Though a few notable supporting roles in major films made their way into Edward Binns (1916-1990) resume, 12 Angry Men (1957), North by Northwest (1959), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), the B-52 aircraft commander in Fail Safe (1964), Patton (1970) and The Verdict (1982), it was the mass audience of television of which he was most associated. The American stage and television actor often portraying competent, dedicated, and purposeful characters in various roles.
The Philadelphia native's theatrical career began shortly after his 1937 college graduation when he participated in a repertory theatre in Cleveland. He followed that with a year as actor and director of the Pan-American Theatre in Mexico City. He was involved in television productions early in its infancy, appearing in over 500 television programs, either live, taped or on film. Binns had his own series, Brenner (1959-62), playing the title character as a police lieutenant. His casting calls were endless as a sought-after actor in most of the popular series of their day such as, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, The Fugitive, M*A*S*H, a recurring role on It Takes a Thief, The Rockford Files, and many others.
Some sources say he was somewhat peeved that he was often mistaken for the actor Frank Lovejoy who shared a similar career path and sandpaper voice. Binns also was employed as a narrator, voicing commercials for Amtrak and United Way. He served in the Army Air Forces in 1942.
No comments:
Post a Comment