Person biography:
Paul Ford Weaver was born on November 2, 1901, in Baltimore, Maryland. He dropped out of Dartmouth College and worked as a salesman during the Great Depression. Ford married and had a family, but he didn't pursue his passion for acting until his early 40s. He initially worked in puppetry and later found success on radio and stage.
Ford made his off-Broadway debut in 1939 and transitioned to Broadway, appearing in plays such as "Decision," "Kiss Them for Me," "Flamingo Road," and "Command Decision." He then began his film career, starting with uncredited roles and gradually moving on to credited roles in films like "Lust for Gold," "The Kid from Texas," and "Perfect Strangers."
Ford also had a successful television career, appearing in anthology series such as "Armstrong Circle Theatre," "The Ford Theatre Hour," "The Philco Television Playhouse," "Suspense," and "Studio One in Hollywood." He earned a huge hit on Broadway with his portrayal of Colonel Wainright Purdy in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play "Teahouse of the August Moon," which he also adapted into a film.
Ford's most notable role was as Colonel Hall in the TV series "The Phil Silvers Show," for which he was Emmy-nominated three times. He also appeared in the film adaptation of the play "The Music Man" and had successful Broadway runs in "Thurber's Carnival" and "Never Too Late."
Ford continued to work in film throughout the 1960s and 1970s, taking on character roles in films like "Advise & Consent," "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World," "The Spy with a Cold Nose," and "The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming." He retired in 1972 and died four years later due to a massive heart attack.
