Arnold Moss

[Texas]

[img:7869633014]http://www.trekkies.dk/cache/662_width180_height135.jpg[/img:7869633014]

Arnold Moss (in the middle, next to Bill Shatner) in "The conscience of the king".

Not trying to drift the thread, but I've always thought a mark of a gifted actor is when he or she can appear in a role and you have no idea that it's him (or her).

Moss usually had that distinctive voice on the RMT that sounded like [i:7869633014]I love Lucy's[/i:7869633014] Gail Gordon...I used to sometimes expect Moss to say, right in the middle of one of his usually dramatic CBS RMT annunciations..."LlllllUUUUcyyyyyyyyyy..."

However, in one of my favorite RMT episodes "The Laughing Maiden", he played a role that completely fooled me. It was a low key role of an apparently older gentleman who served as a live in, loyal cook to a Caribbean charter boat operator. Had to listen to the episode a couple of times before it sunk in (no pun intended when you listen to the show) that it was Moss playing that character. He was a talented man, as were pretty much all of the RMT cast members.

[arend1701]

For those who are interested, here is biographical information on Arnold Moss's career:

Born: January 28, 1910
Died: December 15, 1989

Another of the unsung character actors we see, we recognize but don't know the name, he was a gem of an actor best suited for villainy. He was another of the aristocratic types who were most often cast in such roles as dukes, earls, counts and the like. He was a Shakespearean actor and they most often seem to fit that mold. It is very difficult to believe he was a New Yorker and not of British descent. Of medium height and build with a stern looking face, baggy, lived-in eyes and one of the most charming resonant, bass voices in all of show business he created many memorable roles. He was born on January 28, 1910 in Brooklyn, New York and raised there. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of New York City College and earned his master's degree in Old French at Columbia with plans of teaching. He later decided upon acting as a career and trained with Eva LaGallienne. He returned to NYU in the 1960s and earned a Ph. D. in theatre. He embarked on a successful stage career and formed his own company the Shakespeare Festival Players. He also had an active career in radio acting and writing for such shows as "Inner Sanctum" and "Dick Tracy." He made his film debut in "Temptation" (1946) as Ahmed Effendi and later conquered television making him a master of all media. His film credits also included: "The Loves of Carmen" (1948) as Colonel; "Reign of Terror" (1949) as Fouchet; "Border Incident" (1949) as Zopilote; "Kim" (1950) with Errol Flynn, as Lurgan Zahib, one of his better roles; "Quebec" (1951) as Racelle; "My Favorite Spy" (1951) as Tasso, in another fine role; "Viva Zapata!" (1952) as Don Nacio; "Salome" (1953) with Rita Hayworth, as Micha; "Bengal Brigade" (1954) as Rajah Karam; the comedy classic "Casanova's Big Night" (1954) with Bob Hope, as The Doge, a film that brought together three of the finest bass voices in filmdom: Moss, John Carradine and Basil Rathbone; "Hell's Island" (1955) as Paul Armand; an underrated nifty little sci-fi film "The 27th Day" (1957) as The Alien, in another fine role; "Caper of the Golden Bulls" (1966) as Mr. Shanari and "Gambit" (1966) with Michael Caine & Shirley MacLaine, as Abdul, his last film. He narrated for various symphony orchestras occasionally and provided the voice of God for the Chicago Lyric Opera's production of "Paradise Lost." He also worked as staff announcer for CBS radio. The U.S. State Department sent him on a world tour as an ambassador of theatre. He also taught theatre at several universities. He guest starred on such TV series as: "Tales of Tomorrow"; "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"; "Laredo"; "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."; "The Time Tunnel"; "Star Trek" and "The Monkees." His son, Jeffrey Moss, was a writer and co-creator of TV's "Sesame Street." He died of lung cancer on December 15, 1989 in New York City, New York at age 79.

Also found this:
Upon receiving a master's degree in teaching at New York University, American actor Arnold Moss decided that the life of a teacher wasn't for him and set to find theatre work. Moss was engaged by the LeGallienne Civic Repertory Theatre, where he played his first villainous role in Peter Pan. Radio provided a great deal of work for Moss, whose deep, mellifluous voice was perfect for narration and commercial assignments; additionally, he produced and wrote for various radio series. The actor's first film was Temptation; with his Satanic eyebrows and raven-like features Moss was generally cast as high-born villains or sinister foreigners. Moss made two memorable appearances in Bob Hope films, first as Hope's Casablanca contact in the espionage spoof My Favorite Spy and then as a conniving Venetian doge in Casanova's Big Night. Arnold Moss was also shown to good advantage as the usurping Antonio in the 1960 Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Shakespeare's The Tempest, which starred Maurice Evans and Richard Burton. (Source: Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)

Guest Starring Roles on Television:
Serpico - Tiller - The Traitor in Our Midst (1976)
Bonanza - Chief Longspear - In Defense of Honor (1968)
The Monkees - Vidaru - Everywhere a Sheik, Sheik (1967)
Daniel Boone - Anthony Bedloe - Take The Southbound Stage (1967)
The Time Tunnel - Malek - The Walls Of Jericho (1967)
Star Trek - Anton Karidian - The Conscience of the King (1966)
Amos Burke: Secret Agent - General Cabrell - Deadlier than the Male (1965)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - Noubar Telemakian - The Deadly Toys Affair (1965)
Route 66 - The King - I'm Here to Kill a King (1964)
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour - Victor Hartman - Captive Audience (1962)
The Rifleman - Stephen Griswald - The Schoolmaster (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Dr. Ganderbay - Poison (1958)
Climax - - Journey Into Fear (1956)
Kraft Television Theatre - - To Live in Peace (1953)
Studio One - - Another Caesar (1953)
Tales Of Tomorrow - - What Dreams May Come (1953)
The Lux Video Theatre - Extra - With Glory And Honor (1953)
Suspense - - Woman in Love (1952)
Suspense - - The Letter (1952)
Suspense - - The Spider (1952)
The Lux Video Theatre - Yannu - The Jest Of Hahalaba (1951)
Studio One - - Trilby (1950)
Suspense - - Poison (1950)
Lights Out - - How Love Came to Professor Guildea (1950)
Lights Out - - The Devil to Pay (1950)
Studio One - - The Dybbuk (1949)

Arnold Moss also contributed to over 60 episodes of RMT as either a writer and/or player.
(Source: http://www.mousetrap.net/~mouse/cbsrmt/showperson.php?id=amoss)

Matt 8)

[webb3201]

I caught "The Conscience of the King" about a month ago and remembered the quality of the early Trek eps. I mentioned to the wife that Arnold Moss was wonderful and I then pulled a batch of his RMT episodes. Wonderful actor.

[vgarci]

Webb3201,
Love your optimistic signature line! :)

[webb3201]

Thanks much! Nothing on TV is as entertaining as some OTR. Although I seem to fall asleep each night during Act II of RMT. At this rate, it takes about three nights to finish an episode , which means I have ten years before a repeat!

[vgarci]

I can certainly relate to falling asleep during the 2nd and 3rd acts. There are many times when I have to listen in the morning in order to get the full program. I'd like to see someone in the know explain this phenomenon. As a matter of fact, I refuse to listen to the programs while driving on long trips because I'm afraid I'll have an extended pleasant dream.

[Ang]

(I know this is an older thread, but I am just getting in)

Wow! This phenomenon happens to me all the time! I often fall asleep in ACT II or III. I have decided it is partly because:
1. I am in bed
2. I am comfortable
3. It's dark
4. It is the end of the day
5. The nostalgia of listening to my old favorite is so soothing and comforting, off I go...

It's weird because I don't know where I've trailed off. I have to ask my boyfriend what happened (if we listened together) but sometimes he goes out too. :roll:

Nowadays, I listen while I am at work (trying to tune out the rest of the office - I can only listen if I am doing a lower concentration task.) I would rather listen at night in bed, but I fear I will never get through them.

[vgarci]

Ang,
Posting to any topic is acceptable, regardless of the age. I think we've all laughed at how similar we are with regards to dozing while listening. For me, I've come to the conclusion that I stay awake til odd hours of the night because I allow my mind to think about the trials of the day. While listening to a program, I don't worry about the day and I completely relax. I've tried just about everything and still I have to relisten in the morning.

[scep3979]

I started listening to episodes when I was a kid and fell alseep to them.

Later, I went away to college and was home sick one night. I took out some tapes I had made of RMT and found that was the perfect solution to falling asleep.

That was 19 years ago. I have listened to some type of radio drama ever since and have even converted my wife. She often gives me the ending when I needed it. I also fall asleep in the II or III act.

Pete :D

[Lagavulin]

Same problem here when I listen at night. I've often wished that each episode came in three files, one for each act, or that it was possible to index each act so it would be quick and easy to pick up where we left off.

someday smile.gif

cheers
Miles

[Ross]

Cool info on Moss. Never knew it!

Thanks!

Ross