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Steve Franken

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Steve Franken
Franken in an unsold 1970 television pilot Three for Tahiti
Born
Stephen Robert Franken

(1932-05-27)May 27, 1932
Queens, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 24, 2012(2012-08-24) (aged 80)
Canoga Park, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1958–2012
Spouses
Julia E. Carter
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1986)​
Jean Garrett
​
(m. 1987)​
Children3

Stephen Robert Franken (May 27, 1932 – August 24, 2012)[1] was an American actor who worked in film and television for over fifty years.

Early life and career

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Franken was born in Queens, New York. He earned his B.A. from Cornell University, and returned to New York to pursue acting rather than realize his parents' dreams for a medical career.[1]

Franken's first screen role was in 1958 as Willie in the episode "The Time of Your Life" on the anthology series Playhouse 90.

Another early role was as Bully in the 1961 episode "The Pit" of the series The Rebel, starring Nick Adams. He played the lead guest-starring role in the 1961 episode "The Case of Willie Betterley" in Lock Up. In 1962, he was cast as Dunc Tomilson in "The Yacht-Club Gang" on Checkmate. He appeared as Jerry Allen in two episodes of Mr. Novak. In 1964, he appeared in The Time Travelers. In 1965, he appeared in "Birth of a Salesman" on McHale's Navy, and in "Tim and Tim Again" on My Favorite Martian.

Producer Rod Amateau saw him in a Los Angeles stage production of Say, Darling and cast him as playboy dilettante Chatsworth Osborne Jr. on the sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, starring Dwayne Hickman. Franken appeared as a recurring guest in numerous episodes from 1960 to 1963. He attributed the character's look of pained condescension to an ulcer he had suffered since the age of 14 when his mother had died.[2] He appeared in 1964 on Petticoat Junction as the son of the villain, Homer Bedloe in "Bedloe and Son". He played another rich wastrel on the short-lived sitcom Tom, Dick and Mary.[3] Franken appeared in the famous 1963 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Deadly Verdict" (in which Mason actually loses a case, at least initially) as Christopher Barton.

Franken with Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched

Immediately after Dobie Gillis was cancelled, Franken was cast as Lieutenant Samwell "Sanpan" Panosian in the Gary Lockwood series The Lieutenant episode "To Take Up Serpents", the first television series created by Gene Roddenberry.[4] He played other military roles, such as a decorated U.S. flier turned arms-dealer and traitor in "The Gun Runner Raid" episode of The Rat Patrol and as a P.O.W. lieutenant in Follow Me, Boys!. From 1966 to 1971, he appeared in various roles in at least six episodes of Bewitched.[3]

Franken appeared as the drunken waiter Levinson in the 1968 Blake Edwards film The Party, alongside Peter Sellers. One journalist, writing on the fortieth anniversary of the film, stated:

Rivaling Sellers with one of The Party's stand-out performances: Steve Franken as the increasingly inebriated butler, slathering on a layer of slapstick to the proceedings with his incontinent antics. Franken's interaction with his vexed supervisor, his drunken stroll through the shallow indoor pool, his struggle to rescue the roast chicken perched precariously atop a bewigged socialite's bouffant hairdo: all comedy gold.[5]

From 1970 to 1973, he appeared five times on Love, American Style. He appeared as Officer Albert Porter in three episodes of Adam-12 from 1971 to 1972 as well as Ralph Salisbury in the 1971 episode "The Ferret."[6] In 1972, he appeared as Jonas Lasser on the season three episode "The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

He appeared on Barney Miller in 1975 (episode: "The Arsonist") and again in 1981 (episode: "Resignation"). In 1979, he starred as Tom Voorhies alongside Michael Constantine in Disney's The North Avenue Irregulars. He appeared with Peter Sellers in 1980's The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.

He acted and directed in various episodes of Insight.[2] He appeared in small roles in such contemporary television series as Murphy Brown, The King of Queens and Seinfeld. From 2002 to 2003, he provided voices for Law & Order computer games. He voiced Professor Eugene Atwater in the animated series Road Rovers.

He voice-acted as Rundle in the 1993 Batman: The Animated Series episode "The Mechanic" and was Mr. Beal in Detention episodes "Little Miss Popular" and "Comedy of Terrors" (both 1999). The following year, he voiced the role of Mr. Janus in the episode "Grounded" of Static Shock and provided voices in Smurfs (1981), The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (1990), and Spawn (1997).[7]

Death

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Franken died on August 24, 2012, at a nursing and rehabilitation center in Canoga Park, California, of complications from cancer, aged 80. He had three daughters, two from his first marriage to Julia Carter, and one from his second marriage to Jean Garrett.[8][9] He was the second cousin of actor and politician Al Franken.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1958 Stage Struck Dressing Room Well-Wisher uncredited
Cop Hater Boy in Lineup
1964 The Americanization of Emily Young Sailor
The Time Travelers Danny McKee
1966 Wild Wild Winter John
Follow Me, Boys! P.O.W. Lieutenant
1968 Panic in the City Hal Johnson
The Party Levinson
1969 Angel in My Pocket Zimmerman
Number One Robin
1970 Which Way to the Front? Peter Bland
1972 Every Man Needs One Bob Rasmussen Television film
1973 Voyage of the Yes Doctor Television film
The Stranger Henry Maitland Television film
Westworld Technician
1974 Houston, We've Got a Problem Shimon Levin Television film
1975 The Last Survivors Don West Television film
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Dr. Charles Crennis
Sky Heist Traffic Controller Television film
Murder on Flight 502 Donald Goldman Television film
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? Harold Booker Esquire
1976 Kiss Me, Kill Me Murry Tesko Television film
The Missouri Breaks The Lonesome Kid
1977 It Happened at Lakewood Manor Lionel White Television film
1978 Avalanche Henry McDade
Zuma Beach Rick Television film
Terror Out of the Sky Paul Gladstone Television film
1979 The North Avenue Irregulars Tom Voories
1980 Hardly Working Steve Torres
There Goes the Bride Church Organist
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu Pete Williams
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall Virgil Quinby Television film
1982 Not Just Another Affair Dr. Morton Schiller Television film
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther Harvey Hamilcard III
High School U.S.A. Dr. Fritz Hauptmann Television film
1984 The Sheriff and the Astronaut FBI Agent Henley Television film
1985 The Fourth Wise Man Pharisee #1 Television film
There Were Times, Dear Harry Television film
1987 Can't Buy Me Love Moda Clerk
1988 Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. Television film
Freeway Lawyer
1989 Transylvania Twist Hans Hupp
1991 Never Forget Dan Greenspan Television film
1993 Breakfast of Aliens Fred
1994 Munchie Strikes Back Professor Graves
1998 The Pandora Project Sam Davis
1999 Restraining Order Jerry
The Omega Code Jeffries
2000 Nurse Betty Administrator
Agent Red General Socka
2001 The Trumpet of the Swan Bud Voice[11]
Crash Point Zero [fr] Stuart Elliott
2005 The Works Gordon
2007 The Metrosexual Professor
2009 Angels & Demons Cardinal Colbert
2010 Watch Out for Slick Emory

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1958 Decoy Bar Patron Episode: "Saturday Lost"
Playhouse 90 Willie Episode: "The Time of Your Life"
1960 Deadline Copy Boy Episode: "To Move a Mountain"
1960–1963 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. Recurring role
1961 Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond Crazed Soldier Episode: "Night of Decision"
The Rebel Ruck Episode: "The Pit"
Assignment: Underwater Carstairs Episode: "Witness from the Dead"
Lock-Up Willie Betterley Episode: "The Case of Willie Betterley"
1962 Checkmate Dunc Tomilson Episode: "The Yacht-Club Gang"
Dr. Kildare Freddie Binns Episode: "Operation: Lazarus"
Ensign O'Toole Ensign Clifford Bender Episode: "Operation: Gaslight"
1963 Perry Mason Christopher Barton Episode: "The Case of the Deadly Verdict"
The Lieutenant Lieutenant Sam Panosian Episode: "To Take Up Serpents"
Beetle Bailey Lieutenant Forbes Episode: "Psychological Testing"
1963-1964 Mr. Novak Jerry Allen Recurring role
1964 Petticoat Junction Homer Bedloe Jr. Episode: "Bedloe and Son"
1964-1965 Tom, Dick and Mary Dr. Dick Moran Recurring role
1965 The Patty Duke Show Bob Episode: "Sick in Bed"
McHale's Navy Lieutenant Jason Whitworth Episode: "Birth of a Saleman"
Please Don't Eat the Daisies Crawford Episode: "Two Seats on the Moon Shot"
The Farmer's Daughter Bellboy Episode: "Crisis at Crystal Springs"
My Favorite Martian George Episode: "Tim and Tim Again"
1966 Tammy Crazy Wolf Episode: "Two for Tee Pee"
The Patty Duke Show Ronald Dawson Episode: "Do You Trust Your Daughter?"
The Wild Wild West Le Fou Episode: "The Night of the Bottomless Pit"
That Girl Actor Playing Dr. Bruce Alden Episode: "Soap Gets in Your Eyes"
The Long, Hot Summer Episode: "Carlotta, Come Home"
The Rat Patrol Ned Cunningham Episode: "The Gun Runner Raid"
Bewitched George Barkley Episode: "Follow That Witch"
Hawkins Episode: "A Gazebo Never Forgets"
1967 Batman Rudy, the Valet Episode: "That Darn Catwoman"
T.H.E. Cat Carl Leandro Episode: "Matter Over Mind"
My Three Sons Al Morgan Episode: "The Sky Is Falling"
Mission: Impossible Akim Hadramut Episode: "The Slave"
1968 The Second Hundred Years Corporal Episode: "Luke and Comrade Tanya"
The Outsider Roger Edgeway Episode: "What Flowers Daisies Are"
The Big Valley Bank Teller Episode: "Hell Hath No Fury"
Blondie David Dithers Episode: "Once Upon a Guru"
Bewitched Orvis Episode: "Samantha's Secret Saucer"
Juke Episode: "Darrin Gone! and Forgotten?"
1969 My Friend Tony Episode: "The Hazing"
The Mod Squad Rabbi Elliott Tannenbaum Episode: "In This Corner - Sol Alpert"
Bewitched Cousin Henry Episode: "Samantha's Shopping Spree"
1970 Night Gallery Dr. Peter Mitchell Episode: "The House"
1970-1973 Love, American Style Various roles 5 episodes
1970-1979 Insight Various roles 6 episodes
1971 Marcus Welby, M.D. Dr. Weitzman Episode: "A Passing of Torches"
Bewitched Bruce Episode: "Samantha and the Loch Ness Monster"
Adam-12 Ralph Salisbury Episode: "The Ferret"
1972 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Kurt Balks Episode: "The Trouble with Ralph"
Adam-12 Officer Albert Porter 2 episodes
Norman Corwin Presents Episode: "Odyssey in Progress"
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Jonas Lasser 2 episodes
1974 The Rookies Alvin Conrad Episode: "Key Witness"
Sierra Tommy Episode: "Taking Cody Winslow"
Emergency! Bernard Goldberg Episode: "Daisy's Pick Blind Date"
1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Neil Episode: "Chopper"
Police Story D.A. Wallberger 2 episodes
Barney Miller Edward Foreman Episode: "The Arsonist"
1976 Doc Harvey Kramer Episode: "Oldies but Goodies"
Good Heavens Mr. Dee Episode: "See Jane Run"
Holmes & Yoyo Jerry Episode: "Funny Money"
1977 Man from Atlantis Doctor Episode: "Man from Atlantis"
Lanigan's Rabbi Will Stopes Episode: "The Cadaver in the Clutter"
Charlie's Angels Fred Olsen Episode: "Pretty Angels All in a Row"
Petticoat Affair Milton Episode: "A Party for the Captain"
C.P.O. Sharkey Dr. Simon Episode: "Sharkey Files Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
Police Woman Clerk Episode: "Do You Still Beat Your Wife?"
1978 J.P. Thompson Episode: "Murder with Pretty People"
Kojak Arnie Goldman Episode: "May the Horse Be with You"
Quincy, M.E. Dr. Kitei Episode: "The Last Six Hours"
Alice Holdup Man Episode: "Better Never Than Late"
CHiPs Student Driver Episode: "Crash Diet"
1979 Kaz Episode: "Kazinski Versus Bennett"
Supertrain Episode: "The Queen and the Improbable Knight"
One Day at a Time Victor Mulhern Episode: "The Piano Teacher"
1980 Disneyland Virgil Quinby Episode: "The Ghosts of Buxley Hall"
Trapper John, M.D. Bernie Chalmers Episode: "Slim Chance"
1981 Barney Miller Edward Novak Episode: "Resignation"
The Love Boat Harry Mason 2 episodes
1982 CHiPs Alan Drummond Episode: "Force Seven"
Trapper John, M.D. Patient Episode: "Three on a Mismatch"
Simon & Simon Tunridge Episode: "The Ten Thousand Dollar Deductible"
1983 Ryan's Four Episode: "Ryan's Four"
Fantasy Island Wes Perry Episode: "The Wedding Picture/Castaways"
1984 The Smurfs Additional voices Episode: "Symbols of Wisdom/Blue Eyes Returns"; uncredited
Jessie Mr Anderson Episode: "The Psychic Connection"
1985 Diff'rent Strokes Mr. Anderson Episode: "Arnold Saves the Squirrel"
Hill Street Blues Arnold Solomon Episode: "Queen for a Day"
MacGyver Walt, the Pilot Episode: "Last Stand"
Hotel Carmondy Episode: "Echoes"
1986 On Wings of Eagles Mort Myerson Miniseries
Our House Forrester Episode: "See You in Court"
1987 One Big Family Dickie Tyler Episode: "Stagestruck"
Rags to Riches' Dennis Baxter Episode: "Born to Ride"
Small Wonder Doctor Episode: "Everyone Into the Pool"
1988 Freddy's Nightmare Mr. Birdwell Episode: "Killer Instinct"
1989 Mr. Sexton Episode: "Silence Is Golden"
Hunter Lou Episode: "The Legion"
1990 The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda Additional voices Episode: "Pity the Poor Pirate"
China Beach Judge Julius H. Hoffman Episode: "The Call"
1992 Harry and the Hendersons Dr. J Episode: "The Girl Who Cried Bigfoot"
Human Target Quentin Firth Episode: "Designed by Chance"
1993 Batman: The Animated Series Rundle Voice, episode: "The Mechanic"[11]
1994 Herman's Head Mr. Prescott Episode: "Bedtime for Hermo"
Sisters Huey Short Episode: "Heroes"
1995 ER Hank Travis Episode: "Full Moon, Saturday Night"
1996 The Young and the Restless Dr. Everhart 1 episode
Sparks Judge Episode: "Porky's Revenge"
1996-1997 Road Rovers Professor Eugene Atwater Voice, 2 episodes[11]
1997-1999 Todd McFarlane's Spawn Additional voices Recurring role
1998 The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries President Generic Voice, episode: "Spooker of the House"[11]
Seinfeld Brendan Episode: "The Maid"
Murphy Brown College Roommate Episode: "Dial and Substance"
Maggie Winters Mr. Addison Episode: "Dinner at Rachel's"
1999 Detention Mr. Beal Voice, 2 episodes
2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul Mr. Bellinger Episode: "A Mason-Dixon Memory"
Static Shock Mr. Janus Voice, episode: "Grounded"[11]
2001 Family Law Teacher Episode: "Obligations"
2005 The Comeback Episode: "Valerie Stands Out on the Red Carpet"
The King of Queens Vasili Episode: "Move Doubt"
2006 Threshold Graham Bolton Episode: "Alienville"
2012 The Jeff Lewis 5 Minute Comedy Hour Father Episode: "Deathbed"

References

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  1. ^ a b Slotnik, Daniel E. (August 31, 2012). "Long Career Followed 'Dobie Gillis' Role". The Atlanta Constitution. p. B7. Retrieved November 20 , 2023.
  2. ^ a b Erickson, Hal (2013). "Steve Franken profile". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Steve Franken credits". TV Guide. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  4. ^ Profile of Lieutenant, The at the Archive of American Television; retrieved August 18, 2012.
  5. ^ Aushenker, Michael (June 25, 2008). "'The Party' to Remember: Blake Edwards' Cult Classic Turns 40!". Palisadian-Post. Archived from the original on April 9, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  6. ^ Episode credits
  7. ^ Minovitz, Ethan (August 28, 2012). "Dobie Gillis actor Steve Franken dies at 80". Big Cartoon News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  8. ^ McLellan, Dennis. "Steve Franken dies at 80; portrayed rich pal of 'Dobie Gillis'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  9. ^ Slotnik, Daniel E. (August 29, 2012). "Steve Franken, Actor in 'Dobie Gillis,' Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  10. ^ Gitlin, Martin (2014). The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. p. 303. ISBN 978-0-8108-8724-4.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Steve Franken (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 29, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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