Alexander Scourby was a renowned actor, narrator, and voice artist, boasting one of the most distinguished vocal instruments across stage, screen, radio, TV, and audio cassette platforms. He refined his craft through Shakespearean roles in the 1930s and honed his vocal versatility on dramatic radio serials in the 1940s.
Born on November 13, 1913, in Brooklyn, New York, to Greek immigrants, Scourby attended public and private schools in Brooklyn. His father, Constantine, was a restaurateur and baker, and Scourby demonstrated an early interest in writing, serving as a co-editor of his high school magazine and yearbook. He briefly studied journalism at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown before discovering his passion for acting through a campus theater group.
Scourby apprenticed at Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre and made his professional debut in a walk-on role in "Liliom." He went on to play the Player King in a 1936 Broadway production starring Leslie Howard and later reprised the role for Eva Le Gallienne's company. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including "Hamlet," "A Flag Is Born," "Crime and Punishment," "Detective Story," "Darkness at Noon," "Saint Joan," "A Month in the County," "Tovarich," and "Old World."
Scourby's speaking prowess was developed through his work with the American Foundation for the Blind's Talking Book program, where he recorded nearly 500 books for the blind. He received the Certificate of Merit from the foundation for his long-term contribution. He transitioned to radio in 1939, playing running parts in five serial dramas and lending his voice to Superman's father on the popular radio show.
Scourby entered the film industry later in his career, making his debut at age 39 in the film noir "Affair in Trinidad" (1952). He continued to appear in dramatic support roles in films such as "Because of You" (1952),"Older Brother, Younger Sister" (1953),"The Glory Brigade" (1953),and "The Big Heat" (1953). He also appeared in the Disney comedy "The Shaggy Dog" (1959) and the classic film noir "Ransom!" (1956).
As a TV and audio cassette narrator, Scourby was highly acclaimed for his distinctive voice. He narrated many popular Bible stories and was credited with giving voice to the entire Bible at one point. He also narrated classical novel audio cassettes such as "Ship of Fools" and "War and Peace." On TV, he received critical acclaim for his narration on the documentary classic "Victory at Sea" (1954) and the 1970s TV movie documentaries "The Body Human" (1977).
Scourby made numerous guest appearances on popular TV programs, including "The Phil Silvers Show," "Shirley Temple's Storybook," "Ellery Queen," "Rawhide," "Bonanza," "The Rifleman," "The Twilight Zone," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "The Defenders," "The Rogues," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Daniel Boone," and "Mannix." He also appeared on daytime soap operas "Another World" and "General Hospital."
Scourby was married to actress Lori March, with whom he had a daughter, Alexandra, born in 1944. He passed away on February 22, 1985, at the age of 71 due to a heart attack.
