Don Ameche born Dominic Felix Amici May 31 1908 December 6 1993 was a versatile and popular American film actor in the 1930s and 40s usually as the dapper mustached leading man He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time As his film popularity waned in the 1950s he continued working in theater and some TV His film career surged in a comeback in the 1980s with fine work as an aging millionaire in Trading Places 1983 and a rejuvenated oldster in Cocoon 1985 Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor Ameche standing in at a height of 5 11 18 m was born May 31 1908 Gemini in Kenosha Wisconsin USA as Dominic Felix Amici to mother Barbara Edda Hertel and father Felice Amici a bartender Has a younger brother Jim Ameche His father was an Italian immigrant His mother had German English Irish and Scottish ancestry Americans pronounced his last name incorrectly in Italian Ahmeesee So he changed it from Amici correctly pronounced Ahmeechee into Ameche in order to keep the original Italian pronunciation He had the nickname The Latin Lover Married Honore Prendergast on the 6th of December 1932 They had 6 children together Became a father for the first time at age 25 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Dominic Felix Amecheaka Don Ameche Jr on October 3 1933 Became a father for the second time at age 27 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Ronald Ameche on December 30 1935 He died on January 2 2001 in Iowa aged 65 Became a father for the third time at age 31 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Thomas Anthony Ameche on July 20 1939 Became a father for the fourth time at age 32 when his wife Honore gave birth to their son Lawrence Michael Ameche on July 20 1940 Became a father for the fifth time at age 36 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Barbara Balinda Ameche on March 13 1945 Became a father for the sixth time at age 39 when his wife Honore gave birth to their daughter Constance Victoria Ameche on February 22 1948 His wife of 54 years died on the 5th of September 1986 He died on December 6 1993 at the age of 85 in Scottsdale Arizona USA from prostate cancer