1940s Naish was a supporting character in a number of horror films. He played Boris Karloff's assistant in House of Frankenstein (1944). Of Irish descent, he rarely played an Irishman, explaining, "When the part of an Irishman comes along, nobody ever thinks of me." He portrayed numerous other ethnicities including Southern European (especially Italian), Eastern European, Latin American, Native American, Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian, Pacific Islander—even African American, which earned him the moniker "Hollywood's one-man U.N." On radio, Naish starred as Luigi Basco on the popular CBS program Life with Luigi (1948–1953). Luigi popularity resulted in a CBS television series of the same name, with Naish reprising his role. In 1955, Naish originated the role of Alfieri in the one-act, verse version of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge on Broadway, also starring Van Heflin and Eileen Heckart. In 1957–1958, Naish played the lead role in the television series The New Adventures of Charlie Chan. In 1971, he appeared in his final film role, Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971), as a mad scientist; a role descended from the original Dr. Frankenstein takes to murdering young women for experimentation in hopes of reviving his ancestor's creation, with help from his mute assistant, played by Lon Chaney Jr., whose film appearance was also his last. Personal life Naish was married (from 1929 until his death) to actress Gladys Heaney (1907–1987); they had one daughter, Elaine (born 1931). Death Naish retired to San Diego and died of emphysema on January 24, 1973, at Scripps Memorial Hospital in nearby La Jolla, California, three days after his 77th birthday. He is interred at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California. For his contributions to television, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6145 Hollywood Boulevard. Filmography Radio broadcasts References External links 1896 births 1973 deaths 20th-century American male actors Male actors from New York City American male film actors American people of Irish descent American male radio actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American Roman Catholics Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles) Deaths from emphysema Vaudeville performers