Maurice Cass

Maurice Cass (October 12, 1884 – June 8, 1954) was a character actor on stage and in films and television shows.

Maurice Cass
Cass c. 1950
Born	(1884-10-12)October 12, 1884 Vilan, Russia
Died	June 8, 1954(1954-06-08) (aged 69) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
Years active	1932–1954

Born in Vilan, Russia Empire, he moved to America at one year of age. When he was 17, he toured the southern United States with a repertory company.[1]

His slight build, frizzy hair and pince-nez glasses cast him as the "absent minded professor" or eccentric scientist type in many of his films, such as the character who discovers the element kryptonite in Adventures of Superman.

He is best remembered for his role as Professor Newton in the 1954 TV science fiction show Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.

Cass's Broadway credits included The Sky's the Limit (1934), Broadway Boy (1932), Wild Waves (1932), Wonder Boy (1931), Overture (1930), The Violet and One, Two, Three (1930), The Novice and the Duke (1929), The Broken Chain (1929), and Faust (1928).[2]

He died of a heart attack at age 69 while the Rocky Jones show was still in production; his Professor Newton character was replaced by a new character, Professor Mayberry.