Donald Curtis (February 27, 1915 – May 22, 1997) was a versatile American actor who, after a successful career as a contract player in Hollywood’s Golden Age, left acting to become a respected spiritual and metaphysical teacher.
With his handsome and distinguished presence, Curtis was a reliable supporting actor for major studios like MGM and Columbia. He appeared in numerous classic films, often playing doctors, military officers, or professional men. His memorable roles include Judy Garland’s suitor in the beloved musical Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), a staff member at the sanitarium in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945), and the architect Mered in Cecil B. DeMille’s epic The Ten Commandments (1956).
He is also well-remembered by science-fiction fans for his role as the treacherous alien-collaborator, Dr. Rassmussen, in the classic invasion film Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In the mid-1950s, Curtis largely retired from acting to devote his life to the Church of Religious Science, becoming a popular lecturer, teacher, and author on spiritual subjects
