BF
Bert Freed
Actor, Director
Born November 3, 1919Died August 2, 1994 (74 years)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bert Freed (November 3, 1919 — August 2, 1994) was a prolific American character actor, voice over actor, and the first actor to portray "Detective Columbo" on television.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Freed began acting while attending Penn State University, and made his Broadway debut in 1942. Following World War II Army service in the European Theatre, he appeared in the Broadway musical The Day Before Spring in 1945 and dozens of television shows between 1947 and 1985. His film debut occurred, oddly enough, in a musical Carnegie Hall (1947). A prominent role was as the villainous Ryker in the television series Shane, in which Freed added a unique touch of realism by beginning the show clean-shaven and growing a beard from one week to the next, never shaving again through the season.
Freed played Columbo in a live 1960 episode of the "Chevy Mystery Theatre" seven years before Peter Falk played the role. Thomas Mitchell also played the part on stage prior to Falk's version, which is probably where many of the eccentric Columbo traits originated; only a few were visible in Freed's straightforward interpretation, although the character as played by Freed is recognizably Columbo.
He appeared (sometimes more than once) in television shows such as The Rifleman, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley,The Virginian, Mannix, Barnaby Jones, Charlie's Angels, Then Came Bronson, Run For Your Life, Get Smart, The Lucy Show, Hogan's Heroes, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey, Perry Mason, Combat!, Petticoat Junction, The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Route 66, Ironside, The Green Hornet, The Munsters, and many, many more. He directed one episode of T.H.E. Cat.
Freed appeared as a racist club owner in No Way Out (1950), a gangster in Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950), a Marine private in Halls of Montezuma (1951 film), an Army sergeant in Take the High Ground! (1953), the Police Chief in Invaders From Mars (1953), Sgt. Boulanger in Paths of Glory (1957), the hangman in Hang 'Em High (1968), Max's father in Wild in the Streets (1968), as Chief of Detectives in Madigan (1968), a homosexual prison guard in There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) and Bernard's father in Billy Jack (1971) in which he got "whumped" on the side of the face by Billy Jack's right foot "just for the hell of it."
He retired from acting in 1986, and died of a heart attack in Canada in 1994 while on a fishing trip with his son.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Bert Freed, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Bert Freed (November 3, 1919 — August 2, 1994) was a prolific American character actor, voice over actor, and the first actor to portray "Detective Columbo" on television.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Freed began acting while attending Penn State University, and made his Broadway debut in 1942. Following World War II Army service in the European Theatre, he appeared in the Broadway musical The Day Before Spring in 1945 and dozens of television shows between 1947 and 1985. His film debut occurred, oddly enough, in a musical Carnegie Hall (1947). A prominent role was as the villainous Ryker in the television series Shane, in which Freed added a unique touch of realism by beginning the show clean-shaven and growing a beard from one week to the next, never shaving again through the season.
Freed played Columbo in a live 1960 episode of the "Chevy Mystery Theatre" seven years before Peter Falk played the role. Thomas Mitchell also played the part on stage prior to Falk's version, which is probably where many of the eccentric Columbo traits originated; only a few were visible in Freed's straightforward interpretation, although the character as played by Freed is recognizably Columbo.
He appeared (sometimes more than once) in television shows such as The Rifleman, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley,The Virginian, Mannix, Barnaby Jones, Charlie's Angels, Then Came Bronson, Run For Your Life, Get Smart, The Lucy Show, Hogan's Heroes, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey, Perry Mason, Combat!, Petticoat Junction, The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Route 66, Ironside, The Green Hornet, The Munsters, and many, many more. He directed one episode of T.H.E. Cat.
Freed appeared as a racist club owner in No Way Out (1950), a gangster in Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950), a Marine private in Halls of Montezuma (1951 film), an Army sergeant in Take the High Ground! (1953), the Police Chief in Invaders From Mars (1953), Sgt. Boulanger in Paths of Glory (1957), the hangman in Hang 'Em High (1968), Max's father in Wild in the Streets (1968), as Chief of Detectives in Madigan (1968), a homosexual prison guard in There Was a Crooked Man... (1970) and Bernard's father in Billy Jack (1971) in which he got "whumped" on the side of the face by Billy Jack's right foot "just for the hell of it."
He retired from acting in 1986, and died of a heart attack in Canada in 1994 while on a fishing trip with his son.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Bert Freed, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Filmography
| 2005 | Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us · as A.c. Barrows |
| 1984 | Riptide (1984) (TV Series) · as Jessup Taylor |
| 1982 | Knight Rider (TV Series) · as Anthony Solan |
| 1981 | Darkroom (TV Series) · as Charlie's Dad |
| 1981 | Strike Force (TV Series) · as Sully |
| 1981 | The Fall Guy (TV Series) |
| 1980 | Skag (TV Series) · as Bishop |
| 1979 | Norma Rae · as Sam Dakin |
| 1979 | Salvage 1 (TV Series) · as Sam Bishop |
| 1978 | Barracuda · as Jack |
| 1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) |
| 1978 | Till Death · as Dr. Sawyer |
| 1977 | In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan · as Dr. Julius Korein |
| 1977 | Love and the Midnight Auto Supply · as Mayor John Randolph |
| 1976 | Fury of the Dragon · as Bert Clark |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels (TV Series) · as Stambler |
| 1976 | Hunter (1977) (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1976 | Serpico (TV Series) · as Jack Powell |
| 1976 | How the West Was Won (TV Series) · as Hank Jimson |
| 1975 | One Day at a Time (TV Series) · as Dr. Tishman |
| 1975 | Streetkill · as Det. Ross |
| 1975 | Bronk (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Paper Moon (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Sandburg's Lincoln (TV Series) · as Edwin Stanton |
| 1973 | Incident at Vichy · as Marchand, A Businessman |
| 1973 | Shaft (TV Series) · as Fire Investigator |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Det. Capt. Ben Wyatt |
| 1972 | The ABC Afterschool Special (TV Series) · as Bert |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) |
| 1972 | The Rookies (TV Series) |
| 1972 | The Sixth Sense (TV Series) |
| 1971 | Getting Together (TV Series) · as Police Commissioner |
| 1971 | McMillan and Wife (TV Series) · as Edgar Winfield |
| 1971 | Cannon (TV Series) |
| 1971 | Owen Marshall, Counselor At Law (TV Series) · as Judge |
| 1971 | Evel Knievel · as Doc Kincaid |
| 1971 | Billy Jack · as Mr. Stuart Posner |
| 1971 | Longstreet (TV Series) · as Lt. Ryder |
| 1971 | The Smith Family (TV Series) · as Tom Weaver |
| 1970 | The Partridge Family (TV Series) · as Mr. Sharp |
| 1970 | There Was a Crooked Man... · as Skinner |
| 1970 | The Andersonville Trial · as Board Of Military Judges |
| 1970 | McCloud (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Then Came Bronson (TV Series) · as Editor Carson |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad (TV Series) |
| 1968 | Lancer (TV Series) |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) · as Warden |
| 1968 | The Outsider (TV Series) |
| 1968 | Wild in the Streets · as Max Jacob Flatow Sr. |
| 1968 | Hang 'Em High · as Schmidt |
| 1968 | Madigan · as Chief Of Detectives Hap Lynch |
| 1967 | P.J. · as Police Lieutenant |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) |
| 1967 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) · as Telford Burris |
| 1967 | The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) |
| 1966 | The Swinger · as Police Captain |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Leon Chandler |
| 1966 | The Iron Horse (TV Series) · as Breed Pembrooke |
| 1966 | Shane (TV Series) · as Rufe Ryker |
| 1966 | The Green Hornet (TV Series) · as Police Sgt. Bert Clark |
| 1966 | Tarzan (1966) (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Nevada Smith · as Quince |
| 1965 | The Loner (TV Series) |
| 1965 | Get Smart (TV Series) |
| 1965 | Hogan's Heroes (TV Series) · as Maj. Bernsdorf |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Henry Marvin |
| 1965 | Run for Your Life (TV Series) · as Sheriff Parsons |
| 1965 | A Man Called Shenandoah (TV Series) · as Sheriff Orin Wade |
| 1965 | The Final Hour · as Cast |
| 1964 | Fate Is the Hunter · as Dillon |
| 1964 | Invitation to a Gunfighter · as Sheriff |
| 1964 | Karen (1964) (TV Series) · as Mr. Francis |
| 1964 | Slattery's People (TV Series) · as Brack |
| 1964 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV Series) · as Dr. Ullman |
| 1964 | Shock Treatment · as Frank Josephson |
| 1964 | The Munsters (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Twilight of Honor · as Sheriff Buck Wheeler |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak (TV Series) · as Lorimer |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junction (TV Series) · as Detective Horton |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) · as Joe Hayden |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Vacation Playhouse (TV Series) · as Mr. Walker |
| 1962 | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? · as Ben Golden |
| 1962 | Combat! (TV Series) · as Sgt. Weber |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show (TV Series) · as Miller |
| 1962 | The Doctors and the Nurses (TV Series) · as Detective Sergeant Sam Crowell |
| 1962 | The Wide Country (TV Series) · as Gov. Leroy Martin |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Jason Ainsworth |
| 1962 | The Dakotas (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Ben Casey (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Target: The Corruptors (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Dr. Donald White |
| 1961 | The Dick Powell Show (TV Series) · as 'henderson' |
| 1961 | Cain's Hundred (TV Series) · as Dave Reed |
| 1961 | The Defenders (TV Series) · as The Warden |
| 1960 | The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1960 | |
| 1960 | Dante (TV Series) · as Detective Sgt. Rickard |
| 1960 | Insight (TV Series) · as Galvin |
| 1960 | Outlaws (TV Series) · as Big Walter |
| 1960 | The Witness (TV Series) · as George Weinberg |
| 1960 | The Subterraneans · as Bartender |
| 1960 | Why Must I Die? · as Adler |
| 1959 | The Gazebo · as Lt. Jenkins |
| 1959 | The Detectives (1959) (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Ford Startime (TV Series) · as Couver |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) · as Michael Dannora |
| 1959 | Bourbon Street Beat (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Law of the Plainsman (TV Series) · as Benson |
| 1959 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The June Allyson Show (TV Series) · as Lieutenant |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Sgt. Abe Jordan |
| 1959 | Riverboat (TV Series) · as Kester |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Johnny Staccato (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Tightrope (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Markham (TV Series) · as Angelo Adamic |
| 1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Gus Caserta |
| 1958 | U.S. Marshal (TV Series) · as Gallardo |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Peter Gunn (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Steve Canyon (TV Series) · as Capt. Dunn |
| 1958 | The Goddess · as Lester Brackman |
| 1957 | Paths of Glory · as Sgt. Boulanger |
| 1957 | Decoy (TV Series) · as Lieutenant Rosenberg |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Joe Marshall |
| 1957 | The Thin Man (TV Series) |
| 1957 | M Squad (TV Series) · as Police Lt. Shannon |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Blick |
| 1956 | Kaiser Aluminum Hour (TV Series) · as Mr. Crandall |
| 1956 | Unidentified Flying Objects: The True Story of Flying Saucers · as Dayton Colonel |
| 1955 | The Cobweb · as Abe Irwin |
| 1955 | Alcoa Hour (TV Series) · as Manager |
| 1955 | The Desperate Hours · as Tom Winston |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Capt. Harvey Ellison |
| 1955 | The Phil Silvers Show (TV Series) · as 2nd Detective |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Chris Thornton |
| 1955 | The Millionaire (TV Series) · as M / Sgt. Matthew Brogan |
| 1954 | Camera Three (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1954 | Men of the Fighting Lady · as Lt. (jg) Andrew Szymanski |
| 1954 | Producers' Showcase (TV Series) · as Soldier |
| 1954 | Lassie (TV Series) · as Zane Maddox |
| 1954 | The Long, Long Trailer · as Foreman |
| 1953 | Take the High Ground! · as Sgt. Vince Opperman |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) · as Christie |
| 1953 | Make Room for Daddy (TV Series) · as Mr. Eddie Riley |
| 1953 | Invaders from Mars · as Police Chief A.c. Barrows |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Mitch Green |
| 1952 | The Snows of Kilimanjaro · as American Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1952 | The Atomic City · as Emil Jablons |
| 1952 | Anything Can Happen · as Immigration Officer |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Pete Johnson |
| 1951 | Red Mountain · as Sgt. Randall |
| 1951 | Detective Story · as Det. Dakis |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Gruen Guild Theater (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | The Company She Keeps · as Smitty (plainclothesman) |
| 1951 | Halls of Montezuma · as Slattery |
| 1950 | No Way Out · as Rocky Miller - Beaver Canal Resident (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Where the Sidewalk Ends · as Det. Sgt. Paul Klein |
| 1950 | Key to the City · as Emmy's Husband |
| 1950 | 711 Ocean Drive · as Steve Marshak (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Web (1950) (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1950 | The Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) · as Frank Ryan |
| 1950 | Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town · as Dutch (third New York Henchman) |
| 1950 | Black Hand · as Prosecutor |
| 1949 | Twelve O'Clock High · as Officer Standing At Bar |
| 1949 | The Goldbergs (TV Series) · as Mr. Ackerson |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Lt. Burke |
| 1948 | Ford Theatre (TV Series) · as Teddy Brewster |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Al Rago |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Wade |
| 1947 | Boomerang! · as Herron, A Man In Alley Mob |
| 1947 | Carnegie Hall · as Moving Man |