Who is Lorne Greene?

Lorne Greene is a Canadian radio host, singer, and actor. Lorne Greene was a vocalist who worked on two “Bonanza” albums with Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, and Pernell Roberts, in addition to acting.

Lorne Greene- Birth, Parents, Siblings & Education

Lorne Greene was born on February 12, 1915, in Ottawa, Ontario, to shoemaker Daniel Green and his wife Dora Green.

His parents were Russian Jews who immigrated to the United States. Lorne was born with the name Lyon Himan Green, but it is unknown when he began using the name “Lorne” or when he added an “e” to Green.

After finishing his acting training at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York, he returned to Canada in 1939. During WWII, he served as a Flying Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Net Worth of Lorne Greene? Salary, Earning

Lorne Greene’s net worth at the time of his death was $10 million after inflation. He was a radio host, singer, and actor from Canada.

From 1955 to 1958, he played Capt. Grant “Mitch” Mitchell on the television series Sailor of Fortune.

One of his most well-known roles was that of Ben Cartwright, a character he played on the television series Bonanza from 1959 to 1973.

Relationship, Married Life, Boyfriend/Girlfriend

Lorne Greene married Toronto native Rita Hands in 1938. The couple divorced in 1960.

Charles Greene and Belinda Susan Greene, later Linda Greene Bennett, were twins born in 1945.

Lorne and Nancy Deale married in 1961 and remained so until his death. Their daughter’s name was Gillian Dania Greene.

Lorne built the Ponderosa II House, which is now on the Mesa Historic Property Register, in Mesa, Arizona, in 1960. It’s a recreation of the “Bonanza” set’s house.

Lorne died on September 11, 1987, in Santa Monica, California, as a result of pneumonia complications after having an ulcer surgically removed.

Body Measurement- Height, Weight, Hair Color

Lorne Greene has a height of 6 feet 0 inches.

Lorne Greene- Professional Career

Greene began acting while a student at Queen’s University. He was the drama instructor at Camp Arowhon, a summer camp in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada.

After graduating, he began working as a radio announcer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He rose through the ranks to become the anchor of CBC National News.

He was dubbed “The Voice of Canada” by the CBC. Many listeners dubbed him “The Voice of Doom” because of his deep, powerful voice, which he used to announce the list of World War II dead.

He also narrated documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada at CBC, including “Fighting Norway” in 1943 and “Churchill’s Island” in 1941.

In 1945, he established the Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto as a training facility for authors, actors, directors, and production staff.

Some of the school’s alumni include James Doohan of Star Trek fame, Leslie Nielsen of TV and cinema, and Gordie Tapp of TV and writing.

In 1953, he starred as “Othello” in an hour-long dramatization of Shakespeare’s play. He made his film debut in 1954 with “The Silver Chalice.” He appeared in an episode of “You Are There” from 1955.

In 1953, he appeared in two Katharine Cornell Broadway musicals, “The Prescott Proposals” and “The Dark is Light Enough.” He made an appearance in the 1957 American drama film “Peyton Place.”

He was also cast as the lead in the British-produced, half-hour television series “Sailor of Fortune,” which aired in the United States in 1957. He worked on two western films, The Hard Man and The Last of the Fast Guns, in 1957 and 1958.

Lorne rose to prominence as Ben “Pa” Cartwright in the NBC sitcom “Bonanza,” which premiered in 1959 and ran for 14 seasons until 1973.

To capitalize on his reputation as Ben Cartwright, he released a number of albums of country-western and folk songs in the 1960s. In 1964, his spoken-word ballad “Ringo” charted.

After “Bonanza” ended in 1973, he joined the ABC crime drama “Griff,” starring Wade “Griff” Griffin as a retired cop who now works as a private investigator. However, the show was canceled after 13 episodes due to insufficient viewership.

Lorne hosted the documentary series “Last of the Wild” in 1974-75. In the 1977 miniseries “Roots,” he played John Reynolds, the first master of Kunta Kinte.

In the 1970s, he was the spokesperson for the Alpo Beef Chunks dog food commercials. He rose to prominence as Commander Adama in the science fiction TV series “Battlestar Galactica,” which aired from 1978 to 1979.

In the 1981 television series “Code Red,” he played a different father figure who commanded his children. He also appeared in a “Highway to Heaven” episode and a two-part “Vega$” episode.

In the 1980s, he dedicated himself to wildlife conservation and environmental causes, hosting and narrating nature shows such as “Greene’s New Wilderness,” which raised awareness of environmental issues.

Lorne rose to prominence as the creator of two television shows, Battlestar Galactica and Bonanza. Despite facing stiff competition from other shows, “Bonanza” was a huge success.

TV Guide ranked Ben Cartwright, a character from his television series “Bonanza,” second among American “TV Fathers” in 2007. Cliff Huxtable came in the first place.

Despite “Battlestar Galactica’s” brief success, Lorne received praise for his portrayal of Commander Adama.

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Social Media

His social media handles are unknown.

Quick Facts of Lorne Greene

• Greene portrayed Wade Griffin on the television show Griff from 1973 to 1974.
• From 1978 to 1979, he portrayed Commander Adama in the television series Battlestar Galactica.
• Greene portrayed Battalion Chief Joe Rorchek on the television show Code Red from 1981 to 1982.
• He is best known for inventing a backward-running stopwatch, which radio broadcasters used to calculate their remaining speaking time.
• His net worth at the time of his death was $10 million.