Roger C. Carmel
Actor

Roger C. Carmel Net Worth

Roger C. Carmel was born on September 27, 1932 in  Brooklyn, New York, United States, is Actor. Roger C. Carmel, who was born September 27, 1932, was named after his grandfather, Roger Charles, who carved the horses for the carousel in New York's Central Park. He became an actor and won television immortality by appearing as Harry Mudd in two classic "Star Trek" episodes, "I, Mudd" and "Mudd's Women." Carmel was one of the few actors, other than the regulars, to appear in two episodes of "Star Trek" as the same character.After appearing on stage, Carmel began working steadily on television in the early 1960s as a character actor, appearing on both dramas ("Route 66") and situation-comedies ("The Dick Van Dyke Show"). The highlight of Carmel's non "Star Trek" acting career came in 1967, when he was cast as Kay Ballard's husband in the TV situation comedy "The Mothers in Law" by Desi Arnaz, the Cuban-born actor and entertainment impresario's first production since I Love Lucy (1951).The network, NBC, was disappointed by the mediocre ratings of "The Mothers-in-Law" and almost canceled it. It picked the show up for a second season after rival network ABC expressed interest in the show, but the network informed Arnaz that they would not give any additional money for the show. Traditionally, salaries are increased when a TV show is picked up for a new season, and all the actors' contracts specifically called for raises in the event of renewal.Show creator Arnaz, who was also producer, director, and writer, called together the cast and crew and told them that although the series had been renewed, there was no money for salary increases. According to Carmel's own recollection, Arnaz was already drawing down multiple salaries on the program, and would shortly cast himself as a supporting character in the series, thus drawing another salary, although Carmel didn't know that at the time. Arnaz elicited a promise from the creative people, the crew and the actors to forgo salary increases to keep the show on the air. All the actors had agreed but one: Roger Carmel. He told Arnaz he would quit unless he received a raise, as per his contract.In a contemporaneous account of the incident, Carmel said, "Desi called me and put it on a personal basis. I didn't feel it should be done that way - it was very unfair of him. Then Desi and the Morris Agency threatened I would be replaced. Kaye Ballard and Eve Arden also called me and asked me to go along, but I wouldn't."Arnaz's response to Carmel's ultimatum was dismissive. "Where else is he going to make two thousand dollars a week?" the producer asked rhetorically. If Arnaz's Desilu production company gave in to Carmel, it would be faced with giving all the cast members a raise, which was financially unviable with the money on offer from NBC. Arnaz was forced to terminate Carmel, who was replaced by fellow "Dick Van Dyke Show" alumnus Richard Deacon for the second season. The show had poor ratings and was canceled after its second season.After being fired from "The Mothers-in-Law,", Carmel's acting career suffered. Other than his Harry Mudd appearances, Carmel's most memorable gig on TV was as Colonel Gumm on "Batman" in 1967. He made regular appearances on the syndicated quiz TV show "Stump The Stars" from 1968 to 1970. Carmel even reprised his most famous role, that of Harry Mudd, in an episode of the animated version of "Star Trek" (1973-75), an indicator of the direction of his future career. However, during the 1970s, he could not secure another regular role as an ongoing character on a TV series, though he continued to appear regularly on sitcoms, mostly in ethnic roles, including appearances on "All In The Family," "Chico and The Man," and "Three's Company." He also appeared in B-movie bombs, including the Jerry Lewis flop "Hardly Working" (1981).At the dawn of the new decade of the 1980s, Carmel finally got another opportunity for the first time in a dozen years, when he was cast as a regular on the network program "Fitz and Bones." An hour-long drama starring the TV comedy-musical duo The Smothers Brothers as investigative reporters, the show was a ratings failure, lasting only one month. After this monumental flop ("Fitz and Bones" was the lowest-rated series for the entire 1981-82 season), character parts dried up and Carmel was reduced to doing voice-over work for children's cartoons, including "The Transformers."Carmel's last triumph as an actor was in commercials. Carmel was a huge hit in advertising playing Senor Naugles, a faux-Mexican Colonel Sanders clone, for the West Coast region Mexican fast food chain Naugles. The commercials were a success and the chain began expanding rapidly. However, both the renewed success of Roger C. Carmel and the fresh success of the chain were, sadly, to prove short-lived.According to acquaintances, Carmel was struck by chest pains on the night he died and called a cab to take him to the hospital. When the cab showed up at his Hollywood high-rise but Carmel did not come down to get it, the doorman sent the cab away, never inquiring why he failed to appear. Carmel was found dead on the floor of his apartment the next morning, November 11, 1986. While there were rumors that he committed suicide (he was rumored to be a recreational drug user), the official cause of death was listed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle in which the organ becomes enlarged. The condition leads to congestive heart failure, which apparently is what struck down Carmel. He was only 54 years old.Roger C. Carmel's body was interred in Glendale, New York.After Carmel's death, Naugles failed to come up with another successful ad campaign, and eventually, its financial fortunes changed. It was eventually acquired by rival Del Taco.
Roger C. Carmel is a member of Actor

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Actor
Birth Day September 27, 1932
Birth Place  Brooklyn, New York, United States
Age 88 YEARS OLD
Died On November 11, 1986(1986-11-11) (aged 54)\nHollywood, California, U.S.
Birth Sign Libra
Cause of death Congestive heart failure
Resting place New Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, Queens, New York
Occupation Actor
Years active 1958–1986

💰 Net worth: $5 Million (2024)

Roger C. Carmel was a well-known actor in the United States, best known for his exceptional performances in various roles. By 2024, his net worth was estimated to reach an impressive $5 million. Throughout his career, Carmel displayed incredible talent and versatility, captivating audiences with his exceptional acting skills. He garnered a significant following and achieved success in both film and television. Carmel's memorable performances solidified his place as a respected and admired figure in the entertainment industry.

Biography/Timeline

1924

According to a letter column in the first volume of the monthly DC Comics Star Trek comic book, Carmel was slated to reprise his role as Harry Mudd in a first-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but died before filming could commence. The storyline would have involved Mudd being discovered cryogenically frozen by the crew of the Enterprise-D in the 24th Century, and heroically sacrificing himself at the end of the episode. After Carmel's death, Jack Angel took over his role as Cyclonus in The Transformers.

1967

Carmel starred as the henpecked husband Roger Buell in the 1967 NBC sitcom The Mothers-in-Law, but was replaced by Richard Deacon in season two. Officially, Carmel had a salary dispute with Producer Desi Arnaz, although, according to rumors, he was fired because his drug use interfered with production.

1981

Carmel's other guest roles included the accountant Doug Wesley on CBS's The Dick Van Dyke Show and Colonel Gumm on ABC's Batman. He also appeared in roles on The Patty Duke Show, I Spy, Blue Light, The Everglades, Hogan's Heroes, Car 54, Where Are You?, Banacek, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Munsters, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Hawaii Five-O, The High Chaparral, All in the Family, and The San Pedro Beach Bums. He was a regular contestant on Pantomime Quiz, also known as Stump the Stars. His film roles included Gambit, Myra Breckinridge, Breezy, Thunder and Lightning, and Jerry Lewis's 1981 comeback film, Hardly Working.

1986

Carmel died in Hollywood, of hypertensive cardiomyopathy in 1986. He was interred in New Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, Queens, New York. His plot is in the section dedicated to his parents' synagogue, Temple Beth Emeth.

Some Roger C. Carmel images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.