"Heaven Can Wait": Actors and Characters


Figure 1.-- Henry as a child was played by Scotty Beckett and as a teenager by Dickie Moore. Both boys were very well known child actors. They were in large numbers of films. Generally they played small roles as children in films rather than being the stars in films built around them.

Several boys were pictured in the film with period costumes. This gets complicated because there were different boys depicted at different ages. The staring role of Henry Van Cleeve was played by Don Ameche. Henry as a child was played by Scotty Beckett and as a teenager by Dickie Moore. Both boys were very well known child actors. They were in large numbers of films. Generally they played small roles as children in films rather than being the stars in films built around them. This is how they fit into "Heaven Can Wait". Henry played by Scotty is seen here wearing the sailor suit in the stills. The goodie goodie boy, Albert, was played as a 15-year old boy by Dickie Jones. Henry's son son Jack is played by Niono Pepitone. I'm not sure who plays the little girl here.

Don Ameche

The staring role of Henry Van Cleeve was played by Don Ameche. He plays a kind hearted philander. Ameche is quite good in the film. The double stanfard didn't seem to bother 1943 audiences. I don't think his character would be as positively received by modern audiences.

Scotty Beckett

Henry as a child was played by Scotty Beckett. Henry played by Scotty is seen here wearing the sailor suit in the stills. Scotty was a very well known child actor. He was in large numbers of films. Generally he played small roles as a child in films rather than being the star in film built around them. This is how he fit into "Heaven Can Wait". Scotty is quite good in the role. The scene with him wearing the sailor suit with the little girl is quite charming.

Dickie Moore

Henry as a teenager is played by by Dickie Moore. He does a comendable job. Like Scotty, Dickie commonly played these roles of the main character as a child or in this case a teenager. Dickie by this time had outgrown child roles. He was not at all pleased by the knnepants costume as he wanted to project a more mature image. In the part he finds himself competing with his father for the same girl friend--a show girl. This was one of the last major films in which he played.

Dickie Jones

The goodie goodie boy, Albert, was played as a 15-year old boy by Dickie Jones. He is not an actor who I am familiar with, but he does a fine job of depicting the supercillious Albert.

Unidentified Actor

I had thought Henry's son son Jack is played by Niono Pepitone. A HBC reader, however, tells us that this was an adilt actor. I think Tod Andrews played Jack as an adult. The unidentified child actor plays the part of Jack beautifully . Jack is a chip off the old block. He is spoiled and mischievous is a boyish sort of way. He has clearly inherited this from his father (played by Don Ameche).

Marlene Mains

Marlene Mains plays Mary, the little girl that Henry is playing with in the scene at the beginning of the film. They are in the park. Henry is dressed in a sailor suit. Mary wears a fancy bonnet and blue coat. Her coat has a lace and velvet collar.








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Created: 3:36 AM 10/26/2005
Last updated: 12:52 AM 10/27/2005