Hayden Rorke
(1910 - 1987)A very solid character actor and a very familiar face, he is best remembered for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Bellows, an Air Force officer, on the TV series “I Dream of Jeannie.” Tall, well postured and handsome with a kindly face, wavy graying hair, steely blue eyes and a friendly smile he was more prolific in films and television than people remember. A suave, debonair type, you wouldn’t see him as a thug or barroom brawler. He was best suited for roles as military officers, clergymen, executives, fatherly or avuncular types and the like. He was born William Henry Rorke on October 23, 1910 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother was actress Margaret Rorke. He attended school at Brooklyn Prep and college at Villanova. Somehow, somewhere the acting bug bit him and he attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts where he studied his craft. He began his acting career as a member of Walter Hampden’s Classical Repertory Company touring the U.S. He made his Broadway debut in 1932 in the play “If Booth Had Missed.” He joined the Army during World War II and attained the rank of Sergeant. While in the service he toured with a road show company and appeared in “This Is the Army.” He also appeared in the film version in 1943, his film debut. His other films include: “Lust for Gold” (1949) uncredited, as Floyd Buckley; “Rope of Sand” (1949) as Ingram; “Sword in the Desert” (1949) as Capt. Beaumont; “Kim” (1950) uncredited, as Maj. Ainsley; “The Magnificent Yankee” (1950) with Louis Calhern, as Graham; “Double Crossbones” (1951) as Malcolm Giles; “Father’s Little Dividend” (1951) with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor, as Dr. Andrew Nordell; “Francis Goes to the Races” (1951) as Rogers; “An American in Paris” (1951) uncredited, as Tommy Baldwin; “When Worlds Collide” (1951) as Dr. Emery Bronson; “Room for One More” (1952) as The Doctor; “Wild Stallion” (1952) as Maj. Cullen; “Above and Beyond” (1952) as Dr. Ramsey; “South Sea Woman” (1953) as Lt. Fears; “Project Moon Base” (1953) as Gen. ‘Pappy’ Greene; “The Story of Tree Loves” (1953) as Mr. Rorke in the ‘Mademoiselle’ segment; “Drum Beat” (1954) as President Grant; “Superman in Exile” (1954) as Tom, Psychiatrist; “The Eternal Sea” (1955) as Capt. William Buracker; “All That Heaven Allows” (1955) as Dr. Hennessy; “Tip on a Dead Jockey” (1957) as J.R. Nichols; “This Happy Feeling” (1958) as Mr. Booth; “The Restless Years” (1958) as Mr. Booth; “Pillow Talk” (1959) as Mr. Conrad; “Midnight Lace” (1960) as Dr. Garver; “Parrish” (1961) as Tom Weldon; “Back Street” (1961) as Charley Claypoole; “Pocketful of Miracles” (1961) with Bette Davis, as Police Capt. Moore; “Tammy Tell Me True” (1961) as Joshua Welling; “Spencer’s Mountain” (1963) as Col. Coleman; “The Thrill of it All” (1963) as Billings; “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (1964) with Debbie Reynolds, as Broderick; “I’d Rather be Rich” (1964) as MacDougall; “Youngblood Hawke” (1964) as Mr. Givney and “The Barefoot Executive” (1971) as Clifford, his last theatrical film. On TV he was a regular in the series: “Mr. Adams and Eve” (1957-58) as Steve; “No Time for Sergeants” (1964-65) as Col. Farnsworth and his best known role on “I Dream of Jeannie” (1965-70) as Dr. Alfred Bellows. He appeared in such TV movies as: “Johnny Shiloh” (1963); “The Legend of Lizzie Borden” (1975); “Once an Eagle” (1976) a mini-series, as Paul Sinclair and “Suddenly Love” (1978). He also guest starred on such TV series as: “I Love Lucy”; “The Lone Ranger”; “Sky King”; “The Adventures of Superman”; “Cheyenne”; “Perry Mason”; “Twilight Zone”; “Mr. Ed”; “Bonanza”; “The Beverly Hillbillies”; “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Wonder Woman.” He was a breeder of dogs, most particularly Basset hounds. He bred Champions and was considered an authority on the Basset hound breed. He had two brothers: James Hayden Rorke and Edward Francis Rorke. He died of cancer on August 19, 1987 in Toluca Lake, California at age 76.
From Great Character Actors, Page 8.
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