Keefe Brasselle
Actor, Film actor
1923 – 1981
Who was Keefe Brasselle?
Keefe Brasselle was an American film actor, television actor/producer and author. He is best remembered for the starring role in The Eddie Cantor Story. The film was a response to the wildly successful The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again starring Larry Parks. The Eddie Cantor Story, however, could not equal the success of the Jolson films and Brasselle's career did not launch as anticipated. In 1953, Braselle hosted an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour with comedian/dancer Dick Wesson as a promotional tie-in for the film.
In 1956, Braselle married the singer Arlene DeMarco. They divorced in 1967.
Brasselle had a close friendship with CBS executive James Aubrey. Brasselle started his own production company and Aubrey granted Brasselle's company three television series without any previous script, pitch or pilots. The insider-chicanery resulted in a lawsuit against Aubrey and Brasselle launched by CBS shareholders. There were rumors that Aubrey had no choice in the matter due to Mafia threats, with which Brasselle was known to be connected.
In 1961, an Edison Township, New Jersey nightclub owned by Brasselle burned under suspicious circumstances. Fire officials came across six empty cans of gasoline at the scene, while their caps and spouts were found separately in a paper bag.
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- Born
- Feb 7, 1923
Elyria - Also known as
- John Brasselli
- Henry Keefe Brasselle
- Spouses
- Arlene DeMarco
(1956/12/23 - 1967) - Norma Jean Aldrich
(1942/12/18 - 1956/12/06)
- Arlene DeMarco
- Children
- Nationality
- United States of America
- Profession
- Died
- Jul 7, 1981
Downey
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Keefe Brasselle." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/keefe_brasselle>.
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