Who was Ed Ames? American Singer and Actor Dead at 95

Ed Ames was an American singer and actor who has been reported dead by his family. According to them, he died on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at age 95. His death occurred in his home in Los Angeles.

He grew up in a very poor household with his brothers. While they were still in high school, they formed a quartet and often won competitions around the Boston area.

Three of the brothers later formed the Amory Brothers quartet and went to New York City, where they were hired by bandleader Art Mooney. The Ames Brothers were first signed on with Decca Records in 1947, but because of the Musician Union’s ban in 1948, (a holdover from the 1942-1944 musicians’ strike).

The Ames brothers disbanded in the early 1960s, and Ed Ames started pursuing an acting career, studying at the Herbert Berghof School. He made his acting debut acting in an Off-Broadway production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and went on to star in others including The Fantasticks, Carnival, and more.

He was regularly cast as a Native American due to his dark complexion and sharp facial features. He played Chief Bromden in the Broadway production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.