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IMDbPro

Michael Vale(1922-2005)

  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Michael Vale, the character actor best known for his role as Fred the Baker in television commercials for Dunkin' Donuts, was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 28, 1922. He studied acting at New York City's Dramatic Workshop and made his movie debut in a bit part in director Fred Zinnemann's cinematic adaptation of Michael V. Gazzo's Une poignée de neige (1957). He made his Broadway debut in the play "The Egg" in January 1962 in support of star Michael Constantine. The play flopped, lasting a total of only eight performances. He followed it up with two more Broadway flops in 1964 before making good with "The Impossible Years," which debuted on October 13, 1965 and did not close until May 27, 1967 after a total of 670 performances. He appeared in four more plays on Broadway in the next decade, but the only hit was Neil Simon's "California Suite," for which he was a standby.

While Vale never made much of an impression in movies, he appeared in over 1,300 TV commercials. The Dunkin' Donuts ads featuring his character Fred, whose signature line was "Time to make the doughnuts," ran for 15 years from 1982 until 1997, when Vale retired.

Michael Vale died on December 24, 2005 in New York City of complications from diabetes. He was 83 years old.
BornJune 28, 1922
DiedDecember 24, 2005(83)
BornJune 28, 1922
DiedDecember 24, 2005(83)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels

Known for

Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man (1976)
Marathon Man
7.4
  • Jewelry Salesman
  • 1976
Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Jane Kean, and Sheila MacRae in The Jackie Gleason Show (1966)
The Jackie Gleason Show
7.9
TV Series
  • Waiter
Looking Up (1977)
Looking Up
8.9
  • Sweedler
  • 1977
Marianna in Guerrilla Girl (1953)
Guerrilla Girl
4.5
  • Pavel Danov
  • 1953

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor



  • John Wheatley in Crown Prosecutor (1995)
    Crown Prosecutor
    3.7
    TV Series
    • Owen O'Donnell
    • 1995
  • On ne vit qu'une fois (1968)
    On ne vit qu'une fois
    6.9
    TV Series
    • Mr. Sizzle
    • 1989
  • 3-2-1 Contact (1980)
    3-2-1 Contact
    8.2
    TV Series
    • Soapy Suds
    • 1980–1988
  • Lisa Bonet, Bill Cosby, Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Phylicia Rashad, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner in Cosby Show (1984)
    Cosby Show
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Mr. Lee
    • 1987
  • Seasons in the Sun
    6.8
    TV Movie
    • Bernie
    • 1986
  • Jane Krakowski, Matthew Ashford, Domini Blythe, Colleen Dion, Terri Eoff, David Forsyth, Lee Godart, Louan Gideon, Marcia McCabe, Jeffrey Meek, Jacqueline Schultz, and Mary Stuart in Search for Tomorrow (1951)
    Search for Tomorrow
    7.0
    TV Series
    • Louis Szabo
    • 1985
  • Dunkin Donuts - Fred the Baker Commercials
    Video
    • Fred the Baker
    • 1981
  • Mr. Gimme
    Short
    • Mr. Saluppo
    • 1979
  • Captain Kangaroo (1955)
    Captain Kangaroo
    8.0
    TV Series
    • 1978
  • The Psychic Parrot
    8.5
    Short
    • Husband
    • 1977
  • Looking Up (1977)
    Looking Up
    8.9
    • Sweedler
    • 1977
  • Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man (1976)
    Marathon Man
    7.4
    • Jewelry Salesman
    • 1976
  • Telly Savalas in Kojak (1973)
    Kojak
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Nightclub Manager (as Michael Vael)
    • 1976
  • Acts of Love and Other Comedies (1973)
    Acts of Love and Other Comedies
    7.3
    TV Movie
    • Dante
    • 1973
  • Richard Widmark in Madigan (1972)
    Madigan
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Mario Zelman
    • 1972

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Michael Vael
  • Born
    • June 28, 1922
    • Brooklyn, New York, USA
  • Died
    • December 24, 2005
    • New York City, New York, USA(complications from diabetes)
  • Spouse
    • Nancy Vale? - December 24, 2005 (his death)
  • Other works
    TV commercials for Dunkin Donuts (as Fred The Baker; 1982-1997)
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    A veteran of the Broadway stage, film and television, Vale appeared in more than 1,300 TV commercials and was best known for his "Fred the Baker," character in a Dunkin'Donuts ad campaign lasted 15 years until he retired in 1997.

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