Prior to his Hollywood acting career, New York-born Mel Welles held a
variety of jobs, including clinical psychologist, writer and radio
deejay. After some stage work he wound up in Hollywood, making his film
debut in
Treffpunkt Honduras (1953).
His best and favorite role, as flower shop owner Gravis Mushnick in
director Roger Corman's horror comedy
Kleiner Laden voller Schrecken (1960),
was one of his last before leaving the US in the early 1960s and
forging a long acting-producing-directing career in Europe. After his
return to the US Welles again acted, did voice-over work and made
appearances at autograph shows.
