Carleton Upham Carpenter Jr. (July 10, 1926 – January 31, 2022) was an American film, television and stage actor, magician, songwriter, and novelist.[1][2]
Key Information
Early and personal life
[edit]Carpenter was born in Bennington, Vermont,[3] where he attended Bennington High School. He was the son of Carleton Upham Carpenter Sr.[4] He was bisexual.[5]
Carpenter lived in Warwick, New York, where he died on January 31, 2022, at the age of 95.[6]
Military service
[edit]Carpenter served as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy during World War II and helped to build the airstrip from which the Enola Gay took off for its flight to bomb Hiroshima.[7]
Acting career
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Carpenter began his performing career as a magician and an actor on Broadway, beginning with David Merrick's first production, Bright Boy, in 1944, followed by co-starring appearances in Three to Make Ready with Ray Bolger, John Murray Anderson's Almanac, and Hotel Paradiso.[8] He was a featured player on the early television program Campus Hoopla, which was produced by NBC, via WNBT in New York City, and which aired from 1946 to 1947.[citation needed] Carpenter was brought to Hollywood in 1949 by independent producer Louis de Rochemont to play the boyfriend in Lost Boundaries. De Rochemont later cast him again, in The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951).
Carpenter signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1950, where he made eight films in three years: Father of the Bride, Three Little Words, Summer Stock, Two Weeks With Love, Vengeance Valley, Fearless Fagan (his one-of-two leading roles there), Sky Full of Moon (his other leading role there) and Take the High Ground!. He gained fame in 1950 when he teamed up with Debbie Reynolds in Three Little Words and Two Weeks with Love. In a guest sequence in Three Little Words, they perform "I Wanna Be Loved by You" as vaudeville players Dan Healy and Helen Kane, with Reynolds dubbed by Kane. In Two Weeks with Love, where they have featured roles, their duet "Aba Daba Honeymoon" was the first soundtrack recording to become a top-of-the-chart gold record, reaching number three on the Billboard chart.
After 1953, Carpenter exited films for stage, television, and radio work. Among his television appearances, he played Gilbert Burton, the recipient of $1,000,000 in a 1959 episode of The Millionaire and co-starred with Ann Sothern in the 1954 TV production of Kurt Weill's Lady in the Dark, which he also recorded for RCA Victor Records. In 1957, he played the role of George "Tecumseh" McGuire in an episode of the television series "Men of Annapolis." In 1963, he played defendant Peter Brent in the Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Lover's Leap".
He returned to film in 1959 for Up Periscope for Warner Brothers and, much later, the independent films Cauliflower Cupids (1970) and Some of My Best Friends Are... (1971), as the character "Miss Untouchable".
Carpenter's later stage appearances included Hello, Dolly!, opposite Mary Martin (which toured Vietnam during the war and was filmed as a one-hour NBC-TV special), The Boys in the Band, Dylan, Crazy For You, and the City Center revival of Kander and Ebb's 70, Girls, 70. He was still working occasionally as a stage actor in 2015.[9]
Songwriting
[edit]Carpenter composed the songs "Christmas Eve", recorded by Billy Eckstine, "Cabin in the Woods", and "Ev'ry Other Day", which he recorded for MGM Records and sang on screen in The Whistle at Eaton Falls. In 1943 he wrote the words and melody of the song "Can We Forget".[10] His other song compositions include "I Wouldn't Mind", "A Little Love", and "Come Away". He also wrote the musical Northern Boulevard, produced in New York City by actress Rosetta LeNoire.
Writing
[edit]Carpenter wrote material for Debbie Reynolds, Kaye Ballard, Marlene Dietrich, and Hermione Gingold, and also scripts for films and television.
Carpenter was a successful mystery novelist in the 1970s and 1980s. His books include Deadhead, Games Murderers Play, Cat Got Your Tongue?, Only Her Hairdresser Knew, Sleight of Deadly Hand, The Peabody Experience, and Stumped.[11]
His memoir, The Absolute Joy of Work, was published in 2016.[4]
Awards and honors
[edit]In 2012, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Hollywood film organization Cinecon, which was presented to him in person by his once often co-star Debbie Reynolds.[12]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Lost Boundaries | Andy |
| 1950 | Father of the Bride | Usher at wedding |
| Three Little Words | Dan Healy | |
| Summer Stock | Artie | |
| Two Weeks With Love | Billy Finlay | |
| 1951 | Vengeance Valley | Hewie |
| The Whistle at Eaton Falls | Eddie Talbot | |
| 1952 | Fearless Fagan | Pvt. Floyd Hilston |
| Sky Full of Moon | Harley 'Tumbleweeds' Williams | |
| 1953 | Take the High Ground! | Merton 'Tex' Tolliver |
| 1959 | Up Periscope | Lt. Phil Carney |
| 1970 | Cauliflower Cupids | Christopher |
| 1971 | Some of My Best Friends Are... | Miss Untouchable |
| 1981 | The Prowler | 1945 M.C |
| 1983 | The American Snitch | Arthur |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Quigley, Eileen S. (1986). International Motion Picture Almanac. New York: Quigley Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9006-1082-0.
- ^ Ragan, David (1992). Who's Who in Hollywood: The largest cast of international film personalities ever assembled. Vol. 1. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 978-0-8160-2009-6.
- ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopaedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-5578-3551-2. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Carpenter, Carleton (2016). The Absolute Joy of Work: From Vermont to Broadway, Hollywood, and Damn Near 'Round the World. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-6293-3082-2.
- ^ Interview at BoyCulture with Carleton Carpenter
- ^ Urban, Sasha (January 31, 2022). "Carleton Carpenter, MGM and Broadway Actor Who Starred Alongside Debbie Reynolds, Dies at 95". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ Fantle, David; Johnson, Tom (May 26, 2015). "Talking Up To Carleton Carpenter". Modern Times Magazine. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
- ^ "("Carleton Carpenter" search results)". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Carleton Carpenter at MyWebTimes[permanent dead link], Interview from 2015
- ^ The Library of Congress Copyright Office: Catalog of Copyright Entries Published by Authority of the Acts of Congress of March 3, 1891, of June 30, 1906, and of March 4, 1909. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1943, Part 3, Musical Compositions, New Series, Vol. 38, Pt. 1, #1, pg. 9
- ^ Thomas, Nick (February 9, 2015). "Carleton Carpenter: Actor, author and lion tamer". The County Record. Beaumont, Texas. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ Cinecon highlights, cinecon.org; accessed January 31, 2016. Archived February 12, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carleton Carpenter.
- Carleton Carpenter at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Carleton Carpenter at IMDb
- Carleton Carpenter at the Internet Broadway Database
- Carleton Carpenter at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
- Carleton Carpenter and Debbie Reynolds sing "Abba Dabba Honeymoon" in this clip from YouTube
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Carleton Carpenter
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life and military service
Early life
Carleton Upham Carpenter Jr. was born on July 10, 1926, in Bennington, Vermont, to parents Carleton Upham Carpenter Sr. and Marjorie Elsa Main Carpenter.[3][1] He had an older sister, Betty Jane, known as "Betty-Jim."[3] The family resided on a small farm in Bennington, a rural town in southern Vermont, where Carpenter experienced a modest, small-town upbringing amid the Green Mountains.[4] Carpenter attended Bennington High School, where he developed an early interest in the performing arts.[1] As a high school student, he participated in the National High School Institute for Theatre Arts at Northwestern University, an experience that fueled his passion for theater and performance.[1] In his late teens, Carpenter began exploring entertainment through summer jobs as a magician and clown at local carnivals, securing his first paid performing opportunities around age 16 or 17.[5] These gigs introduced him to audiences and honed his skills in front of crowds. In January of his senior year, having accumulated enough credits, he left Bennington High School for New York City to pursue a professional stage career, securing his Broadway debut in Bright Boy that March.[1][6][7]Military service
After failing an initial physical examination in 1943 due to a rapid pulse, Carpenter enlisted in the United States Navy in 1944 at the age of 17 (turning 18 that July), following his Broadway debut. He joined the Seabees, officially the Naval Construction Battalions, after passing a physical examination on his second attempt. Assigned to the 38th Naval Construction Battalion (NCB), Carpenter underwent training in engineering and construction trades, preparing him for the demanding role of building infrastructure in combat zones.[8] Deployed to the Pacific theater, Carpenter's unit arrived on Tinian Island in the Mariana Islands on December 29, 1944, following the island's capture earlier that year. The 38th NCB, alongside other Seabee battalions, worked on expanding the Ushi Point airfield into the massive North Field, constructing runways capable of supporting B-29 Superfortress bombers. This airstrip later served as the launch point for the Enola Gay on August 6, 1945, for its mission to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima; Carpenter only learned of this historical significance years after the war. His service involved grueling physical labor under harsh tropical conditions, including clearing coral, pouring concrete, and operating heavy machinery amid ongoing threats from enemy aircraft and artillery.[8][9] Carpenter served approximately from 1944 to 1946, receiving an honorable discharge following the end of World War II. In his 2016 memoir The Absolute Joy of Work, he reflected on the intense physical demands of Seabee duties, such as hauling equipment and enduring relentless heat and humidity, which tested his endurance but also instilled a sense of camaraderie and purpose among the construction crews. These wartime experiences, detailed in the book, highlighted the vital yet often overlooked contributions of Seabees to Allied victories in the Pacific.[4][10]Performing arts career
Acting career
Carpenter began his professional acting career on Broadway in 1944, landing his debut role in Bright Boy, the first production by future impresario David Merrick, just one day after arriving in New York City.[1][11] He followed this with supporting roles in Three to Make Ready (1946) alongside Ray Bolger, The Magic Touch (1947), and continued through the 1950s with appearances in shows like John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953), amassing over a dozen Broadway credits in total.[12][2] In 1950, Carpenter signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, transitioning to film with a breakthrough in the musical Three Little Words, where he performed opposite Fred Astaire and Debbie Reynolds. This led to a string of MGM pictures, including Two Weeks with Love (1950), in which he dueted with Reynolds on the hit "Aba Daba Honeymoon"; Father of the Bride (1950); Summer Stock (1950) with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly; Fearless Fagan (1952), his first leading role that involved acting alongside a 400-pound lion; and Up Periscope (1959).[2][13][14] Over his film career, he appeared in approximately 13 productions, often as a supporting player in musicals and comedies.[2] Carpenter's television work spanned the 1950s to 1970s, featuring guest roles in anthology and variety series such as Perry Mason (1963), The Rifleman, Father Knows Best, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Red Skelton Show, among numerous episodes.[13][15] Despite early Hollywood success, he faced typecasting as a light comedian, which contributed to a decline in major film roles after the 1960s, prompting a shift toward television and stage.[13] He returned to theater in later years, performing in revivals like The Magic Show on Broadway, national tours of On the Town and Hello, Dolly!, and regional productions into the 2010s, with his final stage appearance in 2015.[13][12][3]Magic performances
Carpenter developed an interest in magic during his childhood in Bennington, Vermont, where he began performing simple illusions as early as age nine in traveling carnivals.[16] These early gigs involved basic tricks using everyday items, such as silk handkerchiefs manipulated to appear and disappear, reflecting his self-taught approach honed through trial and error.[8] In high school, Carpenter refined his skills through school performances and a summer stint with a carnival, where he worked as a magician using a homemade flip-over box painted with faux Chinese characters for added mystique.[8] Though he later reflected that "I wasn't very good, but I was young, so I got away with it," these experiences marked the beginning of his professional pursuit of illusion as a performer.[8] Prior to his move to New York City in 1944, Carpenter's initial paid engagements were as a magician and clown at various carnivals, blending sleight-of-hand routines with comedic elements to entertain audiences.[1] This carnival foundation provided him with practical stage presence and versatility, skills that complemented his emerging career in acting and variety entertainment.[1]Creative works
Songwriting
Carpenter's songwriting career emerged in the mid-20th century, with him joining the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1955.[17] His early compositions included the holiday song "Christmas Eve," for which he provided both lyrics and music, and which gained popularity through a recording by Billy Eckstine in the 1950s.[18] Another notable early work was "Cabin in the Woods," a whimsical tune reflective of the post-war popular music style.[1] Among his other popular songs were "Ev'ry Other Day," which Carpenter himself recorded for MGM Records, as well as "I Wouldn't Mind," "A Little Love," and "Come Away."[19] These compositions, often romantic and upbeat, were featured in various recordings and aligned with the Broadway-influenced musical standards of the era, though Carpenter primarily worked independently on his lyrics and melodies.[11] A significant achievement in his songwriting was the full musical Northern Boulevard, for which he composed the music and lyrics, collaborating with Kevin Brofsky on the book. The show, centered on sentimental themes of family and immigrant life in a New York deli, premiered in a workshop production at Amas Musical Theatre in New York City, directed by Rosetta LeNoire, in 1985.[20] It received a subsequent staging at the Oldcastle Theatre Company in Bennington, Vermont, in 2013, highlighting Carpenter's contributions to musical theater beyond individual songs.[21][22] Carpenter's songs maintained a presence through recordings, such as Eckstine's version of "Christmas Eve," which became a perennial in holiday collections, and his own MGM tracks, ensuring ongoing royalties and occasional revivals in theater revues into the late 20th century.[13]Writing
Carpenter began his writing career contributing short stories to prominent mystery publications, including Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, with several appearing in the 1970s and 1980s.[4][1] In the 1970s and 1980s, Carpenter established himself as a mystery novelist, producing a series of works featuring amateur sleuths navigating crimes in small-town or quaint settings. Deadhead (1974), his first novel under his own name, introduced themes of deception and hidden motives among theater insiders, drawing loosely from his own entertainment experiences. Subsequent books included Games Murderers Play (1985), Cat Got Your Tongue? (1988), Only Her Hairdresser Knew (1990), Sleight of Deadly Hand (1993), The Peabody Experience (1995), A Body in the Attic (1998), A Body on the Beach (2000), and Stumped (2001), totaling nine mysteries published under his name or pseudonyms like Ivy Manchester.[23][17][24] Carpenter's sole memoir, The Absolute Joy of Work: From Vermont to Broadway, Hollywood, and Damn Near 'Round the World (2016), chronicles over seven decades in show business, blending personal anecdotes with reflections on his multifaceted career. Published by BearManor Media, it features an introduction by Debbie Reynolds and more than 60 photographs, offering insights into collaborations with stars like Judy Garland and his transitions between acting, magic, and writing. No additional books were published after 2016, and none remain known as unpublished at the time of his death in 2022.[4][1] Carpenter's prose style across his works is characterized by humorous, anecdotal storytelling that incorporates witty dialogue and insider perspectives from Hollywood and theater life, creating engaging, light-hearted narratives amid suspenseful plots. His mysteries achieved modest commercial success within the genre, with paperback reissues in the 2010s, while the memoir received praise for its personable tone and vivid recollections of entertainment history.[25][6]Later life and legacy
Awards and honors
In 2012, Carleton Carpenter received the Cinecon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hollywood-based film preservation organization Cinecon, recognizing his enduring contributions to cinema during his MGM era and beyond. The honor was presented in person by his longtime collaborator Debbie Reynolds, with whom he had shared the screen in films like Two Weeks with Love and performed the hit duet "Aba Daba Honeymoon." This accolade highlighted Carpenter's versatility as an actor, singer, and performer across eight decades in the entertainment industry.[13] Following his death in 2022, Carpenter's multifaceted career earned widespread posthumous tributes in major industry obituaries, which celebrated his pioneering roles in musical theater, film, songwriting, and magic performances as a testament to his lasting impact on American entertainment. Publications such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter emphasized his innovative spirit and collaborations with icons like Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor, underscoring his recognition as a beloved figure in Hollywood history without formal additional awards.[1][11]Death
Carleton Carpenter died on January 31, 2022, at the age of 95, from natural causes at his longtime home in Warwick, New York, where he had resided since the late 1960s, after his primary Hollywood film work.[11][5] The announcement was made by his close friend Alan Eichler, highlighting Carpenter's enduring connections within the entertainment community, including lifelong friendships with figures like Debbie Reynolds and other performers from his eight-decade career.[11][13] Throughout his life, Carpenter openly identified as bisexual, as discussed in a 2014 interview where he reflected on his experiences and comfort with his sexuality during his early career.[26] He never married and had no children, instead maintaining deep personal bonds with friends in the arts rather than forming a traditional family unit.[5] These relationships provided support in his later years, underscoring a life centered on creative pursuits and companionship within the industry. Following his death, tributes poured in from entertainment publications, with obituaries in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter lauding his versatile contributions as an actor, magician, songwriter, and author over nearly a century.[1][11] Services were handled privately through Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home in Warwick, with no public funeral or large-scale memorial reported, reflecting the quiet end to a vibrant public life.[5] He was buried at Park Lawn Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont.[3] No significant developments or posthumous recognitions have emerged since 2022.[3]Filmography
Film
Carpenter's screen career began with his debut in the 1949 RKO drama Lost Boundaries, where he portrayed Andy, the son in a light-skinned Black family passing as white in a small New England town, marking his entry into feature films amid post-war social issue cinema.[13] Following his signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1950, Carpenter appeared in four films that year, establishing him as a supporting player in musicals and comedies. In Father of the Bride, directed by Vincente Minnelli, he had an uncredited role as a young suitor at the wedding reception, alongside leads Elizabeth Taylor and Spencer Tracy.[1] In the musical biopic Three Little Words, he played Dan Healy, a youthful performer and songwriter, supporting Fred Astaire and Red Skelton in their portrayal of the Kalmar and Ruby duo.[27] He followed with Summer Stock, depicting Artie, a farmhand assisting a struggling theater troupe, co-starring with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in a backstage musical that highlighted his boy-next-door charm.[27] His standout role that year came in Two Weeks with Love, as romantic lead Billy Finlay, a vacationing teen pursuing Jane Powell's character, notable for his duet "Aba Daba Honeymoon" with Debbie Reynolds, which became a chart-topping hit.[27] In 1951, Carpenter continued with MGM in Vengeance Valley, a Western where he played Hewie, a loyal ranch hand caught in a family feud, opposite Burt Lancaster and Robert Walker.[28] He then starred in Columbia's The Whistle at Eaton Falls as Eddie Talbot, a idealistic young worker during a labor strike, showcasing his dramatic range alongside Lloyd Bridges.[19] The year 1952 brought two MGM comedies: Fearless Fagan, in which Carpenter portrayed Pvt. Floyd Hilston, a soldier adopting a circus lion as a mascot, co-starring with Janet Leigh and featuring Elizabeth Taylor in a cameo, emphasizing his comedic timing in service-themed fare.[16] In Sky Full of Moon, he appeared as Harley 'Tumbleweeds' Williams, a naive cowboy in a Nevada road-trip satire, supporting newcomer Jane Greer.[16] Carpenter's 1953 MGM outing was Take the High Ground, where he played Merton 'Tex' Tolliver, a raw Marine recruit in a Korean War training drama directed by Richard Brooks, with co-stars Richard Widmark and Karl Malden.[16] After a hiatus from major studios, he returned in 1959's Warner Bros. submarine thriller Up Periscope, as Lt. Phil Carney, a code-breaking officer on a perilous mission, opposite James Garner in his film debut.[16] Carpenter's later film work shifted to independent productions. In 1970's Cauliflower Cupids, he portrayed Christopher in a comedy about a mobster going straight.[29] In 1971's Some of My Best Friends Are..., a comedy-drama about drag queens, he portrayed Miss Untouchable, a drag performer.[30] In 1981's horror film The Prowler, he appeared as the 1945 M.C. in a brief role.[31] Over his career, Carpenter appeared in approximately 15 feature films, primarily under MGM's banner in the early 1950s, often as affable young supporting characters that leveraged his lanky frame and Midwestern appeal.[1]Television
Carpenter's television career began in the late 1940s and spanned over four decades, with appearances primarily in anthology dramas, westerns, sitcoms, and variety programs. He amassed credits in roughly 25 episodes, often in supporting roles that highlighted his affable, boyish charm, portraying comedic sidekicks, quirky professionals, or enigmatic figures in narratives exploring family dynamics, crime, and adventure.[19][32] His early television work frequently featured in live anthology series, transitioning from his film successes in musicals and comedies. Notable examples include guest spots on classic programs where he played lighthearted or supportive characters, contributing to the era's blend of drama and humor.| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | The Goldbergs | Michael Robinson | Supporting role in family comedy-drama episode "Boy Friend," as a young suitor.[32] |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unspecified | Appearance in live dramatic anthology.[32] |
| 1954 | Father Knows Best | George Frazier | Guest as a friend in a family-oriented sitcom episode.[32] |
| 1954 | The Best of Broadway | Joe Fisher | Featured in adaptation of the play The Show-Off, showcasing comedic timing.[32] |
| 1955 | Star Tonight | Bill | Role in dramatic anthology episode "Faith and Patience."[32] |
| 1955 | The Millionaire | Gilbert Burton | Played a recipient of sudden wealth in the morality-driven series.[32] |
| 1955 | Alcoa Hour | Artie | Supporting comedic character in live drama.[32] |
| 1963 | Perry Mason | Peter Brent | Guest as a suspect in legal drama episode "The Case of the Lover's Leap."[32] |
| 1957 | Trackdown | Unspecified | Appearance in western anthology series.[32] |
| 1958 | The Ann Sothern Show | Mark | Recurring comedic support in sitcom episodes.[32] |
| 1958 | Cimarron City | Ossie Harper | Quirky townsperson in western episode.[32] |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's Storybook | Tom the Piper's Son | Featured in fairy tale adaptation "Mother Goose."[32][33] |
| 1958 | The Rifleman | Unspecified | Guest in western action series.[33] |
| 1959 | The Alaskans | Cliff Cartright | Adventurer role in frontier drama.[32] |
| 1960 | Outlaws | Rafe Cutter | Supporting in western crime episode.[32] |
| 1960 | Pete and Gladys | Unspecified | Comedic guest in domestic sitcom.[32] |
| 1961 | The DuPont Show of the Week | Unspecified | Dramatic anthology appearance.[32] |
| 1963 | McHale's Navy | The Witch Doctor | Humorous disguise role in wartime comedy episode "McHale's Millions."[32] |
| 1979 | The Ropers | Roland Calvert | Eccentric neighbor in spin-off sitcom.[19][34] |
| 1983 | The American Snitch | Arthur | Supporting in crime drama TV movie.[19][34] |