Vernon R. DeVinney, a retired sales executive and professional actor, died of heart failure Jan. 22 at his home in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. The former Ten Hills resident was 77.
Mr. DeVinney was born in New York City and raised on Staten Island, where he graduated from high school. He served in the Navy from 1944 to 1945 as an electrician aboard a tanker.
He attended the University of Maryland, College Park, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in speech and drama. He took additional acting training at Catonsville Community College. It was while appearing in a 1952 college production of Good News that he met Mary Janet "Jan" Grimes. They married the following year.
"He was onstage, and I was doing props," said his wife, who is the former subscription manager at the Morris Mechanic Theatre and still visits Baltimore to work as audition coordinator at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
From 1956 until his 1993 retirement, Mr. DeVinney was a sales executive for Moore Business Forms in Baltimore.
In addition to working in sales, Mr. DeVinney also consistently worked as an actor in movies, TV, commercials and industrial training films.
He had roles in films that included ... And Justice for All, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Mannequin and Broadcast News.
He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
After moving to Florida in 1997, Mr. DeVinney became active in the Screen Actors Guild's "Book Pals" program, in which he read weekly to local elementary school pupils.
Mr. DeVinney enjoyed bowling, playing pool and golf.
In addition to his wife, Mr. DeVinney is survived by a son, Kevin J. DeVinney of New Smyrna Beach; two daughters, Lisa Ann DeVinney of Deland, Fla., and Penni Jeanne DeVinney of Port Orange, Fla.; and a grandson.
