Job Actor
Years active 1934-1976
Known for Passionate Italian characters, expert in dialects and accents
Top Roles Alberto Beddini, Rodolfo Tonetti, Henri Saffron, Count Alfredo Donstelli, Georges Mounier
Top GenresComedy, Romance, Drama, Musical, Crime, Mystery
Top TopicsRomance (Comic), Mistaken Identity, Dance
Top Collaborators , , ,
Shares birthday with Jimmy Durante, Lon Chaney Jr., Judith Anderson  see more..

Erik Rhodes Overview:

Character actor, Erik Rhodes, was born Ernest Sharpe on Feb 10, 1906 in El Reno, Indian Territory. Rhodes died at the age of 84 on Feb 17, 1990 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was laid to rest in El Rino Cemetery in El Rino, Canadian County, OK.

MINI BIO:

Rhodes graduated from the University of Oklahoma, won a scholarship to study acting in New York, and landed his first Broadway role, although a mere eight lines, in A Most Immoral Lady (1928). Rhodes, an accomplished baritone, was then cast in a few Broadway musicals: The Little Show (1929), Hey Nonny Nonny! (1932), and — Gay Divorce (1932) starring Fred Astaire. His memorable performance as the high-spirited Italian 'co-respondent' Rodolfo Tonetti, impressed RKO Executives and he was cast in the 1934 film, The Gay Divorcee, directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Rhodes would reunite with Sandrich, Astaire and Rogers (and Eric Blore and Edward Everett Horton) one year later to play Italian dressmaker, Alberto Beddini, in Top Hat (1935).

Although many fans probably remember Erik Rhodes best as those passionate Italian characters -- Tonetti and Beddini -- he was an expert in dialects and accents overall, and could convincingly play non-Italian roles as well such as his 'straight English' speaking characters David Scott-Frensham in Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938) and Max Corday in Charlie Chan in Paris (1935).

Rhodes continued to act on Screen, TV and Broadway through the late 60s (with an additional isolated TV appearance in 1976, The Adams Chronicles). Most notably however, he appeared in some solid Broadway runs during the 50s and 60s: Can-Can, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Barefoot in the Park.

(Source: article by Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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BlogHub Articles:

Mini Tribute:

By Annmarie Gatti on Feb 10, 2020 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Born Feb 10, 1906, – the Great Dialectician! is one of my all-time favorite Character Actors, yet oddly enough, I haven?t seen him in all that many movies. It just so happens though, that in the few movies I?ve seen him in, he?s unforgettable ? a real scene stealer! ... Read full article


What a Character! Blogathon: and Alan Hale

By Annmarie Gatti on Sep 21, 2012 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

and Alan Hale: Two of my Favorite Character Actors! I am so excited to be participating in my very first Blogathon! And what makes this even more special for me, is that this Blogathon celebrates Character Actors — those abundantly delightful ‘support’ players who add s... Read full article


See all articles

Erik Rhodes Quotes:

Alberto Beddini: Never again will I allow WOMEN to wear my dresses!


Alberto Beddini: I promised my dresses that I would take them to Venice and that you would be in them!


Alberto Beddini: For the woman, the kiss. For the man, the sword!


read more quotes from Erik Rhodes...



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Erik Rhodes Facts
Appeared in the Broadway version of The Gay Divorce in 1932 prior to the movie version.

Died of pneumonia in Oklahoma City at age 84.

Stage actor best remembered in films as the mustachioed, feather- brained, continental type in two Astaire-Rogers mistaken-identity romps: The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Top Hat (1935).

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