Roger De Koven (born Roger Bemet DeKoven; October 22, 1907 – January 28, 1988)"Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1871-1915", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7CM-2LN : Sat Mar 09 19:26:23 UTC 2024), Entry for Roger Bemet Dekoven and Bernard Dekoven, 1906."Roger DeKoven, 81, Stage Actor; Career Hurt by McCarthy-Era Newsletter ". The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1988. pt. 1, p. 28. was an American actor on stage, radio, television and film, known for his versatility,"Narrates and Plays Role in WQBC Program; Roger DeKoven Shows Versatility in Famous Jury Trials". The Vicksburg Post. October 26, 1945. p. 2."Radio's Busiest Freelance on 'Gang Busters'". The Jackson Sun. September 22, 1946. sec. 2, p. 12. and, in particular, for his portrayals of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. in the Broadway musical, Funny Girl,New York Times News Service (January 30, 1988). "Stage Actor Once Placed on Blacklist". Chicago Tribune. Sec. 1, p. 6. and of Professor Jason Allen in the landmark anti-war—and anti-Nazi—radio drama Against the Storm.Dunning, John (1976). Tune in Yesterday : The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. pp. 19, 169, 667. . H appeared frequently on Grand Central Station,Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 290. . Dimension X, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, and—while employed as leading man/director of a stock company in the mid-1930s—directed the young Danny Kaye.

Early life and career A native of Chicago, Illinois, DeKoven was one of seven children born to Bernard DeKoven and Clara Turner."Obituaries: Dr. Bernard DeKoven". Chicago Tribune. August 12, 1940. p. 24. His father was a Russian-born Jew known for his active participation in Zionist affairs and Jewish charitable work.

Following his graduation from John Marshall High School,"Heard From the Schools: John Marshall High School". High School Life. October 1922. p. 180. DeKoven attended the University of Chicago, Northwestern, and Columbia. He made his Broadway debut in 1926 in Franz Werfel's Juarez and Maximilian.Willis, John (1988). Theatre World. New York: Crown Publishers. p. 200. . That same year, De Koven performed with Moscow's Habima Theatre troupe during their tour of the US.

In 1940, De Koven appeared at The New School for Social Research in Shakespeare's King Lear (the first American production staged by the school's founder, Erwin Piscator), playing Edmund to Sam Jaffe's Lear.

Variety's Tom Morse, at the conclusion of his article assessing Off Broadway's 1965–1966 season, includes de Koven's performance in Deadly Game—an adaptation of Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt's A Dangerous Game—in his list of the year's outstanding performances. Of his performance as Paul Hirsch in the touring company of Leonard Spigelgass's Dear Me, the Sky is Falling, reviewed at the Tappan Zee Playhouse, Nyack Journal-News critic Mariruth Campbell writes, "DeKoven [...] gives the role wondrous value by impressing the audience with Paul's basic solidity while seemingly the too-easily led marriage partner. He clearly shows Paul admires as well as adores his fix-it mama." Regarding De Koven's portrayal of Justice Lawrence Walgrave in a 1969 production of Agatha Christie's 10 Little Indians, Home News drama critic Ernest Albrecht notes, "DeKoven is particularly good at making an enormous change in character go down without our gagging on it."

Personal life and death From June 6, 1927, DeKoven was married to the former Mina Meltz."New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24WC-MRR : Tue Feb 20 20:41:59 UTC 2024), Entry for Roger De Koven and Mina Meltz, 6 Jun 1927. They had two children.

On January 28, 1988, DeKoven died of cancer at his home in Manhattan.

Acting credits

Stage Opening dateClosing dateTitleRoleTheatreNotes RefsJan 26, 1927Apr 1927The Mystery ManAnsonNora Bayes Theatre Mar 20, 1936 Apr 1936 First KnightManhattan TheatreWritten by T.S. Eliot; music by A. Lehman EngelJan 7, 1937May 15, 1937The Eternal RoadFanaticManhattan Opera House Music by Kurt Weill; text by Franz Werfel. Adapted by William A. Drake, from translation by Ludwig Lewisohn; staged by Max Reinhardt. Dec 21, 1941Feb 7, 1942Brooklyn, U.S.A.AlbertForrest TheatreWritten by John Bright and Asa Bordages. Oct 17, 1945Oct 27, 1945The AssassinAdmiral Marcel VesperyNational TheatreWritten by Irwin Shaw Nov 16, 1946May 10, 1947Joan of LorraineJeffsonAlvin TheatreWritten by Maxwell Anderson; produced by The Playwrights' Company Nov 18, 1954Dec 4, 1954Abie's Irish RoseDr. Jacob SamuelsHoliday TheatreWritten by Anne Nichols Nov 17, 1955Jun 2, 1956The LarkThe PromoterLongacre TheatreWritten by Jean Anouilh; book adapted by Lillian Hellman; incidental music by Leonard Bernstein. Jan 23, 1957Mar 16, 1957The Hidden RiverDr. MontaltiPlayhouse TheatreWritten by Ruth Goetz and Augustus Goetz, based on the novel by Storm Jameson; directed by Robert Lewis. Oct 24, 1957Feb 22, 1958CompulsionFerdinand FeldscherAmbassador TheatreAdapted from his novel of the same name by Meyer Levin; late made into like-named film. Oct 19, 1959Jul 1, 1961The Miracle WorkerDoctorPlayhouse TheatreWritten by Anton Chekhov; translation by Constance Garnett Dec 8, 1959Feb 20, 1960The Fighting CockThe MilkmanANTA PlayhouseLucienne Hill's adaptation of Jean Anouilh's playEyles, Allen (1985). Rex Harrison. London: W.H. Allen. p. 185. . Mar 18, 1963Nov 9, 1963TovarichGorotchenko - Replacement (May 27, 1963 - ?)Civic Repertory TheatreMusical based on the comedy by Robert E. Sherwood and Jacques Deval; Nov 11, 1963Nov 16, 1963Arturo UiThe ActorLunt-Fontanne TheatreWritten by Bertolt Brecht; book adapted by George Tabori; incidental music by Jule Styne; directed by Tony Richardson Mar 26, 1964Jul 1, 1967Funny GirlFlorenz Ziegfeld Jr.Winter Garden Theatre, Majestic Theatre, Broadway TheatreJule Styne-Bob Merrill musical with book by Isobel Lennart, based on her original story; directed by Garson KaninJan 4, 1968Feb 10, 1968Saint JoanThe Archbishop of RheimsVivian Beaumont TheatreWritten by George Bernard ShawFeb 29, 1938Apr 6, 1968Tiger at the GatesPriamVivian Beaumont TheatreAdapted by Christopher Fry from Jean Giradoux's play.Apr 25, 1968Jun 8, 1968Cyrano de BergeracJodelet, A Spanish OfficerVivian Beaumont TheatreWritten by Edmond Rostand; book adapted by James Forsyth; incidental music by William Bolcom.Nov 30, 1976Dec 5, 1976HerzlJacob HerzlPalace TheatreWritten by Benjamin Glazer and Vicki BaumNov 14, 1979May 18, 1980StriderVaska/ Mr. WillingstoneHelen Hayes TheatreWritten by Mark Rozovsky, adapted from "Kholstomer: The Story of a Horse" by Leo Tolstoy

Radio + Year Title Role Notes 1938–1944 Myrt and Marge Randy Greenspring Buxton, Frank; Owen, Bill (1972). The Big Broadcast. New York: The Viking Press. p. 168. . 1939–? The O'Neills Chris Mamanos Martin Darrell (radio editor). "President's Mother On Air Tonight; Stanwyck Star of 'So Big' for Radio Theater; Career of Marie Dressler Dramatized Tonight on American Cavalcade; Letter Box". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 13, 1939. p. 18.Buxton; Owen. op. cit. p. 157. 1939–1942, 1949–1950, 1951–1952 Against the Storm Professor Jason McKinley Allen Cox, Jim (2009). The A to Z of American Radio Soap Operas. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press. p. 24. . 1940 Amanda of Honeymoon Hill Charlie Harris Buxton; Owen. op. cit. p. 10. Grand Central Station December 31, 1940 Ep. NA With Arline Blackburn, Alan Reed, DeKovenGray, Robert (December 31, 1940). "Radio Will Greet New Year Without Benefit of ASCAP". The Commercial Appeal. p. 15. 1941–1946 Famous O. Henry Jury Trials Narrator February 25, 1941 Ep. NA Starring Sidney Lumet, w/ Florence Edney, Everett Sloane, DeKoven, Katherine Locke, Richard KollmarHoofnagle, Charles (February 25, 1941). "Radio; The Long and Short of It". Norfolk Ledger-Star. p. 11. February 13, 1942 Ep. NA Starring Sonya Stokowski, w/ Hugh Marlowe, DeKoven, Bill Johnstone and Sam RoskynHoofnagle, Charles (February 13, 1942). "Radio; The Long and Short of It". The Harrisburg Evening News. p. 16. 1942 Abie's Irish Rose Rabbi Samuels (aka Dr. Samuels) Succeeded Richard Gordon and preceded Martin Wolfson, beginning in April 1942 and finishing sometime that year."Here and There on the Air". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. March 15, 1942. p. 7H."On the Air: Radio Briefs". The Circleville Herald. April 13, 1942. p. 5."Here and There on the Air". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 3, 1942. p. 7H."'Abie's Irish Rose' Celebrates Its First Year on the Air Tonight". The Capital Times. January 23, 1943. p. 7. 1942 SuspenseEp. "The Ketler Method" Dr. Ketler 1942–? The Anderson's NA Co-starring with Elizabeth Watts 1942–? The Man Behind the Gun 1942 This We Have Done 1943–? Men at Sea 1943–? Words at War 1943–1944 Brave Tomorrow Hal Lambert Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 50. . 1943 Manhunt 1943–1944 Stella Dallas Count Rudolph Tulana 1943–1952 The Mysterious Traveler Various roles Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 476. . 1944 Voice of the ArmyEp. "Memorial Day, 1944" NA "[P]ays tribute to members of the Women's Army Corps and the Army Nurse Corps." Also feat. Ted Osborn, Lesley Woods, Jone Allison, Michael Fitzmaurice; written by Louis Pelletier"Current Programs on 'Voice of the Army'". Army Life and United States Army Recruiting News. May 1944. p. 17. Retrieved June 28, 2024. 1945 The Living People NA Mini-Series of six weekly 15-minute transcriptions which aired during Lent in February and March 1945."Churches Begin Lenten Services; Ash Wednesday Marked by Services in Tucson". Tucson Daily Citizen. February 14, 1945. p. 2. 1945–? The Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters 1945–? Gang Busters Narrator "Roger DeKoven: Programs/Episodes". Old Time Radio Researchers. 1945–1946; 1950- Road of Life Dr. Fraser; Reid Overton "Radio's Busiest Free-Lance on 'Gang Busters'". The Jackson Sun. Sec. 2, p. 12. 1946–? The Schools Are Yours Tom Webber 1947–? This Is Nora Drake Andrew King Buxton; Owen. op. cit. p. 238. August 30, 1947 Ep. NA Starring Helen Claire, w/ Sydney Smith, DeKoven, Kathleen CordellLittle, Mary (August 30, 1947). "Air Glances". The Des Moines Register. p. 6. October 30, 1948 Ep. "The Millionth Guest" NA Starring Arnold Moss, w/ Leif Ericson, Richard Newton, Viola Roache, Philippa Bevans, DeKovenAitchison, Marion (August 30, 1947). "Election Coverage Outlined in Special Broadcast". The Miami Herald. p. 16-B. June 1, 1950 Hallmark PlayhouseEp. "Crossroads of America" NA August 11, 1952 Crime Does Not PayEp. "The Lady Loves Kittens" NA 1952–1953 Police Blotter 5-minute "capsule thriller" starring DeKoven."New Crime Series Slated on KPLT". The Paris News. November 10, 1952. p. 19. See also: "Radio Highlights, Monday Nov. 10, 1952". The Central New Jersey Home News. November 10, 1952. p. 5. "On the Dial: 5-Minute Capsule Thriller: Police Blotter". La Crosse Tribune. October 1952 The Eternal LightEp. "The Song of Berditchev" Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev December 30, 1976 Radio Mystery TheaterEp. "Your Move, Mr. Ellers" Tim Whelan (the "snoopy insurance investigator") CBS Mystery Theater Radio Show (Archives) (March 13, 2024). "YOUR MOVE MR ELLERS" #574 (Originally aired on December 30, 1976). YouTube. Retrieved June 25, 2024.

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