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, where he made his first film, `Appointment in Honduras`, in 1953. His best and favorite role, as flower shop owner Gravis Mushnick in director Roger Corman`s horror comedy `The Little Shop of Horrors` was one of his last before leaving the U.S. in the early `60s and forging a long acting-producing-directing career in Europe. After his return to the U.S., Welles again acted, did voice-over work and made appearances at autograph shows