Jack Lambert (John Thomas Lambert 1920-2002) was an American character actor who specialized in playing movie tough guys and heavies. His pre-war roles were typically uncredited until film-noir picked up pace. With his craggy face, squinty eyes, and a gruff voice to match, he was a familiar figure in westerns and crime dramas in such post-war movies as The Killers, in a gravitating role as "Dum-Dum" Clarke, The Enforcer, Bend of the River, and Vera Cruz. For many, his first memorable role might have been playing the psychotic cat-loving, iron-hooked Steve "The Claw" Michel in Dick Tracy's Dilemma. He was a human punching bag, underestimating the fists of prizefighter, John Payne, in 99 River Street. Two years later, he played Sugar Smallhouse in, Kiss Me Deadly. Lambert seemed to garner some of the best character names in film.
His one-dimensional characters shifted his career primarily to the small screen with numerous television appearances during the 1950s and 1960s in such shows as Rod Cameron's State Trooper, Gunsmoke, Have Gun – Will Travel, Sugarfoot, Wagon Train, and Bonanza. He had a recurring role as a cast member in the Darren McGavin series, Riverboat. Lambert appeared in the occasional comedy movie or television series. Still playing a thug. He was a Zombie in Martin and Lewis' Scared Still of 1953. Lambert had a humorous turn as a thoughtful hitman alongside singer/comedian, and Jack Benny regular, Dennis Day, in the 1959 dark comedy episode, Cheap is Cheap, for Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Lambert meets Day in a park to discuss doing away with his high-maintenance wife. Lambert empathically offers options but his fee is too high. He then suggests Day could do it himself.
Retiring in 1970, he and his wife ran (of course) a boutique in Carmel, California.
