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

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to ...

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 (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Sena ...

in London. He began his

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 ...

career in the 1930s as an

understudy In theater, 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 a ...

for the equally heavyset

Sydney Greenstreet Sydney Hughes Greenstreet (December 27, 1879 – January 18, 1954) was a British-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 throu ...

. 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 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 ...

, 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, from a screenplay he co-wrote with George Axelrod from the 1952 three-act play. The film stars Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, who reprised his stage role ...

''. 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.'' (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, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', ''

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 u ...

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

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'', ''

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'', '' 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 ta ...

'', '' 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 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'' (3 episodes), ''

The Naked City ''The Naked City'' (aka ''Naked City'') is a 1948 American film noir directed by Jules Dassin, starring Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart and Don Taylor. The film, shot almost entirely on location in New York City, depicts the polic ...

'', ''

The Tom Ewell Show ''The Tom Ewell Show'', also known as ''The Trouble With Tom'', is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS during the 1960-61 television season. It depicts the challenges a husband and father faces as he resides in a household otherwise co ...

'', ''

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'', ''

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 ...

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'' (2 episodes), ''

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 ...

'', ''

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...

'', ''

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

'', ''

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 duri ...

'', ''

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 Theodopolis "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 1970 to 1977. ...

'', ''

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'', '' Have Gun, Will Travel'' and ''

Quincy, M.E. ''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County medi ...

''.

Personal life and death

Emhardt married actress Martha Jones (later married name

Martha Rofheart Martha Rofheart (born Martha Jane Jones, 1917–1990) was an American writer of historical novels, an actress and early in her career, a model. Early life She was born Martha Jane Jones, May 27, 1917 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Evan Jones an ...

) 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, 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'' (1952) – Gen. Cuny *''

The Big Knife ''The Big Knife'' is a 1955 melodrama 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 Steiger, Shelley Wint ...

'' (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 *'' Underworld U.S.A.'' (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 Rascal or rascals may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Rascal'' (book), a 1963 children's book by Sterling North ** ''Rascal'' (film), a 1969 Walt Disney adaptation of Sterling North's book * ''Rascals'' (1938 film), an American comedy-dra ...

'' (1969) – Constable *'' Change of Habit'' (1969) – The Banker *'' Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came'' (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 ''Alex & the Gypsy'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by John Korty and written by Lawrence B. Marcus. The film stars Jack Lemmon, Geneviève Bujold, James Woods, Gino Ardito, Robert Emhardt and Titos Vandis. The film was released on ...

'' (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

*''

'' (episode "Crackpot") (1957) – Mr. Moon *''

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 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chee ...

'' (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

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