Lorne Greene (February 12, 1915
– September 11, 1987), was the
stage name of
Lyon Himan Green,
LL.D., a
Canadian actor.
His television roles include
Ben Cartwright on the long-running
western Bonanza, and
Commander Adama in the original
science fiction TV Series Battlestar Galactica. He also worked on the award-winning Canadian television
nature documentary series
Lorne Greene's New Wilderness, and in television commercials as a dog food spokesman.
Early life
Greene was born in
Ottawa,
Ontario to
Russian
Jewish
immigrants, Daniel and Dora Green. He was called "Chaim" by his mother, and his name is shown as "Hyman" on his school
report cards. In his
biography, the author, his daughter Linda Greene Bennett, stated that it was not known when he began using "Lorne", nor when he added an "e" to Green.
