Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the headstrong General Samuel E. Roberts in "Above and Beyond" (1952). After working for several years as a clerical worker, he began his career in theatrics later in life beginning with him performing in local theatre and dinner clubs. After appearing in the original cast of "Mister Roberts," he was discovered by film director Joshua Logan who happened to be a part of the audience that evening. Impressed by his articulate voice, mature presence, and professionalism, he arranged for him to settle in California for some screen and voice tests. Upon making his film debut in "Fearless Fagan" (1952), he went on to appear in over 150 films within a newfound career in film and television in an eleven-year career; often typecast as husbands, fathers, lawyers, doctors, politicians, businessmen, military men, sheriffs, judges, and patriarchs. He appeared in leading roles in such full-length feature films as "My Man and I" (1952), "Everything I Have Is Yours" (1952), "Desperate Search" (1952), "Sky Full of Moon" (1952), "Confidentially Connie" (1953), "Code Two" (1953), "Fast Company" (1953), "A Slight Case of Larceny" (1953), "Latin Lovers" (1953), "The Big Heat" (1953), "All the Brothers Were Valiant" (1953), "Taza, Son of Cochise" (1954), "Riot in Cell Block 11" (1954), "The Siege at River Red" (1954), "Broken Lance" (1954), "A Man Called Peter" (1955), "The Road to Denver" (1955), "Lay That Rifle Down" (1955), "Count Three and Pray" (1955), "Ransome!" (1956), "Jubal" (1956), "Reprisal!" (1956), "The Rack" (1956), "The Brass Legend" (1956), "Three Brave Men" (1956), "The Tall T" (1957), "The Hired Gun" (1957), "Domino Kid" (1957), "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein" (1957), "The Hard Man" (1957), "Mardi Gras" (1958), "Compulsion" (1959), "The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock" (1959), "Invasion of the Animal People" (1959), "A Private's Affair" (1959), "The Story of Page One" (1959), "Wake Me When It's Over" (1960), "Seven Ways from Sundown" (1960), "The Young Savages" (1961), "Billy Rose's Jumbo" (1962), "Mooncussers" (1962), and "The Slime People" (1963). With the advent of television, he flourished as a household name, appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "The Ford Television Theatre," "The Web," "The Whistler," "Waterfront," "Mayor of the Town," "The Lone Wolf," "Fireside Theatre," "Stories of the Century," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin," "Cavalcade of America," "Big Town," "Frontier," "The Loretta Young Show," "Star Sage," "The People's Choice," "You Are There," "Medic," "Celebrity Playhouse," "General Electric Summer Originals," "Wire Service," "Lux Video Theatre," "Zane Grey Theatre," "Soldiers of Fortune," "December Bride," "The Lone Ranger," "Gunsmoke," "The Lone Ranger," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "Broken Arrow," "Panic!," "Climax!," "Father Knows Best," "Studio 57," "The Court of Last Resort," "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," "The Gale Storm Show," "The Thin Man," "Perry Mason," "77 Sunset Strip," "Alcoa Theatre," "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "The Millionaire," "M Squad," "The Restless Gun," "The Californians," "State Trooper," "Border Patrol," "The Real McCoys," "The Texan," "Checkmate," "The Twilight Zone," "The Man from Blackhawk," "The Dennis O'Keefe Show," "Shotgun Slade," "Lassie," "Fury," "Sugarfoot," "Tightrope," "Johnny Ringo," "Hong Kong," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Hawaiian Eye," "Two Faces West," "Surfside 6," "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," "The Deputy," "The Jim Backus Show," "The Dick Powell Theatre," "Maverick," "Ben Casey," "Wagon Train," "The Untouchables," "Dr. Kildare," "The Rifleman," "Follow the Sun," "Checkmate," "Dennis the Menace," "The Tall Man," "Bonanza," and "The Magical World of Disney." During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was a chairman for the Pasadena Playhouse, was a regular parishioner of the Methodist church, supported the California State Republican Committee, and he was married to Marguerite Garett, a secretary, from 1920 until his death (their union produced no children). A lifelong smoker, he died from complications of cancer following his last major film appearance which was released posthumously.