An Endless Furrowed Brow

 

If one were to identify Robert Simon (1908-1992) it would probably be his appearances in a multitude of television westerns. But he knew few limitations, though seemingly always with a perpetual furrowed brow. Popular dramas of the Fifties and Sixties and playing the straight man in situation comedies were also staples. The Ohio-born character actor honed his craft in theater during the Forties before breaking into notable films such as The Buccaneer (1958), Compulsion (1959), The Last Angry Man (1959), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) in which he played Handy Strong. 

Simon's credits in television seem endless. Just a sampling of his dramatic roles was for episodes of Medic, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, State Trooper, The Millionaire, M Squad, and with three appearances on Perry Mason. Many were not surprised to see Simon pop up in the popular sitcoms of the era. He portrayed Darren Stephens' father on Bewitched, and appeared in McHale's Navy, Get Smart, and The Andy Griffith Show, among others. He made three guest appearances as hard-nosed General Mitchell on M*A*S*H. His modern roles continued in the Seventies through the mid-Eighties in countless police dramas, but it was the television western where he may be best remembered or disliked. Simon became nearly typecast with authoritarian figures, often as a general, sheriff, doctor, journalist, an attorney, or an angry land owner with an uncompromising disposition. One could almost count on one hand how many times Simon's characters smiled, coming in second only to actor, Charles McGraw.

More details can be found at https://wikimili.com/en/Robert_F._Simon

A Television Transition

Wisely changing his name from Gustav William Tweer Jr. to Walter Brooke, he became a staple of television audiences for his supporting roles. He always was in command of those characters, whether playing the straight man in comedies, an unscrupulous businessman, a doctor, or any number of authority characters. After a string of uncredited film roles as a reporter or clerk in the Forties—opposite Flynn and Bogart and the like—Brooke quickly got on board the television express. He spent almost his entire career on the small screen. There were a few exceptions: the low-budget science fiction, Conquest of Space (1955), two infamous roles in, The Party Crashers (1958), and Bloodlust! (1961), then his small role with a big impact in the major hit, The Graduate (1967).

Born in New York City in 1914, Brooke landed roles in many popular series of the Fifties including five appearances on The Big Story (1952-59). But I will start with his two episodes of The Twilight Zone, four episodes of McHale's Navy, and three episodes of The Fugitive. He landed a regular role on The Green Hornet series as D. A. Frank Scanlon followed by several appearances in Judd For The Defense and Death Valley Days. He made the rounds on many popular series of the Seventies, including Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1971-74), and then hit the cop shows from Mannix to Barnaby Jones, The Rookies, and notable roles on The Rockford Files before landing another recurring role on The Waltons as Clarence Johnson. He finished out his prolific television career through the end of the Eighties until his death in 1986.

Note: above is a capture from his first appearance on The Rockford Files, 1974.