Bernard Philip Ofner (October 20, 1913 – August 17, 1982), better known by his stage name Barney Phillips, was an American

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

, and

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. His roles include that of Sgt. Ed Jacobs on the 1950s '' Dragnet''

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

, appearances in the 1960s on ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...

'', in which he played a Venusian living under cover on

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

in "

Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" is episode 64 of the American television anthology series '' The Twilight Zone.'' It originally aired on May 26, 1961, on CBS. Opening narration Plot While investigating reports about a UFO, state ...

", and a supporting role as actor Fletcher Huff in the 1970s CBS series '' The Betty White Show''.

Biography and career

He was born in

St Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, to Harry Nathan Ofner, a commercial salesman for the

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

industry, and Leona (Frank) Ofner, a naturalized citizen of German origin, who went by the nickname Lonnie. He grew up and was educated in St. Louis, then moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

after he graduated from college in 1935. Interested in acting, he got a small part in an independently produced Grade-B

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 ...

called ''Black Aces'' in 1937, but his show business career then languished. In 1940, he was in ''Meet the People'' on Broadway. Phillips enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

in July 1941, serving in the

signal corps A signal corps is a military branch, responsible for military communications (''signals''). Many countries maintain a signal corps, which is typically subordinate to a country's army. Military communication usually consists of radio, telephone, ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Following the war, Phillips procured small parts in several films during 1949–1952, before getting a regular role on the NBC television version of

Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, most famous for his role as Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise), ''Dragnet'' franchise ...

's ''Dragnet'', as Sgt. Jacobs. He was heard in the recurring role of Hamilton J. Finger, a police sergeant in

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

's radio program '' Rocky Fortune'' in 1953 and 1954. Thereafter, he was a prolific character actor in both films and television series throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1955, he played Mr. Jamison in the ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...

'' episode "Ricky's European Booking." He also played minor roles in two episodes of '' Perry Mason'', including Mr. Johnson in "The Case of the Wintry Wife" in 1961. In 1959, he had a steady role on ''

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

'' as Long Branch Saloon co-owner Bill Pence. In 1962, Phillips was cast as the historical

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Winfield Scott Hancock in the episode "The Truth Teller" of the syndicated

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

'', hosted by Stanley Andrews. The episode focuses on the negotiations leading to the

Medicine Lodge Treaty The Medicine Lodge Treaty is the overall name for three treaties signed near Medicine Lodge, Kansas, between the Federal government of the United States and southern Plains Indian tribes in October 1867, intended to bring peace to the area by r ...

of 1867. Ed Kemmer appeared as investigative reporter

Henry Morton Stanley Sir Henry Morton Stanley (born John Rowlands; 28 January 1841 – 10 May 1904) was a Welsh-American explorer, journalist, soldier, colonial administrator, author, and politician famous for his exploration of Central Africa and search for missi ...

, who assesses Hancock's success in avoiding war on the frontier. Charles Carlson, who had a limited acting career from 1960 to 1967, was cast as Wild Bill Hickok. Phillips remained active in television through the 1970s until his death in 1982. He was generally a guest star or featured player (e.g. a one-time appearance as an escaped criminal on the '' Andy Griffith Show''); but he did have a number of recurring character roles in television, as series regular "Doc" Kaiser in '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1964–1967), and as a regular on ''The Betty White Show'' (1977–1978). However, his best known role is likely to be as a diner counterman who is revealed to be a three-eyed extraterrestrial in "

", a 1961 episode of ''

''. Among many other appearances, Phillips can be seen briefly in Stan Freberg's Jeno's pizza roll commercial.

Death

Phillips died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

on August 17, 1982, aged 68, at the

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, Tertiary referral hospital, tertiary, 915-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre, academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars ...

in Los Angeles.

Partial filmography

Selection of television credits

* '' Dragnet'': (1952) ...series regular as Sergeant Ed Jacobs * ''

'': "Ricky's European Booking" (1955) ...as Mr. Jamison * ''

'': "The Roundup" (1956) ...as Mr. Summers * ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was b ...

'': (1957–1958) ...as various characters * ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American detective fiction, private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens (actor), Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, lounge singer Edie Hart. The series was broadcast by NBC from Sept ...

'': "The Blind Pianist" (1958) ...as Stephen Ware * ''

'': "Renegade White" (1959) ...as Ord Spicer * '' Have Gun Will Travel'': "The Monster of Moon Ridge" (1959) ...as Dan Bella * '' Have Gun Will Travel'': "The Shooting of Jessie May" (1960) ... as Joseph Ergo * ''

'': "Don Matteo" (1960)...as Long Branch Saloon Co-Owner Bill Pence * '' Hawaiian Eye'': "I Wed Three Wives" (1960) ...as Henry Bunker * ''

'': " The Purple Testament" (1960) ...as Captain E. L. Gunther * ''

'': " A Thing about Machines" (1960) ...as Television Repairman * ''

'': "

" (1961) ...as Haley, the short-order cook * ''

'': " Miniature" (1963) ...as Diemel * ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American sitcom television series that was aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The series ...

'': "Barney Gets His Man" (1961) ...as Eddie Brooke, escaped convict * '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'': "The Cat Burglar" (1962) ...as Westchester Police Lieutenant * '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (1962) (Season 1 Episode 4: "I Saw the Whole Thing") as Lieutenant Sweet * '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (1963) (Season 2 Episode 7: "Starring the Defense") as Hanley * ''

'': "Carter Caper" (1963) ...as Smith * " The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1964) (Season 2 Episode 28: "Who Needs an Enemy?") as The 1st Detective * '' Twelve O'Clock High'': (1964-1967) ...Major "Doc" Kaiser * '' The Invaders'': (1967) ...Episodes Task Force (Emmett Morgan), Quantity: Unknown (Walt Anson) * '' Shazzan'': (1967-1969) ...voice of Shazzan for all 36 episodes of animated series * ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...

'': (1968-1969) ...voice of Porthos for all 18 episodes of animated series * ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

'': "Greer Window" (1969) ...as Otto Greer * '' Adam-12'': "Log 93: Once a Junkie" (1969) ...as Sergeant Burdick * ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

''"Suitable For Framing" (1971) ...as Captain Wyler * '' The Funky Phantom'' (1971) ...as Additional voices * '' Hawaii Five-O'' "Air Cargo… Dial for Murder" (1971) ...co-starring as Arnold Cook * ''

Cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...

'': (1971–1974) ...as various characters * '' The Betty White Show'' (1977) ...actor playing Police Chief Fletcher Huff and his "twin" brother * '' The Dukes of Hazzard'' (1979-1985) ...as Judge Buford Potts

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Barney 1913 births 1982 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American male radio actors American male voice actors Male actors from St. Louis Military personnel from St. Louis American people of German descent 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Los Angeles Deaths from cancer in California United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers