Alfred Ryder (born Alfred Jacob Corn; January 5, 1916 – April 16, 1995) was an American television, stage, radio, and film actor and director, who appeared in over one hundred television shows.

Career

Ryder began to act at age eight and later studied with Robert Lewis and

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...

. He eventually became a life member of

The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founde ...

. During the 1930s and 40s, Ryder blended Broadway appearances with two memorable roles during the

Golden Age of Radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the earl ...

, as Molly Goldberg's son Sammy in '' The Goldbergs''; and as Carl Neff in ''

Easy Aces ''Easy Aces'' is an American serial radio comedy (1930–1945). It was trademarked by the low-keyed drollery of creator and writer Goodman Ace and his wife, Jane, as an urbane, put-upon realtor and his malaprop-prone wife. A 15-minute program ...

''. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

he served in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

and appeared in the Air Force's

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

play and film '' Winged Victory''. In 1946 he secured a one-year film contract with Paramount and had a role in the

Anthony Mann Anthony Mann (born Emil Anton Bundsmann; June 30, 1906 – April 29, 1967) was an American film director and stage actor. Mann initially started as a theatre actor appearing in numerous stage productions. In 1937, he moved to Hollywood where ...

-directed

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...

T-Men ''T-Men'' is a 1947 semidocumentary and police procedural style film noir about United States Treasury agents. The film was directed by Anthony Mann and shot by noted noir cameraman John Alton. The production features Dennis O'Keefe, Mary Mea ...

'' (1947). Retrieved July 12, 2022. Ryder was an ambitious and intense theater performer who aspired to be "the definitive

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

of his generation." In the 1940s he joined the American Repertory Theatre, founded by Margaret Webster and

Eva Le Gallienne Eva Le Gallienne (January 11, 1899 – June 3, 1991) was a British-born American stage actress, producer, director, translator, and author. A Broadway star by age 21, Le Gallienne gave up her Broadway appearances to devote herself to founding t ...

; Webster's follow-up troupe, the Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company—for which he toured as Hamlet; and ultimately The Actors Studio. In the 1950s he continued appearing on Broadway (supplemented with television work), his most fruitful years coinciding with his 1958-1964 marriage to renowned stage actress (and fellow Actors Studio member)

Kim Stanley Kim Stanley (born Patricia Kimberley Reid; February 11, 1925 – August 20, 2001) was an American actress, primarily in television and theatre, but with occasional film performances. She began her acting career in theatre, and subsequently at ...

, whom he would direct in the 1961

hit '' A Far Country''. In 1956,

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...

released the spoken-word album ''This Is My Beloved'' with Ryder reciting the popular poetry of Walter Benton. Notably, Ryder was chosen to be

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

's standby when '' The Entertainer'' moved to Broadway from London in 1958. He won the 1959

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the ...

for Best Actor, playing D.H. Lawrence in

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

' one-act play ''I Rise in Flame, Cried the Phoenix''. Kim Stanley hosted the awards presentation, but her husband was away in rehearsals for a CBS adaptation of ''

Billy Budd ''Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative)'' is a novella by American writer Herman Melville, left unfinished at his death in 1891. Acclaimed by critics as a masterpiece when a hastily transcribed version was finally published in 1924, it quickl ...

'', having been cast as Claggart as a rush replacement for an ailing

Jason Robards, Jr. Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...

Ryder's growing association with the less-vaunted medium was reflected in

TIME Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

's announcement of their marriage; Stanley was feted as "star of Broadway's ''

Bus Stop A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...

'', and of Hollywood's '' The Goddess'', whose training at the Actors' Studio icmade her the standard Brando of U.S. actresses," while Ryder was solely and dismissively identified as "TV actor Alfred Ryder," without even a mention of Ryder's own association with The Actors Studio. In 1961 Ryder was cast as

Eli Wallach Eli Herschel Wallach (; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. From his 1945 Broadway debut to his last film appearance, Wallach's entertainment career spanned 65 years. Origina ...

's first replacement as Bérenger (a role originated in London by Olivier) in the Broadway production of

Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco (; born Eugen Ionescu, ; 26 November 1909 – 28 March 1994) was a Romanian-French playwright who wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre in the 20th century. Ionesco inst ...

's ''

Rhinoceros A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct specie ...

''. Ryder also would tour in the part with

Zero Mostel Samuel Joel "Zero" Mostel (February 28, 1915 – September 8, 1977) was an American actor, comedian, and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as Tevye on stage in ''Fiddler on the Roof'', Pseudolus on stage and on ...

, who had won a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

in the play's other starring role. In 1964, 48-year-old Ryder was selected by impresario

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a ...

to realize his dream and perform Hamlet in a high-profile production: a three-week engagement for Papp's Shakespeare in the Park. Notoriously, he was replaced after opening night by Robert Burr, who was understudying

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

in the same role on Broadway. According to press reports, Ryder was suffering from

laryngitis Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box). Symptoms often include a hoarse voice and may include fever, cough, pain in the front of the neck, and dysphagia, trouble swallowing. Typically, these last under two weeks. Laryngitis is c ...

by the premiere, which was broadcast on CBS, but co-star

Stacy Keach Walter Stacy Keach Jr. (born June 2, 1941) is an American actor and narrator. He has played mainly dramatic roles throughout his career, often in law enforcement or as a private detective. His most prominent role was as Mickey Spillane's fiction ...

also recounted Ryder’s erratic performances and difficulty remembering lines in rehearsals due to drinking. Actress

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's '' Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Doug ...

stated that Ryder’s stage career was “ruined” by the fact that the performance was televised and that Ryder was replaced afterward, compounded by Papp’s public refusal to allow Ryder to return to the role following his recovery from the throat infection. The disappointment to Ryder was "acute," according to Ellen Adler, daughter of famed acting coach Stella Adler. "He was sort of promised he would be a great Broadway star, and somehow it never happened." Ryder would never again act on or

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

, though he subsequently directed two more Broadway plays—1968's ''

The Exercise ''The Exercise'' is a 1968 American play about an acting exercise.''The Exercise'' at Playbill< ...

'' and a 1971 production of ''

The Dance of Death The ''Danse Macabre'' (; ) (from the French language), also called the Dance of Death, is an artistic genre of allegory of the Late Middle Ages on the universality of death. The ''Danse Macabre'' consists of the dead, or a personification ...

''—both of which closed in less than one week. (In Los Angeles, Ryder would direct for

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

's Theatre Group as a member of the Actors Studio Directors Unit and also for the U.S. Government's Educational Laboratory Theatre Project.) Nevertheless, Ryder remained an A-list television guest star throughout the 1960's, as his eccentric, theatrical style and vaguely Germanic accent were well-suited for the sci-fi, spy, and fantasy shows that were popular at the time. He appeared in multiple episodes of ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels ...

'' and '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', and he played the main alien leader, Mr. Nexus, in the TV series ''

The Invaders ''The Invaders'' is an American science-fiction television series created by Larry Cohen that aired on ABC for two seasons, from 1967 to 1968. Roy Thinnes stars as David Vincent, who after stumbling across evidence of an in-progress invas ...

'' (two seasons, 1967-68). He starred as a British criminal who could not be killed in '' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' episode "The Devil's Laughter'" (1959) and appeared in "

The Man Trap "The Man Trap" is the first episode of season one of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by George Clayton Johnson and directed by Marc Daniels, it featured design work by Wah Chang and first aired in the Uni ...

", the first-aired episode of ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'', on September 8, 1966, as a scientist who is hiding the fact that a shapeshifting alien is masquerading as his late wife. He also guest-starred as the ghost of a

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

German

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...

captain in two episodes of

Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen, June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...

's ABC-TV series '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea''. He then acted in an episode of another Irwin Allen series on ABC, as a cantankerous orphanage operator, Parteg, in "Night of Thrombeldinbar", an episode of '' Land of the Giants'' in February 1969. Later he appeared in the episode "A Hand for Sonny Blue" in the series ''

Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected ''Quinn Martins Tales of the Unexpected'' is an American horror and science fiction anthology television series produced by Quinn Martin, and hosted and narrated by William Conrad. It aired from February 2 to August 24, 1977.McNeil, Alex, ''Tot ...

'' (1977; known in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

as ''Twist in the Tale''). Ryder's film work was more sporadic; his highest-profile role was the defense attorney who cross-examines

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

in ''

True Grit True Grit may refer to: Fiction * True Grit (novel), ''True Grit'' (novel), a 1968 novel by Charles Portis ** True Grit (1969 film), ''True Grit'' (1969 film), a film adaptation by Henry Hathaway, starring John Wayne ** True Grit (2010 film), ''Tr ...

'' (1969). By the 1970s, Ryder's credits (and billing) had diminished, with his last significant role coming in 1979, on

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-cre ...

's PBS faux-

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...

'' Meeting of Minds'', for which he also co-directed two episodes. Despite an energetic performance as Machiavelli with extensive dialogue, Ryder only appeared once more onscreen, as restauranteur Mike Romanoff in the 1980

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...

TV-biopic ''

Bogie A bogie ( ) (in some senses called a truck in North American English) is a chassis or framework that carries a wheelset, attached to a vehicle—a modular subassembly of wheels and axles. Bogies take various forms in various modes of transp ...

''. In his later years Ryder lived with his sister, actress

Olive Deering Olive Deering ( Corn; October 11, 1918 – March 22, 1986) was an American actress of film, television, and the stage, active from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. She was a life member of The Actors Studio, as was her elder brother, Alfred ...

, eventually moving to the Actors Home in New Jersey, where he died of liver cancer in 1995.

Personal life

Born to Jewish parents, he was married to actress

from 1958 until 1964. The couple had a child, Laurie Ryder, a California

pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

and

child advocate Child advocacy refers to a range of individuals, professionals and advocacy organizations who speak out on the best interests of children. An individual or organization engaging in advocacy typically seeks to protect children's rights which may be a ...

. He was the brother of actress

(1918–1986). Ryder was a Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.

Select list of appearances

*1944: '' Winged Victory'' - Milhauser *1947: ''

'' - Tony Genaro - aka Tony Galvani *1959: ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' (episode "Passive Resistance") - Hank Voyles *1959: '' The Story on Page One'' - Lt. Mike Morris *1959: '' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' (episode "The Devil's Laughter") - John Marriott *1960: '' Route 66'' (episode "The Man on the Monkey Board") - Palmer *1961: ''

'' (episode "I Kiss Your Shadow") - Doug Gibson *1963: '' The Raiders'' - Capt. Bentonn *1963: '' The Outer Limits'' (episode " The Borderland") - Edgar Price *1964: '' Combat!'' (episode "The Hunter") - Capt. Heismann (Season: 2 Episode: 24) *1964: '' Invitation to a Gunfighter'' - Doc Barker *1964: ''Hamlet'' - Hamlet *1965: ''

'' (episode "Death Watch") - Newspaperman Flint *1965: '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (episode "The See-Paris-and-Die Affair") - Corio *1965: ''

'' (TV Series) (season 1, episode 13) (air date: December 10, 1965) "The Night of the Torture Chamber" - Professor Horatio Bolt / (season 2, episode 22) (air date: February 24, 1967) "The Night of the Deadly Bubble" - Captain Philo *1966: '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' (episodes "The Phantom Strikes" / "The Heat Monster") - U-boat Captain Gerhardt Krueger / Dr Bergstrom *1966: ''

'' (episode "

") - Professor Robert Crater *1967: ''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

'' - Capt. Yolles *1967: ''

Invaders ''InVader'' is the fourth album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love, released on 4 March 2016 through Spinefarm Records. Track listing All songs written by Olli Herman, Pepe Reckless, and Ikka Wirtanen, unless otherwise noted. Reception Wr ...

'' - Mr. Nexus (3 episodes) *1967: '' The Rat Patrol'' (episode "The Darkest Raid") - Col. Rudolf Gerschon in Season: 2 - Episode: 6 *1967: ''

Mission Impossible ''Mission: Impossible'' is a multimedia franchise based on a fictional secret espionage agency known as the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The 1966 TV series ran for seven seasons and was revived in 1988 for two seasons. It inspired a serie ...

'' (episode "The Diplomat") - Col. Valentin Yetkoff *1969: '' Ironside'' (episode "Up, Down and Even") - Sgt John Darga *1969: ''

'' - Goudy *1972: ''The Legend of Hillbilly John'' - O. J. Onselm *1973: '' The Stone Killer'' - Tony Champion *1974: '' W'' - Investigator *1975: '' Escape to Witch Mountain'' - Mr. Michael-John - Astrologer *1977: '' Tracks'' - The Man *1979: '' Buck Rogers In The 25th Century'' (episode "Escape From Wedded Bliss") - Garridan (former chief engineer for The Draconia)

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryder, Alfred 1916 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male radio actors American male television actors Male actors from New York City New York (state) Democrats California Democrats