Lorne Greene (1915 – 1987) was a Canadian actor, best known for his roles on the television series Bonanza and Battlestar Galactica.
Upon graduation from college, he got a job as a radio broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as the principal newsreader on the CBC National News. While working at CBC, Lorne developed a stopwatch that ran backwards, as an aid to radio announcers. During a promotional trip for his invention, Greene ran into producer Fletcher Markle, who cast him as Big Brother in a live Studio One broadcast adaptation of George Orwell’s “1984.”
In 1959 Lorne Greene appeared an episode of the western series “Wagon Train,” where he was noticed by producer David Dortort, who recognized him as the perfect Ben Cartwright for Bonanza. When asked to take the role, Lorne reportedly said, “Yes, but on three conditions: It has to be successful, I have to be the star and I have to make a lot of money.”
After Bonanza ended, he was host for the nature documentary series “Last of the Wild,” and appeared in the award-winning 1977 miniseries, “Roots.” Lorne Greene also did many commercials for “Alpo Dog Food” in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
He is also remembered as Commander Adama, in the science fiction television series and feature film, Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980.
Greene recorded several record albums in the 1960s, and scored a hit record in 1964 with “Ringo.” For the 1966 holiday season, Lorne Greene, himself a practicing jew, released an annoying Christmas earworm called “Must Be Santa” (RCA Victor 47-9037 7″). The song comes complete with an abrasive chldren’s choir and irritating sound effects. The song was later covered as a polka by Brave Combo.
LISTEN TO SONG:
DOWNLOAD MP3:
Lorne_Greene_-_Must_Be_Santa.mp3
Loading ...
