You Know the Face, But What's the Name?

Dallas McKennon 1919-2009

2009-07-03T06:46:00.005-05:00

Dallas McKennon turns 90 on the 19th of this month. Not only was Dallas a regular on tv's Daniel Boone as Daniel's friend and storekeeper Cincinnatus; but he played in a host of Disney films and tv shows; was the voice of Archie in the various cartoon series; and was the voice of the one and only Gumby! Dallas has been retired from active film work for some 15 years now, but was still doing live theatrical work as recently as just a few years ago. He lives in Oregon. Happy birthday Dallas!!

Unfortunately, Dallas passed away near his home in Raymond, Oregon on July 14, just five days shy of his 90th birthday. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty and eight children. Thanks Dallas, for so much great entertainment over the last 60 years!!

Kwan Hi Lim 1922-2008

2009-04-21T18:40:00.005-05:00

Kwan Hi Lim was a lawyer by trade. From Korean ancestry, born in Maui, Hawaii, he attended Boston Law College in 1947 and later Duke University. But from about 1970 through 1992, he appeared in many films and television shows filmed on the islands. He was Lt. Tanaka on Magnum, P.I. some 30 times; and he appeared in at least 25 episodes of Hawaii Five-O over a 10+ year period, almost always as a villain. A small, distinguished looking man with white hair, in his later years he was an elected Judge. Lim could play deadly serious, but also had a flair for comedy. The photo at the right shows Mr. Lim in retirement at the age of 82 in 2004. We learned of his death at 86 from a notice in the SAG magazine, Screen Actor. He passed away in Hawaii back on December 22, 2008.

Victor Millan: 1920-2009

2009-04-13T13:23:00.006-05:00

The veteran character actor Victor Millan passed away at his home in Santa Monica April 3, 2009 at at the age of 88. Millan, whose real name was Joseph Brown, was also a beloved faculty member at Santa Monica College, where he was Dean of the Theatre Arts department for many years. Active since about 1950, MIllan appeared in small roles in such films as Touch of Evil, Giant, Terror in a Texas Town, Boulevard Nights and the 1983 Scarface. Much more active in television, Millan appeared in episodes of Hopalong Cassidy, Annie Oakley, and Ramar of the Jungle in the early days of the medium, to Marcus Welby, Columbo, Quincy and others in the 1970s and 1980s.

DVD This Week

2009-04-13T11:33:00.012-05:00

I'm a little behind, so this will be "DVD This Week" for the last couple of weeks. Last week, Shout Factory released the first season of the very well regarded CBS television series The Paper Chase. These are the 22 episodes from the 1978-79 season starring the formidable John Houseman as Prof. Charles W. Kingsfield, a role for which he won an Oscar for Supporting Actor in the movie version a few years earlier. James Stephens is the most committed of students, one James Hart.
Many character actors pop up during the 22 episodes. In semi-regular roles, Betty Harford plays the Professor's loyal secretary, Mrs. Nottingham. Veteran actor Jack Manning plays the university's Dean Rutherford. The late character actor Charles Hallahan plays Hart's tavern owner boss, Ernie. These episodes remind us what a great character man Hallahan was turning into. He was much too young when he died in 1997 at the age of 54. Manning is retired these days and turns 93 this year. He's done it all as an actor, director, writer, and teacher for film, television and the stage. Ms. Harford has not been seen much lately. Now in her 70s, she played a Carrington family cook on several episodes of Dynasty, a few years after The Paper Chase.
Other character actors that appear amongst the 22 episodes include one of the later appearances of Alan Napier; Helen Kleeb; Jan Arvan; Nelson Olmsted; Peggy Rea; Howard Caine; Pat Corley; Pitt Herbert; Vernon Weddle; Harry Davis; and others.
This is a highly recommended set of DVDs.

Week before last, Shout Factory released in inaugural season of ABC-TV's Friday night staple, Room 222. These are the 26 episodes from the 1969-70 season of the series that ended up lasting 5 years. This first season won an Emmy Award for Best New Series and one of the special features has a new interview with character actor Michael Constantine about his Emmy nominated role of school principal Seymour Kaufman. Constantine was and is a great actor, and it's a shame we don't seem him much anymore. With a large cast of supporting roles due to the nature of the series (teachers, parents, etc.), many familiar faces show up, including Ivor Francis, Bill Zuckert, William Schallert, Bernie Kopell, Beah Richards, Bruce Kirby, Donald Moffat, Liam Dunn, Patsy Garrett, Helen Kleeb,Willard Sage and others. Some episodes don't have the "remastered" look that some others have, but this is also a highly recommended set.

Character Actor I.D.: James Nusser

2009-03-12T20:41:00.039-05:00

--Born May 3, 1905 in Ohio
--Died June 9, 1979 in Hollywood, California at the age of 74. He was survived by his wife of 55 years Alice and at least 3 children. He is buried at the Valhalla Cemetary in North Hollywood.
--Was appearing on network radio shows from the mid-1940s; appearing on such series as Cavalcade of America, Lux Radio Theatre, Your Movietown Radio Theatre, Let George Do It, Family Theatre, NBC University Theatre, Screen Director's Playhouse and later Your Truly Johnny Dollar, Adventures of the Saint, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Short Story, The Line-Up, Wild Bill Hickok, Philip Marlowe, Suspense, Stars Over Hollywood, Father Knows Best, The Whistler, The Roy Rogers Show, Escape, Have Gun-Will Travel, Fort Laramie, and Gunsmoke.
--One of Nusser's best friends since the 1940s was comic actor Jim Backus, also an Ohio native.
--His best known role is that of Dodge City's town drunk, Louie Pheeters on the long running tv series Gunsmoke. Nusser played the role more than 70 times over an 11 year period. Episodes from the 1968 and 1969 tend to feature his best characterizations ("The Long Night" and "The Night Riders" among his best).
--In real life, he unfortunately had a drinking problem like his more famous tv character.

Films of James Nusser

BONZO GOES TO COLLEGE 1952
ONE GIRL'S CONFESSION 1953
IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU 1954
MOHAWK 1956
HELL CANYON OUTLAWS 1957
RARE BREED 1966
HILLBILLYS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE 1967
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHT WENT OUT? 1968
HAIL, HERO! 1969
CAHILL, US MARSHAL 1973

Television Work of James Nusser

SPACE PATROL 19510818 UNDERWATER HIDEOUT
GANGBUSTERS 19520000 DURABLE MIKE MALLOY CASE
I MARRIED JOAN 19540317 HOME OF THE WEEK
THE LINEUP 19541210 COP SHOOTING
TV READER'S DIGEST 19550000 AMERICA'S MASTER COUNTERFEITOR
I MARRIED JOAN 19550302 LADY & THE PRIZEFIGHTER
MAN BEHIND THE BADGE 19550528 CASE OF THE UNWELCOME STRANGER
SGT. PRESTON OF THE YUKON 19551229 MAD WOLF OF LOST CANYON
JANE WYMAN SHOW 19560000 NO MORE TEARS
GUNSMOKE 19560317 HELPING HAND
GUNSMOKE 19560526 THE KILLER
DRAGNET 19561227 THE BIG HANDCUFFS
BROKEN ARROW 19570129 THE MISSIONARIES
GUNSMOKE 19570504 CHEAP LABOR
PERRY MASON 19571207 CASE OF THE NEGLIGENT NYMPH
THE LINEUP 19580110 WILLARD PEABODY CASE
THE LINEUP 19580307 LOUIE LAWRENCE CASE
GUNSMOKE 19580308 DOOLEY SURRENDERS
COURT OF LAST RESORT 19580404 TODD-LOOMIS CASE
THE LINEUP 19580530 SAMSON MAGILL CASE
THE TEXAN 19581020 THE FIRST NOTCH
PETER GUNN 19590601 VENDETTA
BAT MASTERSON 19600303 CATTLE AND CANE
GUNSMOKE 19601015 PEACE OFFICER
RIVERBOAT 19601128 THE QUOTA
STAGECOACH WEST 19601213 THE STORM
MRS. G. GOES TO COLLEGE 19610000 MRS. G.'S PRIVATE TELEPHONE
GUNSMOKE 19610325 BIG MAN
BAT MASTERSON 19610406 LEDGER OF GUILT
GUNSMOKE 19610930 PERCE
GUNSMOKE 19611007 OLD YELLOW BOOTS
THE UNTOUCHABLES 19611026 TUNNEL OF HORROR
GUNSMOKE 19611230 A MAN FOR A DAY
TARGET: THE CORRUPTORS 19620000 JOURNEY INTO MORNING
GUNSMOKE 19620106 THE DO-BADDER
BEN CASEY 19620115 IMAGINE A LONG BRIGHT CORRIDOR
GUNSMOKE 19620303 THE GALLOWS
GUNSMOKE 19620526 THE BOYS
GUNSMOKE 19621013 JENNY
GUNSMOKE 19630105 LOUIE PHEETERS
GUNSMOKE 19630202 THE COUSIN
GUNSMOKE 19630302 QUINT'S INDIAN
GUNSMOKE 19630330 WITH A SMILE
GUNSMOKE 19630406 THE FAR PLACES
GUNSMOKE 19630413 PANACEA SYKES
THE FUGITIVE 19630924 THE WITCH
GUNSMOKE 19631012 LEGENDS DON'T SLEEP
GUNSMOKE 19631026 EASY COME
TEMPLE HOUSTON 19631128 BILLY HART
GUNSMOKE 19631221 THE MAGICIAN
GUNSMOKE 19631228 PA HACK'S BROOD
GUNSMOKE 19640208 NO HANDS
GUNSMOKE 19640222 THE BASSOPS
GUNSMOKE 19640307 COMANCHES IS SOFT
GUNSMOKE 19640425 THE PROMOTER
GUNSMOKE 19640606 JOURNEY FOR THREE
GUNSMOKE 19641024 DOCTOR'S WIFE
GUNSMOKE 19641212 INNOCENCE
GUNSMOKE 19650109 RUN SHEEP RUN
GUNSMOKE 19650206 CIRCUS TRICK
GUNSMOKE 19650213 SONG FOR DYING
GUNSMOKE 19650327 THE LADY
GUNSMOKE 19650403 DRY ROAD TO NOWHERE
THE FUGITIVE 19650406 A.P.B.
GUNSMOKE 19650424 GILT GUILT
GUNSMOKE 19650529 HE WHO STEALS
GUNSMOKE 19651016 TAPS FOR OLD JEB
LONG HOT SUMMER 19651028 NO HIDING PLACE
GUNSMOKE 19651106 THE REWARD
GUNSMOKE 19651113 MALACHI
GUNSMOKE 19660122 THE RAID: Parts 1/2
THE ROAD WEST 19660926 THE GUNFIGHTER
GUNSMOKE 19661203 THE NEWCOMERS
GUNSMOKE 19670128 MAIL DROP
GUNSMOKE 19670408 NITRO!: Parts 1/2
GUNSMOKE 19670911 THE WRECKERS
GUNSMOKE 19670918 CATTLE BARONS
GUNSMOKE 19670925 THE PRODIGAL
THE VIRGINIAN 19671004 STAR CROSSED
GUNSMOKE 19671009 VENGEANCE: Parts 1/2
CIMARRON STRIP 19671116 TILL THE END OF THE NIGHT
GUNSMOKE 19671120 STRANGER IN TOWN
WILD WILD WEST 19671124 NIGHT OF THE LEGION OF DEATH
THE VIRGINIAN 19671213 EXECUTION AT TRISTE
GUNSMOKE 19671225 BAKER'S DOZEN
GUNSMOKE 19680108 DEADMAN'S LAW
GUNSMOKE 19680115 NOWHERE TO RUN
GUNSMOKE 19680122 BLOOD MONEY
GUNSMOKE 19680226 MR. SAM'L
GUNSMOKE 19680923 LYLE'S KID
GUNSMOKE 19681014 UNCLE FINNEY
GUNSMOKE 19681021 SLOCUM
GUNSMOKE 19681028 O'QUILLIAN
THE VIRGINIAN 19681106 RIDE TO MISADVENTURE
GUNSMOKE 19681125 RAILROAD
THE OUTSIDER 19681127 I CAN'T HEAR YOU SCREAM
GUNSMOKE 19681216 LOBO
GUNSMOKE 19690113 TIME OF THE JACKALS
GUNSMOKE 19690120 MANNON
GUNSMOKE 19690127 GOLD TOWN
GUNSMOKE 19690203 MARK OF CAIN
GUNSMOKE 19690210 THE REPRISAL
GUNSMOKE 19690217 THE LONG NIGHT
GUNSMOKE 19690224 THE NIGHT RIDERS
GUNSMOKE 19690317 THE PRISONER
GUNSMOKE 19690324 EXODUS 21:22
THEN CAME BRONSON 19690924 THE OLD MOTORCYCLE FIASCO
GUNSMOKE 19690929 STRYKER
GUNSMOKE 19691117 A MATTER OF HONOR
WORLD OF DISNEY 19700301 MENACE ON THE MOUNTAIN: Parts 1/2
GUNSMOKE 19700302 MORGAN
GUNSMOKE 19700309 THE THIEVES
MOD SQUAD 19700929 SEE THE EAGLES DYING
GUNSMOKE 19720103 NO TOMORROW
NIGHT GALLERY 19720105 THE TUNE IN DAN'S CAFE
MANNIX 19720924 CRY SILENCE
THE WALTONS 19721005 THE HUNT
GOODNIGHT MY LOVE 19721017 tv movie
MCMILLAN & WIFE 19750216 LOVE, HONOR & SWINDLE
CANNON 19760107 THE REFORMER
HOW THE WEST WAS WON 19780521

Character Actor I.D.: Robert P. Lieb

2009-02-05T16:22:00.016-05:00

--Born: September 15, 1914 in Pelham, New York.
--Died September 28, 2002 in Los Angeles, California from complications suffered from intestinal surgery earlier in the year. He was survived by his wife of 56 years, Ina and children.
--Lieb appeared in such Broadway productions as Harvey, 'Daniel, Two Blind Mice, and Inherit the Wind.
--He would most often be seen as either comic or dramatic blowhards or authority figures; frequently lawyers and military men.
--His numerous appearances on the tv series Hazel, were as Harry Thompson, Don DeFore's brother-in-law. On My Three Sons, he was next door neighbor Henry Pearson for four years.

Films of Robert P. Lieb

MYSTERY MEN 1999
STARHOPS 1978
PARALLAX VIEW, THE 1974
HOW TO FRAME A FIGG 1971
MYRA BRECKINRIDGE 1970
ANGEL IN MY POCKET 1969
LOVE GOD?, THE 1969
STAY AWAY, JOE 1968
YOURS, MINE AND OURS 1968
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT? 1968
CLAMBAKE 1967
GRADUATE, THE 1967
FORTUNE COOKIE, THE 1966
BRASS BOTTLE, THE 1964
READY FOR THE PEOPLE 1964
HOW THE WEST WAS WON 1962
UNDERWORLD U.S.A. 1961
PORTRAIT IN BLACK 1960
ELMER GANTRY 1960
THAT KIND OF WOMAN 1959
SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME 1956

Television Work of Robert P. Lieb

DANGEROUS HEART 19940000 tv movie
WORLD OF DISNEY 19890409 PARENT TRAP III
ALF 19881114 TURKEY IN THE STRAW: Parts 1/2
MABEL AND MAX 19870731 pilot
ST. ELSEWHERE 19841107 FADE TO WHITE
PORTRAIT OF A SHOWGIRL 19820504 tv movie
CRASH 19770000 tv movie
CHARLIE'S ANGELS 19761020 ANGELS IN CHAINS
COLLISION COURSE 19760104 special
MOST WANTED 19760000
BLUE KNIGHT 19760000
MCDUFF, THE TALKING DOG 19760000
MILLION DOLLAR RIPOFF 19760922 tv movie
S.W.A.T. 19750000 OMEGA ONE
RUN JOE, RUN 19750000
CANNON 19750319 TOMORROW ENDS AT NOON
MISSILES OF OCTOBER 19741218 special (as Gen. Curtis LeMay)
APPLE'S WAY 19740000 THE CANDY DRIVE
HAWKINS 19731113 A LIFE FOR A LIFE
THE F.B.I. 19731021 THE EXCHANGE
MARCUS WELBY, M.D. 19730123
GHOST STORY 19721222 TIME OF TERROR
MARCUS WELBY, MD 19720314 SOLOMON'S CHOICE
ALIAS SMITH & JONES 19720113 MCCREEDY BUST- GOING, GOING, GONE
THE F.B.I. 19710307 TURNABOUT
YOUNG LAWYERS 19700000
THE INTRUDERS 19701110 tv movie
BRACKEN'S WORLD 19690000 A PERFECT PIECE OF CASTING
THE VIRGINIAN 19681016 WIND OF OUTRAGE
BEWITCHED 19680208 A PRINCE OF A GUY
BONANZA 19680107 THE TRACKERS
DUNDEE & THE CULHANE 19670000 THE JUBILEE RAID BRIEF
BEWITCHED 19670316 CRONE OF CAWDOR
THE ROAD WEST 19661003 THE LEAN YEARS
HEY LANDLORD! 19660925 FROM OUT OF THE PAST
F TROOP 19660322 DON'T EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN
THE VIRGINIAN 19660216 HARVEST OF STRANGERS
F TROOP 19660215 SPY, COUNTERSPY, COUNTER
F TROOP 19660104 OUR HERO-WHAT'S HIS NAME
WACKIEST SHIP IN THE ARMY 19650000
HAZEL 19660100 HAZEL'S ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS
HAZEL 19651200 KINDLY ADVISE
THE VIRGINIAN 19651110 NOBILITY OF KINGS
HAZEL 19650805 TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD
ALRED HITCHCOCK HOUR 19650329 COMPLETELY FOOLPROOF
WACKIEST SHIP IN THE ARMY 19650000 pilot
BONANZA 19640426 ENTER THOMAS BOWERS
BING CROSBY SHOW 19640000 JANICE & ME ON A SATURDAY
MY LIVING DOLL 19640000 RHODA'S FIRST DATE
MY FAVORITE MARTIAN 19640202 GOING, GOING, GONE
HAZEL 19640000 HAZEL SQUARES THE TRIANGLE
WENDY & ME 19640000 $5000 chair
DEATH VALLEY DAYS 19631117 MEASURE OF A MAN
ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR 19631108 NOTHING EVER HAPPENS IN LINVALE
GRINDL 19631103 GRINDL, WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE
ROOM FOR ONE MORE 19630000
HAZEL 19630000 ALL HAZEL IS DIVIDED INTO
OUR MAN HIGGINS 19630000 WHO'S ON FIRST?
ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR 19621206 HANGOVER
FATHER OF THE BRIDE 19620601
THE DETECTIVES 19620518 SATURDAY EDITION
IT'S A MAN'S WORLD 19620000 WINNING HIS WAY
HAZEL 19620000 LICENSE TO WED
HAZEL 19620000 HAZEL AND THE LOVE BIRDS
HAZEL 19620000 HAZEL'S DAY
DR. KILDARE 19611109 THE LONELY ONES
MY THREE SONS 19610601 THE SUNDAY DRIVE
PETER GUNN 19610320 COME DANCE WITH ME
MY THREE SONS 19610223 MAN IN THE TRENCH COAT
TWILIGHT ZONE 19601223 NIGHT OF THE MEEK (as Officer Flaherty)
MY THREE SONS 19601222 THE ELOPEMENT
CHEVY MYSTERY SHOW 19600000
CORONADO 9 19601025 I WANT TO BE HATED
TALES OF WELLS FARGO 19601024 ALL THAT GLITTERS
THE DEPUTY 19600924 DEADLY BREED
BONANZA 19600109 THE OUTCASTS
ONE STEP BEYOND 19591208 THE STONE CUTTER
PERRY MASON 19591114 CASE OF PAUL DRAKE'S DILEMMA
HALLMARK HALL OF FAME 19591026 WINTERSET
PERRY MASON 19581004 CASE OF PINT-SIZED CLIENT
MIKE HAMMER 19580614 THE BROKEN FRAME
THE CALIFORNIANS 19580513 THE INNER CIRCLE
JEFFERSON DRUM 19580505 LAW AND ORDER
BLONDIE 19570000
KRAFT THEATER 19570000
PHIL SILVERS SHOW 19570326 BILKO GOES SOUTH
PHIL SILVERS SHOW 19560306 COURT MARTIAL
PHIL SILVERS SHOW 19560131 TRANSFER
ROBERT MONTGOMERY PRESENTS 19550000 THE CYPRESS TREE
PHILCO TELEVISION PLAYHOUSE 19550109 WALK INTO THE NIGHT
STUDIO ONE 19540000 THE EXPENDABLES
DANGER 19540803 THE KEY
MAN BEHIND THE BADGE 19540725 CASE OF PHANTOM FIRE
GOODYEAR TELEVISION PLAYHOUSE 19540704 SUITABLE FOR FRAMING
STUDIO ONE 19540111 REMARKABLE INCIDENT AT CARSON CORNERS
MAN BEHIND THE BADGE 19531206 BUFFALO, NEW YORK STORY
LUX VIDEO THEATRE 19530323 ONE FOR THE ROAD
OUT THERE 19511216 SEVEN TEMPORARY MOONS
ROBERT MONTGOMERY PRESENTS 19500605 HAMPION
KRAFT THEATER 194800901 ICEBOUND
KRAFT THEATRE 19480512 BROKEN DISHES
BORDEN TELEVISION THEATRE 19470525 WELECOME JEREMIAH
LIGHTS OUT 19460630 FIRST PERSON SINGULAR (pilot)
MR. MERGENTHWIRKER'S LOBBLIES 19460000
MR. & MRS. NORTH 19460000 special presentation

Russ Conway 1913-2009

2009-02-04T23:27:00.006-05:00

The veteran actor Russell Conway died January 12 at the age of 95. He had been retired many years and living in Laguna Woods, California. Born in Manitoba, Canada as Russell Clarence Zink April 25, 1913, Mr. Conway's older brother also became an actor and changed his name to Donald Woods (1906-98). Russell began his career on Broadway in the play Land is Bright in 1938; served in WWII; and took up his acting
career in Hollywood in 1947, where he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild for over 60 years. He appeared in hundreds of films and television shows, including such titles as Twelve O'Clock High, War of the Worlds, Love Me Tender, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, and Our Man Flint. His television work includes Wagon Train, The Fugitive, Sea
Hunt, The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible, and the role of father Fenton Hardy in the Hardy Boys serials on the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club. Conway could do westerns to detective shows, drama or comedy. Thanks Russ, for many years of enjoyment!

Character Actor I.D.

2009-01-25T15:15:00.011-05:00

An attempt is going to be made to update this site. The best laid plans did not come to fruition when the blog was started, but maybe now we can see some regular updates. Let's start with a few photos and make some identifications and throw in a little biographical info as well...

The actor to the left is a familiar face, but few would know his name. Will Wright was born in San Francisco and spent years in the newspaper business before he entered the world of acting. The photo at the left is from about 1960, but it seemed that Will Wright always looked old. His film and television career lasted a mere 22 years, not all that long for one of such lugubrious features. His films include State Fair, Wilson, Bambi, The Blue Dahlia, Jolson Story, All the King's Men, Adam's Rib, The Wild One, Johnny Guitar, Inherit the Wind and Cape Fear, to name but a few. On television, he was Mr. Merivale the florist on Dennis the Menace; the father of Teensy and Weensy on the Tennessee Ernie Ford episode of I Love Lucy; and Scrooge-like store owner Ben Weaver in three episode of the Andy Griffith Show. There is also some incorrect information on the internet that suggests this gentleman owned and operated an ice cream parlor in Hollywood. This trivia is incorrect in that a man named Wilbur Wright (Wil for short) owned these ice cream parlors. Our Will Wright was content to be just a working actor right up until his death in June of 1962 at the age of 71.

Happy Birthday Charles Lane !!

2007-01-27T11:05:00.001-05:00

Well, one of the great character actors of all time, Mr. Charles Lane, turned 102 years old yesterday (Jan 26). No news yet on how Mr. Lane spent his birthday, but work continues on a documentary that is being done that was started shortly before he turned 100 in January of 2005. One might also note that Mr. Lane was born in San Francisco, and that he is also one of the few living survivors of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.

In an active film career that spanned 1932-1995, Mr. Lane stepped before a camera for more than 600 different productions, but is probably best known for some of his television roles. He was Homer Bedloe on the CBS-TV series Petticoat Junction during the 1960s. He was Lucy's boss Mr. Barnsdahl on the first season of her second series, The Lucy Show, from 1962-63. There aren't too many actors that can say they appeared on top rated series in the 1950s like I Love Lucy and Perry Mason, as well as top rated series in the 1970s and 80s like Soap, L.A. Law, Hunter, and others.

Mr. Lane is fond of his association with famed film director Frank Capra, having appeared in several of his films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Dees Goes to Town, State of the Union, and It's a Wonderful Life. But he also appeared in films with the Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, Bob Hope, Jack Benny and Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy and he was in It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He was in Blondie, Tarzan, and Ellery Queen movies. He had parts in classics like 42nd Street, In Old Chicago, Mighty Joe Young. He worked for the folks at Disney several times in such productions as The Gnome Mobile, The Ugly Dachshund, My Dog the Thief, and The Aristocats. The list goes on and on and on and on...

So, a happy, happy birthday to Charles Lane. More than 75 years in show business, and still everybody's favorite "mean, old, grouchy skinflint".

(photo at left was taken for his 100th birthday two years ago)

Obit

2007-01-03T19:34:00.000-05:00

Another loss in the ranks of "veteran character actors"... Frank Campanella died December 30 at the age of 87. He had worked in films and tv since 1949, almost always playing the imposing tough guy (after all, he was 6 ft, 5 in. tall). He was one of a half dozen or so actors who probably played more cops than any other actors (guys like Ken Lynch and William Boyett). He could occasionally do comedy, but was most often seen in dramatic roles. The New York-born actor continued to work up until a couple years ago. Among his survivors are his younger actor brother, Joseph Campanella.

Still Working & Happy Birthday!!

2007-01-02T17:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to character actor Louis Guss. Mr. Guss turns 89 on January 4th. Still working, he has a small role as a court clerk in the feature film Find Me Guilty. Living in New York for the last several years (instead of Hollywood), he's in his sixth decade of acting professionally. (the photo at right is from 1978)

Character Actor Hall of Fame: Charles Lane

2006-12-30T08:07:00.000-05:00

Our next inductee as a member of the Character Actor Hall of Fame is being announced now, so that we may celebrate over the next few weeks. Charles Lane, film and television character actor for over 75 years, will turn 102 years old on January 26! Biographical information and more photos will be added to the post in the coming days and weeks. Happy Birthday to the screen's most beloved "skinflint"!

Return of the "Yessssssss..." Man

2006-12-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

One of the great character actor actors of radio and television (he never really did much film work) was the late Frank Nelson. He is of course, best remembered as the man who forever annoyed Jack Benny in both his radio and television shows for over 35 years, with his elongated "Yessssssssssss". Ususally as a floorwalker, clerk, waiter, or some other officious role, Nelson would appear and gain some of the biggest laughs of the episode.

Born in Colorado Springs in 1911, and raised in Denver, Frank Nelson started out in radio in the late 1920s at KOA in Denver; he moved to Hollywood in 1929. He married actress Mary Lansing in 1933, and they had two children. While working on the Benny program in radio, he appeared on many other shows, including Lux Radio Theatre, Fibber McGee & Molly, Abbott & Costello, Baby Snooks, Blondie as well as hundreds of others. He joined Benny in the earliest days of television, but also found time to appear with Lucille Ball in several episodes of I Love Lucy (in the last season, he neighbor Ralph Ramsey), as well as doing numerous voice overs for animated series (such as The Flinstones and The Jetsons) and commercials.

He continued to appear with Benny until the comedian's weekly series went off the air in 1965, but he returned to do bits in a couple of Jack's tv specials in the early 1970s. He did several episodes of the hit 1970s tv series Sanford & Son, as well as appearing on screen in numerous tv commercials for McDonald's hamburgers. Frank Nelson was one of the most highly regarded actors in his profession due to his work off screen for the benefit of his fellow actors, He was one of the founders of the union American Federation of Radio Actors, as well as being the driving force behind their pension and welfare fund years later. He eventually divorced Ms. Lansing, and married fellow radio actor Veola Vonn in 1970 ; they were married until his death from cancer in September of 1986.

DVD this week

2006-12-21T19:10:00.000-05:00

Out on Tuesday was the latest wave of Disney Treasures. Disney was a fan of character actors, and one of the live-action treasures out this week is from Disney's Mickey Mouse Club. "The Hardy Boys: Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" star Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk as Frank and Joe Hardy. But character actors abound, including Russ Conway as their father and Sarah Selby as their Aunt Gertrude in each of the more than two dozen episodes. You'll also find Robert Foulk, Arthur Shields, Jess Kirkpatrick, Mort Mills, Charles Cane, and as Silas Applegate, the wonderful Florenz Ames (above).
Ames was in vaudeville and later appeared on Broadway from the 1920s to the 1950s. He was Ellery Queen's father in the early 1950s tv series; he played Dagwood's boss Mr. Dithers, on the first Blondie tv series in the late 1950s; but I can find no credits for him after 1959. He was born in Rochester, New York in January 1883 and appeared in vaudeville with his wife Adelaide Winthrop. I also can't find any record of his death, so we have a bit of a mystery...whatever happened to Florenz Ames???

Obit

2006-12-21T18:53:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, there have been few deaths among the character actor ranks. Rudy Diaz, a former policeman turned actor died on December 5 at 88. He worked most often in television, doing mostly cop show and westerns.

Born in Wales in 1919, character actor Ivor Barry (at right) could be found playing butlers, chauffeurs, or stuffy Britishers. Mr. Barry died December 12 from heart failure. He had been retired a number of years, and was living at the Motion Picture House in Woodland Hills, California.

Also, veteran character actor Adam Williams (left) died on December 4 from lymphoma; he was 84. He appeared in many westerns, as well as classic films such as North by Northwest, The Big Heat, The Flying Leathernecks, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, among others.

Busy, busy, busy...

2006-12-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

The time of year has kept me pretty busy lately. But here are several posts to try and catch me up with things from the last week or so.

George Chandler

2006-12-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

You knew the face was George Chandler, you just couldn't place the name...

He was born in Waukegan, Illinois June 30, 1898. He went into vaudeville in 1919 billed as George Chandler, the Musical Nut. Chandler started in films in 1927 in a series of shorts called "Tenderfoot Thrillers" for Universal. Beginning with 1937's A Star is Born, he appeared in over 20 of famed director William Wellman's films. He is probably best remembered as Uncle Petrie in the Lassie television series. He succeeded Ronald Reagan as President of the Screen Actors Guild in 1960 and served until 1963. After losing his first wife, Catherine Ward in 1963, he married Helen Gutcheon in 1968. Due to the onset of Alzheimer's Disease in 1980, Chandler was forced to retire. He died June 10, 1985 from complications following cancer surgery.

The "Yessssssss Man"

2006-12-08T06:44:00.001-05:00

Frank Nelson.
One of the reasons I've linked Mark Evanier's site to this weblog, is that he writes so much about the things I am interested in. Occasionally, various character actors are written about. This specific link is to a wonderful story he wrote about Frank Nelson, everyone's favorite "yessss man". I'll write some biographical info on Mr. Nelson later, but first read Mark's story, originally published eleven years ago, it's real show business, through and through.

you know this face...

2006-12-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

He worked with W.C Fields in 1933.
It's said he may have played more newspaper reporters in movies than any other actor.
He was Uncle Petrie on tv's Lassie.
His favorite director was William Wellman, and he appeared in nearly every film the director made.
He was at one time, President of the Screen Actors Guild.
His last role was in Disney's Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again in 1979.

What's the name to go with this familiar face?

Character Actor Hall of Fame: Percy Helton

2006-12-05T19:53:00.000-05:00

Born January 31, 1894 in New York City.
Married to actress Edna Eustace from 1931, she was 18 years his junior. She died in 1976 at the age of 64. They had no children.
Began his show business career while still an infant, appearing in his father Alf Helton's vaudeville act.
As a child, he worked for famed producer David Belasco on Broadway just after the turn of the century. The great George M. Cohan used him in several plays.
After service in WWI, and one report suggesting he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Mr. Helton returned to the stage and appeared in such Broadway productions as One Sunday Afternoon, In Love With Love, Ah, Wilderness!, To The Ladies, All the Comforts of Home, Young America and some 20 others up through the early 1940s.
After playing a role that required him to scream for much of the play, Mr. Helton's voice became permanently hoarse, resulting in one of the most familiar voices in movies and television.
In WWII, while too old to serve, he and his wife toured overseas to entertain the troops in such plays as The Front Page.
In his spare time, Mr. Helton enjoyed Barbershop Quartet music and attended the famed Masquers Club in Hollywood, where he served for many years as 2nd Vice President. One of his close friends during the last 15 years of his life was fellow aged character actor Burt Mustin.
Died September 11, 1971 in Hollywood, California from natural causes.
Films of Percy Helton...
DAY OF THE WOLVES 1973
BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID 1969
HEAD 1968
BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY, A 1966
DON'T WORRY, WE'LL THINK OF A TITLE 1966
DEAR BRIGITTE 1965
SONS OF KATIE ELDER, THE 1965
ZEBRA IN THE KITCHEN 1965
HUSH . . . HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE 1964
4 FOR TEXAS 1963
WHEELER DEALERS, THE 1963
MUSIC MAN, THE 1962
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY 1962
WHERE THE BOYS ARE 1960
PROUD REBEL, THE 1958
SHEEPMAN, THE 1958
RALLY 'ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS! 1958
GUNS DON'T ARGUE 1957
JAILHOUSE ROCK 1957
LOOKING FOR DANGER 1957
PHANTOM STAGECOACH, THE 1957
SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROCK? 1957
SPOOK CHASERS 1957
THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT 1957
BOSS, THE 1956
FURY AT GUNSIGHT PASS 1956
TERROR AT MIDNIGHT 1956
CRASHOUT 1955
DIANE 1955
JAIL BUSTERS 1955
KISS ME DEADLY 1955
NO MAN'S WOMAN 1955
TRIAL 1955
ABOUT MRS. LESLIE 1954
LUCKY ME 1954
STAR IS BORN, A 1954
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA 1954
WHITE CHRISTMAS 1954
AFFAIRS OF DOBIE GILLIS 1953
AMBUSH AT TOMAHAWK GAP 1953
CALL ME MADAM 1953
DOWN LAREDO WAY 1953
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE 1953
RIDE, VAQUERO! 1953
ROBE, THE 1953
SCARED STIFF 1953
STOOGE, THE 1953
SHE'S BACK ON BROADWAY 1953
WICKED WOMAN 1953
BELLE OF NEW YORK, THE 1952
GIRL IN EVERY PORT, A 1952
I DREAM OF JEANIE 1952
BAREFOOT MAILMAN, THE 1951
CHAIN OF CIRCUMSTANCE 1951
DARLING, HOW COULD YOU! 1951
INSIDE SRAIGHT 1951
NIGHT INTO MORNING 1951
TALL TARGET 1951
THREE GUYS NAMED MIKE 1951
COPPER CANYON 1950
CYRANO DE BERGERAC 1950
FANCY PANTS 1950
HARBOR OF MISSING MEN 1950
LIFE OF HER OWN, A 1950
RIDING HIGH 1950
SECRET FURY, THE 1950
SUN SETS AT DAWN, THE 1950
UNDER MEXICALI STARS 1950
WABASH AVENUE 1950
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KOPS 1949
CRISS CROSS 1949
CROOKED WAY, THE 1949
FREE FOR ALL 1949
LUST FOR GOLD 1949
MY FRIEND IRMA 1949
RED, HOT AND BLUE 1949
SET-UP, THE 1949
THIEVES' HIGHWAY 1949
CALL NORTHSIDE 777 1948
CHICKEN EVERY SUNDAY 1948
HAZARD 1948
LARCENY 1948
LET'S LIVE AGAIN 1948
THAT WONDERFUL URGE 1948
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 1947
PRISONER OF SWING 1938
DU BARRY DID ALL RIGHT 1937
OFFENDERS, THE 1922
INSINUATION 1922
SILVER WINGS 1922
FLOWER OF AITH, THE 1916
FAIR AND THE WAIF, THE 1915

DVD this week

2006-12-05T16:40:00.000-05:00

Out today on DVD are two completely different releases, but both with a wealth of character actors. CBS/Paramount has released the first season of tv's Mission: Impossible on a seven disc set; all of the episodes from the 1966-67 season are included. On view are such veteran character people as Harry Davis, William Keene, Albert Paulsen, Leonard Stone, Oscar Beregi, Cyril Delevanti (above right), Charles Maxwell, Nehemiah Persoff, Joseph Ruskin, David Fresco, Mark Lenard, Percy Rodrigues and Larry Gelman. And that's just the first 6 episodes !!

And for a taste of the classic character people of the 1930s, just released today is a fantastic box set of director Frank Capra's films. American Madness, You Can't Take it With You, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and It Happened One Night make for a real lesson in film making. Capra tended to use actors over and over again, and so we are able, in this one box set, to see multiple performances by the likes of Stanley Andrews, Arthur Hoyt, Irving Bacon (above left), Pierre Watkin, H.B. Warner, James Burke, and the one and only Charles Lane. The 'character stars' are in fine form as well, with Beulah Bondi, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest, Ward Bond, Douglass Dumbrille and others populating the screen. Lots of extras are included.

Obit

2006-12-03T06:46:00.000-05:00

The passage of time has taken one of the most familiar faces of the 1950s-1980s period. It would probably be easier to list the television shows that Milton Selzer didn't appear in than the ones he did. Born in Lowell, Mass. in 1918, he attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The New School in New York. After serving in World War II, he began appearing on the stage and in live television, doing such shows as Playhouse 90 and You Are There (where he once played Ghandi !). He and his wife Alice moved to California in 1960, where he became possibly the most prolific character player of the decade. He could do comedy (he was Professor Parker in several episodes of Get Smart); drama (The Defenders, The Untouchables, Hawaii Five-O); even westerns (Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, High Chaparral). He even found time to appear in a handful of films, such as Henry Fonda's A Big Hand for a Little Lady, and Steve McQueen's Cincinnati Kid. He continued to work into the mid-1990s, showing up on MacGyver, Walker Texas Ranger, Cagney & Lacey, and as a regular on the short-lived Famous Teddy Z. Mr. Selzer died October 21 of a stroke at St. John's Hospital after being retired for over a decade and living in Oxnard, California. His wife of 53 years and a son survive him.

Still Working...

2006-12-03T06:19:00.000-05:00

It's nice to see some of the veteran character actors still working. In the last week, Billy Beck (below) was spotted as a blind man on ER. Michael Fairman (right) was seen as a doctor in an episode of Medium.

Charles Seel

2006-12-03T06:09:00.000-05:00

You knew this face, but probably not the name. Charles Seel was born in the Bronx in April of 1897. He did some silent film work when films were still being made on the East Coast. He appeared in vaudeville with his wife Jeanne, whom he married in 1922. He went into radio in 1929 and moved to Hollywood in 1937. Television viewers remember him as Mr. Krinkie, the newspaper publisher in the town where Dennis the Menace lived. For many years he was Barney the telegrapher in Dodge City for the Gunsmoke series. Mr. Seel's wife died in 1964, but he continued to work until at least 1976. He died April 19, 1980 in Burbank, California, 10 days before his 83rd birthday.

Elizabeth Kerr

2006-12-03T06:04:00.000-05:00

In the mention of St. Elsewhere arriving on DVD this week, we said Elizabeth Kerr was one of the many character people appearing in the first season. Elizabeth Kerr played Mindy's grandmother Cora in the 1970s sitcom Mork & Mindy. At last report, Ms. Kerr was still with us, aged 101, living with relatives in the Los Angeles area.

DVD this week

2006-12-01T11:33:00.000-05:00

Some producers put good character actors to work better than others. In the early 1980s, the producers of tv's St. Elsewhere did a very good job of putting very good character actors to work. The first season of this landmark series arrived on DVD this past Tuesday from Fox. All of the episodes from the 1982-83 season are included on four discs. Just some of the great character people on view during this first season include James Hong, Robert Costanzo, Dick O'Neill, Pearl Shear, Peter Hobbs, Pat Corley, Alan Oppenheimer, and Elizabeth Kerr, all faces that you would know, even if you don't know the names. By the way, on what 1970s sitcom did Elizabeth Kerr play a grandmother?

You know this face...

2006-12-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

You know this face, but what's the name?

He ran the newspaper on tv's Dennis the Menace.
He was Dodge City's telegrapher on Gunsmoke.
He worked for famed director John Ford several times, including the films Sergeant Rutledge, The Horse Soldiers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Cheyenne Autumn.
He even did an episode of Star Trek !

You know the face, but what's his name? And what else do you know about him?

Parley Baer

2006-12-01T08:51:00.000-05:00

That's right, it's Parley Baer.

This veteran character actor was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in August 1914. One of his great loves (besides dramatic radio) was the circus, and he even owned one for a while. His wife Ernestine Clarke was a former circus performer. They were married from 1946 until her death in 2000. In an episode of tv's Streets of San Francisco, Parley played a circus ringmaster. The episode used Parley's own circus as the backdrop for the storyline. He estimated that between 1932 and 1962 he appeared on 15,000 radio shows. Parley called it "the most nearly perfect medium for an actor". He continued to work in film and television until a stroke took away his speech in 1997. He died of stroke complications in November of 2002, having been in show business for more than sixty years.

What are your favorite Parley Baer performances?

You know this face...

2006-11-30T19:46:00.000-05:00

You know this face, but what's the name?

He was the voice of Chester on the radio version of Gunsmoke.
He was Darby, a friend of Ozzie & Harriet, on their television show in the 1950s and 1960s.
For a while, he was the Mayor of Mayberry.
He was the voice of the Keebler Elf in television commercials of the 1980s.

What's his name? And what else do you know about him?