Dwight Marfield

Biography

Dwight Hunter Marfield, a New York based theatre, film & TV actor was best known for his character acting, comedic talent and artwork. Additionally he was known for his musical abilities, pantomime and dance skills and appeared in Lotte Goslar's show "For Humans Only" in Southern California, and at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival in Lee, Massachusetts. On screen, he can be seen as Dr. Greenbow in the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Trouble With Harry," as the soapbox orator in "Studs Lonigan" and as Ellsworth in "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest." He also appeared on television, twice on the Garry Moore Show, as himself, playing the Ukulele, The Jackie Gleason Show, and as Mark Twain on the Bell Telephone spectacular "Sounds Of America". As a stage actor, he played nearly 200 parts both on and off Broadway stages and had worked with Robert Alda and Nancy Walker. He performed on Broadway in the following productions: "The Day Before Spring (1965},""Galileo," "The Ponder Heart," "Lesson,""The Flower Drum Song," and the Pulitzer Prize play "Look Homeward Angel." His great love was theatre, in addition to directing and choreographing projects. He performed in summer stock plays, and had a long running association with the NY-based La Mama Experimental Theatre Club (The Dumb Dancer), The World's Fair Enough (1964}, various projects (1971-1978} and the Actors Playhouse. In 1978, fans and critics hailed his talents for his one-man play, a production entitled "Dwight Night" that he wrote, acted, directed and produced. Other stage appearances include: "Hot L Baltimore," "Blind Alley," " Take My Advice," " Stardust," "The Playboy Of The Newark," " The Private Life Of The Master Race," " Private Lives, " "Horace," "Bittersweet," & "70-Girls-70." His comedic talent prompted critic Kenneth Tynan to write in Bandwagon (London, England), "(he) convinced me, within ten minutes, that I was in the presence of one of a half-dozen great comedians of my lifetime." Dwight Hunter Marfield died in New York of heart failure as a result of complications from his battle with cancer. He is survived by his sister, family and friends.