Herbert Birchell "Bert" Remsen (February 25, 1925 – April 22, 1999) was an American actor and casting director. He appeared in numerous films and television series.

Biography

Remsen was born in

Glen Cove, New York Glen Cove is a Political subdivisions of New York State#City, city in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore of Long Island, New York (state), New York, United States. The city's population was 28,3 ...

, on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

, the son of Helen (née Birchell) and Winfred Herbert Remsen. He played character roles in numerous films directed by

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...

, including '' Brewster McCloud'' (1970), '' McCabe & Mrs. Miller'' (1971), '' Thieves Like Us'' (1974), '' California Split'' (1974), ''

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

'' (1975), ''

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson ''Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson'' is a 1976 revisionist Western film directed by Robert Altman and based on the 1968 play '' Indians'' by Arthur Kopit. It stars Paul Newman as William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bi ...

'' (1976) and '' A Wedding'' (1978). Remsen's other film credits included '' Fuzz'' (1972), ''

Baby Blue Marine ''Baby Blue Marine'' is a 1976 American drama film set during World War II that was directed by John D. Hancock and starred Jan-Michael Vincent. The feature film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. Plot Marion “Hedge” H ...

'' (1976), '' Uncle Joe Shannon'' (1978), ''

Fast Break Fast break is an offensive strategy in basketball and handball. In a fast break, a team attempts to move the ball up court and into scoring position as quickly as possible, so that the defense is outnumbered and does not have time to set up. The ...

'' (1979), '' Carny'' (1980), '' Borderline'' (1980), '' Inside Moves'' (1980), '' Second-Hand Hearts'' (1981), '' Lookin' to Get Out'' (1982), '' The Sting II'' (1983), '' Places in the Heart'' (1984), ''

Code of Silence A code of silence is a condition in effect when a person opts to withhold what is believed to be vital or important information voluntarily or involuntarily. The code of silence is usually followed because of threat of force or danger to onese ...

'' (1985), '' TerrorVision'' (1986), ''

Eye of the Tiger "Eye of the Tiger" is a song by the American rock band Survivor. It was written as the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'' and released that year as a single from Survivor's third album, '' Eye of the Tiger''. Sylvester Stallone, the di ...

'' (1986), '' Miss Firecracker'' (1989), '' Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat'' (1989), '' Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will?'' (1990) and '' Only the Lonely'' (1991). His last film was the posthumously released '' The Sky is Falling'' (2000). He also appeared in various television guest-starring roles, including the role of Jim Ford in the episode "Pete Henke" of the 1958

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

series, ''

Jefferson Drum ''Jefferson Drum'', also known as ''The Pen and the Quill'', is an American Western television series starring Jeff Richards that aired on the NBC network from April 25 to April 23, 1959. Overview Jefferson Drum, portrayed by Jeff Richards, i ...

'', starring Jeff Richards. He was a regular in the cast of the short-lived 1976

dramatic television series '' Gibbsville'', a regular in the first season (1980-1981) of the ABC comedy television series ''

It's a Living ''It's a Living'' (renamed ''Making a Living'' for Season 2) is an American Ensemble cast, ensemble sitcom television series set in a restaurant at the top of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The show aired on Ame ...

'' as Mario the cook, and appeared on ''

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

'' in 1987 as Harrison 'Dandy' Dandridge. He portrayed a judge in the pilot for '' The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.'' (1993). After suffering an injury on the set of a television show, Remsen had moved away from acting, working in

casting Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or ...

from 1966 to 1974. Other than one voice credit over the next few years (an announcer's voice in a 1969 episode of '' The F.B.I.''), he did not return to acting until 1970, when he was hired as the casting director on '' Brewster McCloud'', where director Altman talked him into taking a small role in the film instead. During his nine years as a casting director and casting supervisor, in addition to a slowly increasing workload on screen, Remsen was casting director for 31 different television series or television movies, including 25 episodes each of ''The F.B.I.'' and ''

The Rookies ''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series created by Rita Lakin that originally aired on ABC from September 11, 1972, to March 30, 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for ...

''.

Personal life

Seaman 1/c Herbert B. Remsen was a crew member on the destroyer USS ''Laffey'' during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. On April 16, 1945, the USS Laffey was attacked by 22 Japanese kamikaze planes during an 80-minute period. Remsen suffered burns during the battle but was able to return to duty and survive what the US Navy called, "one of the great sea epics of war". He was first married to actress Katherine MacGregor, who played Mrs. Oleson in the NBC television series ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books comprise a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adulthood in the Midwestern United States, Americ ...

''. His daughter, with second wife Barbara Joyce Dodd, a casting director, is actress Kerry Remsen.Profile
books.google.ca; accessed March 8, 2017.

Select acting filmography

Film

*'' Pork Chop Hill'' (1959) - Lieutenant Cummings *'' Tess of the Storm Country'' (1960) - Mike Foley *''

Moon Pilot ''Moon Pilot'' is a 1962 American Technicolor science fiction comedy film from Walt Disney Productions, released through Buena Vista Distribution, directed by James Neilson, and starring Tom Tryon, Brian Keith, Edmond O'Brien, Dany Saval, an ...

'' (1962) - Agent Brown *'' Kid Galahad'' (1962) - Max (uncredited) *'' Dead Ringer'' (1964) - Dan Lister *''The Lollipop Cover'' (1965) - Salesman *'' The Strawberry Statement'' (1970) - Policeman at Gate *'' Brewster McCloud'' (1970) - Officer Douglas Breen *'' McCabe & Mrs. Miller'' (1971) - Bart Coyle *'' Fuzz'' (1972) - Sergeant Murchison *'' Thieves Like Us'' (1974) - 'T-Dub' *'' California Split'' (1974) - Helen Brown *''

'' (1975) - Star *''

'' (1976) - Mr. Hudkins *'' Harry and Walter Go to New York'' (1976) - Guard O'Meara *''

'' (1976) - The Bartender (Crutch) *'' Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo'' (1977, TV Movie) - Mayor Douglas *'' A Wedding'' (1978) - William Williamson *'' Uncle Joe Shannon'' (1978) - Braddock *''

'' (1979) - Bo Winnegar *'' Joni'' (1979) - John Eareckson *'' Carny'' (1980) - Delno Baptiste *'' Borderline'' (1980) - Carl J. Richards *'' Inside Moves'' (1980) - 'Stinky' *'' Second-Hand Hearts'' (1981) - Voyd *'' Lookin' to Get Out'' (1982) - 'Smitty' *''

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...

'' (1983) - 'Red' Malone *'' The Sting II'' (1983) - 'Kid Colors' *''Lies'' (1983) - Murrey Haliday *'' Policewoman Centerfold'' (1983) - Captain Buckman *'' Places in the Heart'' (1984) - 'Tee Tot' Hightower *''

'' (1985) - Commander Kates *'' Stand Alone'' (1985) - Paddie *'' TerrorVision'' (1986) - Grampa *'' Tai-Pan'' (1986) - Wilf Tillman *''

'' (1986) - Father Healey *'' P.K. and the Kid'' (1987) - Al *'' Three for the Road'' (1987) - Stu *''

Remote Control A remote control, also known colloquially as a remote or clicker, is an consumer electronics, electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operat ...

'' (1988) - Bill Denver *'' South of Reno'' (1988) - Howard Stone *'' Miss Firecracker'' (1989) - Mr. Morton *'' Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat'' (1989) - Milt *''

Curfew A curfew is an order that imposes certain regulations during specified hours. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to remain indoors during the evening and nighttime hours. Such an order is most often issued by public authorit ...

'' (1989) - Gentleman with Cane *''Vietnam, Texas'' (1990) - Monsignor Sheehan *'' Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will?'' (1990) - Daddy *'' Peacemaker'' (1990) - 'Doc' *'' Dick Tracy'' (1990) - Bartender *'' Jezebel's Kiss'' (1990) - Dr. Samuel Whatley *'' Evil Spirits'' (1990) - John Wilson *''Payback'' (1991) - Burt *'' Only the Lonely'' (1991) - 'Spats' *'' The Player'' (1992) - Bert Remsen *''Loving Lulu'' (1992) *'' The Bodyguard'' (1992) - Rotary Club President *''

Joshua Tree ''Yucca brevifolia'' (also known as the Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca) is a plant species belonging to the genus '' Yucca''. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names. This monocotyledonous tre ...

'' (1993) - Woody Engstrom *''

Jack the Bear Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, incl ...

'' (1993) - Mitchell *''In the Shadows, Someone's Watching'' (1993, TV movie) - Oliver London *'' Maverick'' (1994) - Riverboat Poker Player #7 *'' White Man's Burden'' (1995) - Hot Dog Vendor *''

Conspiracy Theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...

'' (1997) - Mr. Sutton *''Road Ends'' (1997) - Arliss *'' Hugo Pool'' (1997) - Sad Old Man *''The Sky Is Falling'' (1999) - Mr. Finch *'' Forces of Nature'' (1999) - Ned *''A Walk in the Park'' (1999) - Ken Sherry

Television

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Remsen, Bert 1925 births 1999 deaths Male actors from New York (state) American male film actors United States Navy personnel of World War II American casting directors People from Glen Cove, New York People from Greater Los Angeles United States Navy sailors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 20th-century American male actors Burn survivors