Joel Ashley; Prolific TV, Movie, Broadway Actor

Joel Ashley, 81, actor who portrayed Abraham Lincoln on Broadway and appeared in several motion pictures and television series. Educated at military schools, USC and the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York where he later taught, Ashley got his first Broadway role when he was only 17. He played Lincoln in “Prologue to Glory” and “War President” and also starred in “The Sun Field” and opposite Mae West in “Catherine the Great.” He began working in television in New York in the live dramatic anthology series of the 1950s including “Studio One” and theaters sponsored by Hallmark, Kraft, Philco, Lux and U.S. Rubber. His mellifluous voice also announced for Lucky Strike and he took several roles on radio soap operas. Ashley moved to Hollywood in 1954 to appear in the epic film “The Ten Commandments” and stayed on. Among his other films were “Tension at Table Rock,” “Ghost Town,” “Broken Star” and “The Great Locomotive Chase.” Ashley appeared in several episodes of the television series “Gunsmoke” and played heavies in “Have Gun Will Travel,” “Death Valley Days,” “Wagon Train,” “Cisco Kid” and “The Lone Ranger.” As chairman of the Theater Committee of the Masquer’s Club for many years, Ashley directed and acted in several plays including “Othello” and “Inherit the Wind.” An experienced carpenter, Ashley appeared on the how-to program “The House Doctor” and was also manager of the Wilshire Ebell Theater. During World War II, Ashley was a Marine and was wounded at Guadalcanal. On Friday in Los Angeles.