Daniel Boone star dies at 95 – .

Ed Ames starred as Mingo on the 1960s TV series “Daniel Boone,” and he sang hit songs such as “My Cup Runneth Over.” 

Ed Ames’s legacy 

Ames found his way into show business alongside his family, singing with three of his brothers as the Ames Brothers. Their hits in the 1950s included “Rag Mop,” “Sentimental Me,” and “You You You.” Ames was the last of the Ames Brothers to survive. After the group disbanded in 1963, he continued singing in a solo career, releasing such popular singles as “My Cup Runneth Over,” “Time, Time,” and “When the Snow Is on the Roses.” They were all easy listening chart-toppers, and “My Cup Runneth Over” was also a Top Ten success on mainstream radio. 

As Ames’ solo career was ramping up, he began acting with appearances on the TV westerns “The Rifleman” and “Redigo.” Though he was of Ukrainian Jewish heritage, in 1964, he was cast as the Native American character Mingo on “Daniel Boone,” companion to the title character. He developed proficiency with axe throwing while playing Mingo, which he demonstrated on a memorable episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Having heard about Ames’ skill, Carson had a wooden target of a cowboy placed on stage, and Ames threw an axe at it. The axe lodged firmly in the target’s groin, handle angled up, and the audience burst into laughter that, fueled by a few choice on-liners by Carson, lasted a full four minutes – said to be the longest studio audience laugh in TV history. 

Ames’ later TV appearances included “McCloud,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Jake and the Fatman.” He was also a stage actor, starring on Broadway as Chief Bromden in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” In later years, he toured with the Kenley Players circuit, performing Broadway shows across the Midwest. 

Tributes to Ed Ames 

Full obituary: Variety 

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