A tall (6'4"), imposing baritone with roots in the musical theater, Harve Presnell played the hubby of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" on Broadway (1960), on tour (1962), and in the movie with Debbie Reynolds (1964). But filmed musicals were on the wane, and he spent four decades on stage until such films as "Fargo" (1996) made him a viable character player of the big screen.

An operatic singer in the mold of Howard Keel, Presnell was performing throughout the country when composer Meredith Willson wrote the role of Johnny 'Leadville' Brown in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" just for him. After