A Drama Desk Award-winning actor ("A Whistle in the Dark" [1969] ) and
a Tony Award nominee (as "Monsieur Colmier", "Marat/Sade" [1967] ), he
began his career as a member of New York's Neighborhood Playhouse from
1940 to 1942, where he studied with noted acting instructor,
Sanford Meisner, before joining the U.S.
Merchant Marine during World War II. Upon his return, he made his
Broadway debut in 1945 in "The Tempest". His stepson,
David Hirson, told the Los Angeles Times in
an interview that his stepfather was always proudest of his stage work.
His mother died soon after his birth, during the Spanish influenza
pandemic of 1918, and he was raised by his father, who was a textile
worker, and his stepmother.
Most of his acting successes in films came after he reached the age of
fifty, although he was a pioneering actor in the days of early
television, notably as the third actor, though he had the longest
tenure (1950-55),after
Bram Nossen and
Hal Conklin to play "Dr. Pauli", nemesis of
"Captain Video" on the daily TV series,
_"Captain Video and His Video Rangers"
(1949-1955) over the DuMont Television Network. His portrayal of "Burt
Johnson" in
Arthur (1981)
earned praise from the New York Times as a "standout performance".
Chicago Hope(1994)as Judge Harold Aldrich
Law & Order(1990)as Dr. Hogan, Judge Neil Markham
Shaky Ground(1992)as Heywood, Heywood Gardner
Pros and Cons(1991)as Gene Hastings
Equal Justice(1990)as Dr. Strathmore
Look Up and Live(1954)as Starbuck
12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards(2006)as Self - In Memoriam
