Robert Christian Emhardt (July 24, 1914 – December 26, 1994) was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

who worked on stage, in film, and on television. Emhardt was frequently cast as a villain, often a crooked businessman or corrupt politician.

Early years

Emhardt was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Career

Emhardt studied acting at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

in London. He began his Broadway career in the 1930s as an

understudy In theatre, an understudy, referred to in opera as cover or covering, is a performer who learns the lines and blocking or choreography of a regular actor, actress, or other performer in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to ap ...

for the equally heavyset

Sydney Greenstreet Sydney Hughes Greenstreet (December 27, 1879 – January 18, 1954) was a British and American actor. While he did not begin his career in films until the age of 61, he had a run of significant motion pictures in a Hollywood career lasting t ...

. Emhardt made his stage debut in ''The Pirate'' (1942). One of the founding members of the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...

, Emhardt was a member of the cast of the original 1952 Broadway stage production of ''

The Seven Year Itch ''The Seven Year Itch'' is a 1955 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, who co-wrote the screenplay with George Axelrod. Based on Axelrod's 1952 The Seven Year Itch (play), play of the same name, the film stars Marilyn Monroe ...

''. He won the Critics Circle Award for best supporting actor for his performance in ''Life with Mother'' in the 1948–1949 season. His notable film appearances include '' 3:10 to Yuma'' (1957) and ''

Underworld U.S.A. ''Underworld U.S.A.'' (also known as ''Underworld USA'') is a 1961 American neo-noir crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylisticall ...

'' (1961). On television, he was the first actor to play Mac Cory on '' Another World''. He also made over 250 guest appearances on such series as ''

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 ...

'', ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

'', '' The Tall Man'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

GE True ''GE True'' (also known as ''General Electric True'') is a 33-episode, American anthology series sponsored by General Electric that aired from September 30, 1962, until May 26, 1963, with repeats through September 1963. Telecast on CBS, the ser ...

'', '' Stoney Burke'', ''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ...

'', '' The Untouchables'', ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...

'' (three episodes), ''

The Naked City ''The Naked City'' (a.k.a. ''Naked City'') is a 1948 American crime procedural produced by Mark Hellinger, directed by Jules Dassin and written by Albert Maltz and Malvin Wald, from a story by Malvin Ward. Starring Barry Fitzgerald, with ...

'', '' The Tom Ewell Show'', ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...

'', ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western (genre), Western, spy film, spy, and science fiction on television, science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 19 ...

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 ...

'' (two episodes), ''

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 Man From U.N.C.L.E.'', '' The Invaders'', ''

Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb and produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pe ...

'', ''

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired five seasons from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family of six children, with three boys and three gir ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American Action film, action Crime film, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theophilus "Theo" Kojak. Tak ...

'', ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Have Gun, Will Travel Have or having may refer to: * the concept of ownership * any concept of ''possession'' * the English verb "to " is used: ** to express possession linguistically, in a broad sense ** as an auxiliary verb ** in constructions such as ''have somet ...

'' and '' Quincy, M.E.''

Personal life and death

Emhardt married actress Martha Jones (later married name Martha Rofheart) in 1943, with whom he had appeared on Broadway in both ''Harriet'' and ''The Pirate''. After the dissolution of the marriage, he married actress Silvia Sideli in 1954. They had a son named Christopher and a daughter named Mia. Emhardt died of heart problems at his home in

Ojai, California Ojai ( ; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''’Awhaỳ'') is a city in Ventura County, California. Located in the Ojai Valley, it is northwest of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara, California, Santa Barbara. The valley is part of the east– ...

, on December 26, 1994, at the age of 80.

Filmography

*''Marco Millions'' (1939 TV movie) *''The Dagmar Story'' (1951 TV movie) – Pa Lewis *''

The Iron Mistress ''The Iron Mistress'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Alan Ladd and Virginia Mayo. It ends with Bowie's marriage to Ursula de Veramendi and does not deal with his death at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. ...

'' (1952) – General Cuny *''

The Big Knife ''The Big Knife'' is a 1955 American melodrama film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich from a screenplay by James Poe based on the 1949 play by Clifford Odets. The film stars Jack Palance, Ida Lupino, Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Rod S ...

'' (1955) (uncredited) *'' 3:10 to Yuma'' (1957) – Mr. Butterfield, Stage Line Owner *'' The Badlanders'' (1958) – Sample *'' Wake Me When It's Over'' (1960) – Joab Martinson *''

'' (1961) – Earl Connors *'' The Intruder'' (1962) – Verne Shipman *''

Kid Galahad ''Kid Galahad'' is a 1962 American musical film starring Elvis Presley as a boxer. It was released by United Artists in August 1962 and opened at #9 at the American box office. '' Variety'' ranked it #37 on its list of the top-grossing films of ...

'' (1962) – Maynard *'' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1965 TV movie) – Henry Adams *''Diamond Jim: Skulduggery in Samantha'' (1965 TV movie) – Schindler *'' The Group'' (1966) – Mr. Andrews *'' Hostile Guns'' (1967) – R. C. Crawford *'' Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?'' (1968) – Otis J. Hendershot Sr. *'' Rascal'' (1969) – Constable *''

Change of Habit ''Change of Habit'' is a 1969 American crime drama musical film directed by William A. Graham, and starring Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore. Written by James Lee, S.S. Schweitzer, and Eric Bercovici, based on a story by John Joseph and Rich ...

'' (1969) – The Banker *''

Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came ''Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came'' (also known as ''War Games, Old Soldiers Never'') is a 1970 American drama-comedy film directed by Hy Averback, produced by Fred Engel, and starring Brian Keith, Don Ameche, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine ...

'' (1970) – Lester Calhoun *''The Boy Who Stole the Elephant'' (1970 TV movie) – Cy Brown *'' Lawman'' (1971) – Hersham *''Lock, Stock and Barrel'' (1971 TV movie) – Sam Hartwig *'' Scorpio'' (1973) – Man in hotel *'' The Stone Killer'' (1973) – Fussy Man *''Night Games'' (1974 TV movie) – Judge Ambrose *''Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love'' (1974 TV movie) *'' It's Alive'' (1974) – The Executive *''The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One'' (1974 TV movie) – Dr. Willards *''Demon, Demon'' (1975 TV movie) *'' Alex & the Gypsy'' (1976) – Judge Ehrlinger *''The Chopped Liver Brothers'' (1977 TV movie) – Duffy *'' Fraternity Row'' (1977) – Brother Bob Abernathy *'' It Happened One Christmas'' (1977 TV movie) – Judge *''

The Seniors ''The Seniors'' (sometimes ''The Senior'' or simply ''Seniors'') is a 1978 American comedy film about four college seniors who open a bogus sex clinic, which unexpectedly mushrooms into a multimillion-dollar business. Directed by Rod Amateau, ...

'' (1978) – The Bishop *'' Die Sister, Die!'' (1978) – James Lendon Price *''Pleasure Cove'' (1979 TV movie) – Fat Man at Bar *'' Institute for Revenge'' (1979 TV movie) – Senator *''Aunt Mary'' (1979 TV movie) – Berwick *'' Forced Vengeance'' (1982) – Carl Gerlich

Partial television credits

*''

'' (1955-1959) **season 1 episode "Don't Come Back Alive" (1955) - Mr. Kettle **season 2 episode "De Mortuis" (1956) - Professor Rankin **season 2 episode "Crackpot" (1957) - Mr. Moon **season 2 episode "Martha Mason, Movie Star" (1957) - Henry G. McKay **season 3 episode "The Right Kind of House" (1958) - Mr. Waterbury **season 5 episode "Road Hog" (1959) - Ed Fratus *''

Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947, on NBC, airing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Impe ...

'' (two-part teleplay "

All the King's Men ''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U. ...

") (1958) *'' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' (episode "Make Me Not a Witch") (1959) – Priest *''

'' (episode "Case of the Ominous Outcast") (1960) – J.J. Flaherty *''

'' (episode "Static") (1961) – Professor Ackerman * '' The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' (episode "The Golden Acres") (1961) – Ben * ''

'' (1963) (season 3 episode "Man in a Hurry") - Malcolm Tucker * '' Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' (episode:"A Killing at Sundial") (1963) * ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''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 a ...

'' (season 3 episode "Return of Verge Likens") (1964) - Riley McGrath *''

'' (episode "The Night of the Tottering Tontine") (1967) - Martin Grevely & (episode "The Night of the Two-legged Buffalo") (S1 E23) - Claude Duchamps

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Emhardt, Robert 1914 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Male actors from Indianapolis Male actors from Los Angeles People from Ojai, California