Actor. A star of radio, films and televisions, he is remembered for his role in the films “The Devil and Miss Jones” (1941), “Princess O’Rourke” (1943), and the Alfred Hitchcock thrillers “Saboteur” (1942) and “Dial M for Murder” (1954), and for the television series “The Bob Cummings Show” that aired from January 1955 until September 1959. His career would span five decades and he appeared in nearly 70 films. Born Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings, his father was a surgeon and his mother was an ordained minister of the Science of Mind, a part of the New Thought movement. During his high school days, he was taught to fly by his godfather, aviation pioneer Orville Wright and became the first official flight instructor in the US. After completing high school, he studied briefly at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri before transferring to the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to study aeronautical engineering. He dropped out after a year due to financial hardships and moved to New York City, New York to study drama. In 1931 he made his 1st appearance on Broadway and two years later he travelled to England, to acquire an upper-class English accent. In 1934 he came to Hollywood, California and made his film debut in “The Virginia Judge” (1935). His other notable films include “Three Small Girls Grow Up” (1939), “Moon over Miami” (1941), “Kings Row” (1942), “You Came Along” (1945), “The Bride Wore Boots” (1946), “For Heaven’s Sake” (1950), “Marry Me Again” (1953), “Beach Party” (1963), “The Carpetbaggers” (1964), and “Stagecoach” (1966). In 1938 he began appearing in the role of ‘David Adair’ on the CBS Radio drama series “Those We Love.” In November 1942 he joined the US Army Air Force and served as a flight instructor. Following the end of World War II he flew for the US Air Force Reserve and attained the rank of captain. In 1952 he began appearing in television, beginning with the comedy “My Hero” that ran briefly from November 1952 until January 1953. His other notable television work include the sitcoms “The New Bob Cummings Show” (1961 until 1962) and “My Living Doll” (1964 until 1965). He made appearances in other episodes of television shows, such as “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show,” “Twilight Zone,” “Zane Grey Theater,” “Love, American Style,” “The Love Boat,” “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” and “Hollywood Squares.” An advocate of natural foods and a healthy diet, he wrote the book “Stay Young and Vital” (1960) on eating health foods and maintaining an exercise regimen. His final film appearance was in “Five Golden Dragons” (1967). For the last 30 years of his life, he was addicted to methamphetamine in the form of “energy” injections that eventually led to the collapse of his career and divorces from his 3rd and 4th wife, and he became indigent. He died of kidney failure and complications from pneumonia at the age of 80. He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for his contributions to films and television. His son, Tony Cummings, appeared in the NBC daytime soap opera “Another World” during the 1980s. (bio by: William Bjornstad)  Family links:  Parents:  Charles C Cummings (1868 – 1932)  Ruth Kraft Cummings (1876 – 1950)