Bert Freed (November 3, 1919 – August 2, 1994) was an American character actor,

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...

actor, and the first actor to portray Detective

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 ...

Life and career

Born and raised in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York, Freed began acting while attending

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

, and made his Broadway debut in 1942. Following World War II Army service in the European theatre, he appeared in the Broadway musical '' The Day Before Spring'' in 1945 and dozens of television shows between 1947 and 1985. His film debut occurred, oddly enough, in the musical ''

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

'' (1947). Freed portrayed Rufe Ryker in the television series '' Shane'', in which Freed added a unique touch of realism by beginning the show clean-shaven and growing a beard from one week to the next, never shaving again through the season. Freed played homicide detective Lt. Columbo in a live 1960 television episode of '' The Chevy Mystery Show'' seven years before

Peter Falk Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/American Broadcasting Company, ABC series ''Columbo'' (196 ...

played the role. Freed made four guest appearances on '' Perry Mason'', including the role of Ken Woodman in the 1960 episode, "The Case of the Treacherous Toupee"; murder victim Joe Marshall in the 1964 episode, "The Case of the Ruinous Road"; and Carl Holman, whose wife is the murderer in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Poison Pen-Pal". He appeared (sometimes more than once) in many other television shows such as ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'', '' Laramie'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'', '' The High Chaparral'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour epis ...

'', '' The Virginian'', ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that originally aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 16, 1967, to March 13, 1975. The show was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer ...

'', ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective fiction, detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law. They run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, Califor ...

'', ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

'', '' Then Came Bronson'', '' Run For Your Life'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...

'', ''

Hogan's Heroes ''Hogan's Heroes'' is an American television sitcom created by Bernard Fein and Albert S. Ruddy which is set in a Prisoner-of-war camp, prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in Nazi Germany during World War II, and centers around a group of Allied prisoner ...

'', ''Steve Canyon, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', '' Dr. Kildare'', ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama television series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member ...

'', '' Combat!'', ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, an ...

'', '' The Outer Limits'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'', '' Route 66'', '' Ironside'', ''

The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell (director), James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas i ...

'', ''

The Munsters ''The Munsters'' is an American sitcom about the home life of a family of benign monsters that aired from 1964 to 1966 on CBS. The series stars Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster (Frankenstein's monster),Episodes referring to the fact that Herman is ...

'', '' The Untouchables'', and many others. He directed one episode of '' T.H.E. Cat''. Freed appeared as a racist club owner in '' No Way Out'' (1950), Private Slattery in '' Halls of Montezuma'' (1951), the Police Chief in '' Invaders From Mars'' (1953), Sergeant Boulanger in ''

Paths of Glory ''Paths of Glory'' is a 1957 American anti-war film directed by Stanley Kubrick, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson. It is adapted from the 1935 novel of the same name by Humphrey Cobb, which in turn was ...

'' (1957), the hangman in '' Hang 'Em High'' (1968), Max's father in '' Wild in the Streets'' (1968), as Chief of Detectives in '' Madigan'' (1968), a homosexual prison guard in '' There Was a Crooked Man...'' (1970) and Bernard's father in '' Billy Jack'' (1971) in which he got "whumped" on the side of the face by Billy Jack's right foot "just for the hell of it".

Later years and death

He retired from acting in 1986, and died of a heart attack in

Sechelt Sechelt (, Sechelt language, shíshálh Language: ch'atlich) is a district municipality located on the lower Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately northwest of Vancouver, it is accessible from ma ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, in 1994 while on a fishing trip with his son.

Selected filmography

* ''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...

'' (1947) as Herron, Man in Alley Mob (uncredited) * ''

'' (1947) as Moving Man (uncredited) * '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949) as Officer Standing at Bar (uncredited) * '' Key to the City'' (1950) as Emmy's Husband * '' Black Hand'' (1950) as Prosecutor * ''

Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town ''Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Charles Lamont. It is the second installment of Universal-International's '' Ma and Pa Kettle'' series starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride. Plot At the conclusion ...

'' (1950) as Dutch, 3rd New York Henchman * '' Where the Sidewalk Ends'' (1950) as Detective Paul Klein * ''

711 Ocean Drive ''711 Ocean Drive'' is a 1950 American crime film noir directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Edmond O'Brien, Joanne Dru and Otto Kruger. Plot Telephone technician Mal Granger, with knowledge of telephones and electronics, is hired by gang ...

'' (1950) as Steve Marshak (uncredited) * '' No Way Out'' (1950) as Rocky Miller (uncredited) * '' Halls of Montezuma'' (1951) as Slattery * '' The Company She Keeps'' (1951) as Smitty * ''

Detective Story Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as specu ...

'' (1951) as Detective Dakis * '' Red Mountain'' (1951) as Sergeant Randall * '' Anything Can Happen'' (1952) as Immigration Officer (uncredited) * ''

The Atomic City ''The Atomic City'' is a 1952 American film noir thriller film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Gene Barry and Lydia Clarke. The story takes place at Los Alamos, New Mexico, where a nuclear physicist (Barry) lives and works. Terrorists ki ...

'' (1952) as Emil Jablons * '' The Snows of Kilimanjaro'' (1952) as American Soldier (uncredited) * '' Tangier Incident'' (1953) as Kozad * '' Invaders From Mars'' (1953) as Police Chief A.C. Barrows (uncredited) * '' Take the High Ground!'' (1953) as Sergeant Vince Opperman * '' The Long, Long Trailer'' (1953) as Foreman * '' Men of the Fighting Lady'' (1954) as Lieutenant (junior grade) Andrew Szymanski * '' The Cobweb'' (1955) as Abe Irwin * '' The Desperate Hours'' (1955) as Tom Winston * ''

'' (1957) as Staff Sergeant Boulanger * '' The Goddess'' (1958) as Lester Brackman * '' The Gazebo'' (1959) as Lieutenant Joe Jenkins * ''

Steve Canyon ''Steve Canyon'' is an American Action-adventure comics, action-adventure comic strip by cartoonist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, ''Terry and the Pirates (comic strip), Terry and the Pirates'', ''S ...

'' (1959) as Captain Dunn * ''

'' (1960) (Season 5 Episode 19: "Not the Running Type") as Captain Harvey Ellison * '' Why Must I Die?'' (1960) as Adler * '' The Chevy Mystery Show'' (1960) (Episode: "Enough Rope") as Lieutenant Columbo * '' The Subterraneans'' (1960) as Bartender * ''

'' (1961) (Season 6 Episode 21: "The Kiss-Off") as Detective Cooper * '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962) as Ben Golden * '' Twilight of Honor'' (1963) as Sheriff B.L. "Buck" Wheeler * '' Shock Treatment'' (1964) as Frank Josephson * ''

Invitation to a Gunfighter ''Invitation to a Gunfighter'' is a 1964 DeLuxe Color Western (genre), Western film directed by Richard Wilson (director), Richard Wilson, starring Yul Brynner and George Segal. It was based on a 1957 teleplay by Larry Klein that appeared on '' ...

'' (1964) as Sheriff * '' Fate Is the Hunter'' (1964) as Dillon * '' Nevada Smith'' (1966) as Quince * '' The Swinger'' (1966) as Police Captain * ''Sail to Glory'' (1967) as Horace Greeley * '' Madigan'' (1968) as Chief of Detectives Hap Lynch * '' Wild in the Streets'' (1968) as Max Jacob Flatow Sr. * '' Hang 'Em High'' (1968) as Schmidt, the Hangman * '' There Was a Crooked Man...'' (1970) as Skinner * '' Billy Jack'' (1971) as Mr. Stuart Posner * ''

Evel Knievel Robert Craig Knievel (October 17, 1938November 30, 2007), known professionally as Evel Knievel (), was an American stunt performer and entertainer. Throughout his career, he attempted List of Evel Knievel career jumps, more than 75 ramp-to-ra ...

'' (1971) as Doc Kincaid * '' Mission: Impossible'' (1972) (Episode: "Committed") as Leon Chandler * '' Death Scream'' (1975) as Detective Ross * '' In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan'' (1977) as Dr. Julius Korein * ''Love and the Midnight Auto Supply'' (1977) as Mayor John Randolph * '' Till Death'' (1978) as Dr. Sawyer * ''

Barracuda A barracuda is a large, predatory, ray-finned, saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldw ...

'' (1978) as Papa Jack * ''

Norma Rae ''Norma Rae'' is a 1979 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt from a screenplay written by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr. The film is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Sutton – which was told in the 1975 book ''Crystal ...

'' (1979) as Sam Dakin

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Freed, Bert 1919 births 1994 deaths American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Male actors from the Bronx Military personnel from New York City 20th-century American male actors United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers American television directors