Biography for
Paul Douglas (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

11 April 1907, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Date of Death

11 September 1959, Hollywood, California, USA (heart attack)

Birth Name

Paul Douglas Fleischer

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Spouse

Jan Sterling	(12 May 1950 - 11 September 1959) (his death) 1 child
Virginia Field	(11 April 1942 - October 1946) (divorced) 1 child
Geraldine Higgins	(2 May 1940 - 5 August 1941) (divorced)
Elizabeth Farnesworth	(? - ?) (divorced)
Sussie Welles	(? - ?) (divorced)

Trivia

Father, with Virginia Field, of daughter Margaret Field Douglas (born in 1945).

Son Adams Douglas (1955 - 2003). Died of heart failure.

He was cast in "Twilight Zone" (1959) episode "The Mighty Casey" to play the baseball team manager, a role specifically written for him by Rod Serling, based on his character in Angels in the Outfield (1951). Unfortunately, he died the week the episode was filmed and was replaced by Jack Warden, when refilming became necessary. Interestingly, the script seems not to have been changed as there are several lines that seem to evoke Douglas' manager character. Even Warden seems to be trying to play the character as Douglas would.

Billy Wilder, while writing the script of The Apartment (1960) with his collaborator I.A.L. Diamond, intended the part of Jeff D. Sheldrake to be played by Douglas in the film. Douglas was cast in the role, but unfortunately, passed away before shooting began. Wilder then re-cast the role of the caddish Mr. Sheldrake with Fred MacMurray, who had successfully played against type in Wilder's Double Indemnity (1944).

He turned down the chance to play the part of Harry Brock in Born Yesterday (1950), the successful movie adaptation of the stage play in which he created this role. He found the part had been considerably reduced for the film. The Harry Brock role went to Broderick Crawford.

Personal Quotes

"If you go to bat often enough, you're bound to get a hit." - On marrying Jan Sterling, his fifth wife.

I was a character (actor) ever since I was born.