| Birth: | Mar. 12, 1918 | | Death: | Apr. 24, 1967 | 
Actor. He is best remembered for his role of Major Harvey Stovall in the television series, "Twelve O'Clock High" (1964-1967). Born in Babylon, New York, he was a solid supporting actor who appeared in a number of television programs from 1950 until his untimely death in 1967. He began his acting career in his early twenties, shortly after college, on the Broadway stage, then moved on to uncredited roles in movies in the early 1950s, beginning with "Mystery Street" (1950) and "No Way Out" (1950). He moved on to early television, beginning with the "Kraft Television Theater" (1954) and showing up on a number of guest roles in such shows as "The Philco Television Playhouse," "Goodyear Television Playhouse," "The Alcoa Hour," "The United States Steel Hour," during the 1950s. He returned to movies in the early 1960s, and is often remembered for his role of Sheriff Heck Tate in Gregory Peck's tour de force, "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) and in the role of General Bogan in "Fail Safe" (1964). Many of these roles were westerns or involved wearing a uniform (police or military), which seemed to fit his personality well. He was selected to play the role of Major Harvey Stovall, the 918th Bomb Group's Adjutant in the World War II television drama "Twelve O'Clock High," staying with the show for its entire run (1964 to 1967), even after the producers killed off the lead character of General Frank Savage, played by actor Robert Lansing, at the beginning of the third season to change the show from an adult drama to a mid-teen male adventure series. He also made guest shots on such television shows as Laramie, Route 66, Wagon Train, Dr. Kildare, The Twilight Zone, The Defenders, Bonanza and The Virginian. Star Trek fans remember him for his role of Elias Sandoval on the 1966 episode, "This Side of Paradise," in which he played the leader of a peaceful earth colony of space farmers that were supposed to have died, but survived due to a plant's spores which not only kept them safe, but also acted as a love-drug (drug themes were common in the late 1960s). This episode actually aired in March 1967, one month before his untimely and sudden death. He was married to actress Phyllis Hill, and died at age 49 in the Pacific Palisades, California, from a sudden heart attack. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson)
Family links:
Spouse:
Phyllis Hill Overton (1920 - 1993)*
*Calculated relationship
Cause of death: Heart attack
Search Amazon for Frank Overton | | | Burial:
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Plot: Garden of Memory (formerly Section 6), L-44, with wife Phyllis Hill Overton
GPS (lat/lon): 34.08913, -118.31912 |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Mar 10, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 8801 |
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(3.9 after 75 votes)
