RIP MICHAEL CONSTANTINE

1927 – 2021

Michael Constantine was born Constantine Joanides in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Greek parents. He made his Broadway debut in the hit play “Inherit the Wind” on April 21, 1955. On October 19, 1959, Constantine was part of the opening-night cast of the hit play “The Miracle Worker,” appearing in the role of Dr. Anagnos. It ran for 719 performances. He made his motion picture debut in The Last Mile (1959), but had already begun appearing in the medium in which he made his reputation, television, the year before.

Although he never acted opposite Lucille Ball or Desi Arnaz, he was employed by Desilu in their hit series “The Untouchables” playing five characters on the series from 1961 to 1963. 

He was cast in the pilot for a Desilu series “Hide and Seek” which was not picked up for series but was aired on August 5, 1963 as part of “Vacation Playhouse”.  The pilot was written by Jess Oppenheimer and starred Keith Andes, who had just played opposite Lucille Ball on Broadway and would play her boyfriend on two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”

On December 17, 1963, Constantine appeared on an episode of Desilu’s circus series “The Greatest Show on Earth”.  The week before, Lucille Ball herself had appeared on the series. 

On April 27, 1966, Constantine was seen on an episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” which was shot at Desilu Studios.  On March 11, 1968 he back at Desilu Studios for an episode of “The Danny Thomas Hour”. 

In 1969, he was back at the studio for an episode of “Mission: Impossible” although by that time the studio was known as Paramount.  

He continued working on television, appearing with Lucie Arnaz in a 1988 episode of “Murder She Wrote.” 

He found a career resurgence playing Gus in two “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” films and the television series.  

He was 94 years old and left behind a wife and two children.