Howland Chamberlain

Howland Chamberlain (August 2, 1911 – September 1, 1984) was an American actor. He was sometimes billed as Howard Chamberlain, or with an alternate spelling of his last name as Howland Chamberlin.

Chamberlain was born in The Bronx. In the 1930s, he moved from New York to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting. Beginning in 1933, he obtained supporting parts at the Pasadena Community Playhouse. He appeared in ''Foolscap, or The Last Judgment'' (billed as Howard Chamberlain), ''Richard III'', and '' King John''. In 1935, he returned to New York for a role in the Broadway play, ''Achilles Had a Heel'', but it only ran for eight performances. In the late 1930s, he was active in the Federal Theatre Project's regional center in Los Angeles. It was at this time that he met his future wife, Leona Adele Hines, whom he married in June 1939.

In 1946, Chamberlain made his film debut in the Oscar-winning drama ''The Best Years of Our Lives'', portraying Mr. Thorpe, the drug store manager who conducts an informal job interview of Fred Derry (portrayed by Dana Andrews). From 1947–1952, Chamberlain was a steadily working character actor, appearing in over 15 movies. He also landed guest spots in early television series such as ''Dick Tracy'', '' Racket Squad'', ''Fireside Theatre'', and Adventures of Superman. He was often cast in film noirs where he specialized in playing nervous types, like the frightened bookkeeper Freddie Bauer in '' Force of Evil'' (1948). Although Chamberlain was uncredited in ''High Noon'' (1952), his brief screen time as the cynical hotel desk clerk was memorable.

Because of the Hollywood blacklist, ''High Noon'' would be his last film work for more than 20 years. He was first brought to the attention of Congressional investigators in 1940 when Rena Vale named him to the Special Committee on Un-American Activities, chaired by Congressman Martin Dies. Vale told the Dies Committee that in 1938 the Federal Theater Project's L.A. chapter was a front for the Communist Party USA, and that Chamberlain was an active member in it. He was also reportedly named to the FBI as a Communist by Ronald Reagan. In September 1951, Chamberlain was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He declined to answer questions, invoking the Fifth Amendment's shield against self-incrimination. At that point, his acting career came to a halt.

Not much is known about how Chamberlain earned a living as a blacklistee over the next two decades, but he eventually landed the role of Patch Riley in the 1974 TV movie ''A Touch of the Poet'', based on the Eugene O'Neill play. He returned to the Broadway stage in 1976 with a minor part, and understudy assignments, in Larry Gelbart's long-running comedy, '' Sly Fox''. With the blacklist no longer barring him from work, Chamberlain started getting cast once again in TV shows and movies. Among his more significant roles was as Judge Atkins in Robert Benton's award-winning 1979 film '' Kramer vs. Kramer''.This was Chamberlain's third film in which a fellow cast member won the Best Actor Oscar. The previous two were ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' and ''High Noon''. His last two performances were in '' Barbarosa'' (1982) and '' Electric Dreams'' (1984).

Howland Chamberlain died on September 1, 1984, in Oakland, California. He was 73.

Filmography

Broadway appearances

Chamberlain's Broadway credits included ''Achilles Had a Heel'' (1935), ''Sly Fox'' (1976–78), and ''Stages'' (1978).

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Howland
1911 births
1984 deaths
American male film actors
20th-century American male actors
American male stage actors
Western (genre) television actors