Robert Frank Simon (December 2, 1908 – November 29, 1992) 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 ...

Earlier years

Simon began acting with Mansfield's Community Players organization when he worked as a clerk in a meat market. Following that experience, he acted with the

Cleveland Playhouse Cleveland Play House (CPH) is a professional regional theater company located in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1915 and built its own noted theater complex in 1927. Currently the company performs at the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square ...

Theater

Simon appeared on Broadway in

Clifford Odets Clifford Odets (July 18, 1906 – August 14, 1963) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In the mid-1930s, he was widely seen as the potential successor to Nobel Prize–winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, as O'Neill began to withd ...

's play, '' Clash by Night''. In 1949, he succeeded Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman in ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by the American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a ...

''. His other Broadway credits included ''Of Thee I Sing'' (1952), ''Sundown Beach'' (1948), ''On Whitman Avenue'' (1946), ''Truckline Cafe'' (1946), ''Brighten the Corner'' (1945), ''Mrs. January and Mr. X'' (1944), ''Apology'' (1943), and ''The Russian People'' (1942).

Film and TV

1950s–1970s

Simon began working in films and on television after he moved to Los Angeles in 1954. In 1955, he appeared on television in episodes of ''

Medic A medic is a person trained to provide medical care, encompassing a wide range of individuals involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of health conditions. The term can refer to fully qualified medical practitioners, such as physic ...

'' and ''

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 ...

'' as well as such feature films as ''Chief Crazy Horse'', ''Seven Angry Men'', and '' The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell''. In 1956 and 1957, he appeared in episodes of '' State Trooper'', '' The Millionaire'' and '' M Squad''. In 1957, he appeared in the

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 12, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. She rose to fame in the 1940s as a contract player for Paramount Pictures, appea ...

film '' Spring Reunion'', and as George Nordmann in the feature film '' Edge of the City'', starring

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often self- ...

and Sidney Poitier. In 1958, Simon guest-starred as Captain Woods in "The Coward of Fort Bennett" on '' General Electric Theater''. In 1957 and 1958, he appeared in four episodes of the anthology series, ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...

''. In 1959, he appeared on ''

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 ...

'' and '' Adventures in Paradise''. His other 1950s film credits included appearances in '' The Buccaneer'' (1958), '' Compulsion'' (1959), '' The Last Angry Man'' (1959) and '' Operation Petticoat'' (1959).

Westerns

From 1956 to 1970, Simon appeared in '' Broken Arrow'', ''

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

'', '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater'', '' Laramie'', '' Black Saddle'', '' Law of the Plainsman'', '' Johnny Ringo'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

'', and '' The Dakotas'', '' Wichita Town'', '' The Man from Blackhawk'', '' The Texan'', ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western television series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the seco ...

'', ''

Tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...

'', and '' Shotgun Slade'', '' Stagecoach West'', ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

'', '' Lawman'', '' Klondike'', and ''

Frontier Circus ''Frontier Circus'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series about a traveling circus roaming the American West in the 1880s. Filmed by Revue Productions, the program originally aired on CBS from October 5, 1961, until Sep ...

'', ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Ri ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', '' The Legend of Jesse James'', '' The Road West'', ''

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 ...

'' ("Cheap Labor"-S2E32, "Potato Road"-S3E5, “Father’s Love” - S9E24 & "The Mission" - S12E4), '' Laredo'', '' The Virginian'', ''

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 ...

'', and '' The Guns of Will Sonnett''. He portrayed Sheriff Morgan on ''Elfego Baca'' and General Alfred Terry on ''Custer''. In 1962, Simon played Mackie in the episode "House of the Hunter" on CBS's '' Rawhide''. The same year he also portrayed Handy Strong in the feature film '' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance''.

Drama

Simon portrayed Dave Tobak on '' Saints and Sinners''. He also appeared in such programs as ''Crusader'', '' Route 66'', ''

Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

'', '' The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', '' Johnny Midnight'', '' Straightaway'', '' The Roaring 20s'', '' Sea Hunt'' and '' State Trooper''. In 1961 and 1962, he guest starred on episodes of '' Ripcord'', '' The Dick Powell Show'', '' The Lloyd Bridges Show'', '' Cain's Hundred'' and '' Sam Benedict''. In the controversial 1962 episode "The Benefactor" of the legal drama '' The Defenders'', Simon played an unrepentant abortion care provider who uses his trial to argue for a change in the law. In 1966, he played Nazi officer Colonel Beckman in ''The Rat Patrol'' episode "The Exhibit A Raid". Simon guest-starred three times on '' Perry Mason'', including the role of murderer Edward Bannister in the 1958 episode, "The Case of the Desperate Daughter." Simon appeared as Harvey, friend of the main character Paul Driscoll in the 1963 ''

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 ...

'' episode " No Time Like the Past". In 1965, he appeared in episodes of ''

Slattery's People ''Slattery's People'' is a 1964–65 United States, American television series about local politics starring Richard Crenna as title character James Slattery, a state legislator, co-starring Ed Asner and Tol Avery, and featuring Carroll O'Conno ...

'', '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', and '' Dr. Kildare''. During the 1960s, Simon performed as well in dramatic roles in several films, such as '' The Spiral Road'' (1962), '' Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963), and '' Fate Is the Hunter'' (1964). In 1966, he starred too as Mr. Rellik in the Highway Safety Films' production ''The Third Killer''. His role was that of a "Death" salesman charged with three accounts, including traffic fatalities.

Comedy

Simon portrayed Frank Stephens on '' Bewitched'' and Everett McPherson on '' Nancy'', He also appeared in other sitcoms, such as '' Ichabod and Me'', ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. The series was filmed i ...

'', '' Mrs. G. Goes to College'', ''

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 ...

'', and ''

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 ...

''. He appeared in ''

A New Kind of Love ''A New Kind of Love'' is a 1963 American romantic comedy film written, directed, and produced by Melville Shavelson and starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Frank Sinatra sings "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" over the opening credi ...

'' (1963) starring

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

and Joanne Woodward, as "Cervantes" in '' The Reluctant Astronaut'' (1967), and as a doctor in '' Private Duty Nurses'' (1971). He appeared in a 1970 episode of ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an American anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from September 29, 1969, to January 11, 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a pa ...

'', in a 1971 episode of '' Nichols'', starring James Garner, and a 1973 episode of ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...

''. In 1973, he made three guest appearances as General Maynard M. Mitchell on '' M*A*S*H''.

Later roles

From 1969 to 1985, Simon appeared in '' Marcus Welby, M.D.'', ''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Pegg ...

'', '' The Interns'', '' Barnaby Jones'', ''

The Six Million Dollar Man ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After being seriously injured in a NASA test f ...

'', '' Police Woman'', '' Hawaii Five-O'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1928 by the American detective fiction writers Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred Bennington Lee (1905–1971). It is also the name of their main fictional detective, a mystery writer in New York City ...

'', '' M*A*S*H'', ''

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 ...

'', '' McCloud'', '' McMillan & Wife'', '' Quincy M.E.'', '' Eight Is Enough'', and '' The Feather & Father Gang''. He had a recurring role as Captain Rudy Olsen on '' The Streets of San Francisco'' and portrayed J. Jonah Jameson on ''

The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...

'' (1978-1979). His last television appearance was in a 1985 episode of '' Airwolf''.

Personal life

Simon was married to Barbara Them, a Mansfield native. They had four children.

Death

Simon died of a heart attack in Tarzana, California on November 29, 1992. He was interred at Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14000 Famous Persons by Scott Wilson

Partial filmography

*'' Where the Sidewalk Ends'' (1950) - Inspector Nicholas Foley (uncredited) *'' Bright Victory'' (1951) - Psychiatrist *'' Roogie's Bump'' (1954) - Boxi *'' The Black Dakotas'' (1954) - U.S. Marshal Whit Collins *'' Rogue Cop'' (1954) - Ackerman *''

'' (1955) (Season 1 Episode 11: "Guilty Witness") - Sergeant Halloran *'' Seven Angry Men'' (1955) - Colonel Lewis Washington *'' Chief Crazy Horse'' (1955) - Jeff Mantz *'' 5 Against the House'' (1955) - Old Guard (uncredited) *'' Foxfire'' (1955) - Ernest Tyson *'' The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing'' (1955) - Stage Manager *'' The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell'' (1955) - Admiral Gage *'' The Benny Goodman Story'' (1956) - Papa Dave Goodman *'' Never Say Goodbye'' (1956) - Dr. Kenneth Evans *'' The Catered Affair'' (1956) - Mr. Joe Halloran *'' Bigger Than Life'' (1956) - Dr. Norton *'' The First Traveling Saleslady'' (1956) - Cal - Texas Rancher *'' The Rack'' (1956) - Law Officer *'' Edge of the City'' (1957) - George Nordmann *'' Spring Reunion'' (1957) - Harry Brewster *'' Steve Canyon'' (1958)
Col. Hampton
- Season 1/Episode 12: "Pilot Error" *''

Gunman's Walk ''Gunman's Walk'' is a 1958 American CinemaScope Western (genre), Western film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Van Heflin and Tab Hunter. Plot Davy Hackett (James Darren) and his hot-tempered, arrogant older brother Ed (Tab Hunter) are ab ...

'' (1958) - Sheriff Harry Brill *'' The Buccaneer'' (1958) - Captain Brown *'' Compulsion'' (1959) - Police Lieutenant Johnson *'' Face of Fire'' (1959) - The Judge *'' The Last Angry Man'' (1959) - Lyman Gattling *'' Operation Petticoat'' (1959) - Captain J.B. Henderson *'' Pay or Die'' (1960) - Police Commissioner *'' The Facts of Life'' (1960) - Motel Clerk *'' The Wizard of Baghdad'' (1960) - Shamadin *'' Tess of the Storm Country'' (1960) - Mr. Graves *'' Sea Hunt'' (1961, Season 4, Episodes: 14 & 35) - Dr.Tomaso Ricou / Professor Aaron Halliday *'' Straightaway'' (1962, Episodes "Sounds of Fury") - Venable *'' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962) - Handy Strong *'' The Spiral Road'' (1962) - Dr. Martens *''

'' (1963, Season 4, Episode 10 " No Time Like the Past") - Harvey *'' Wall of Noise'' (1963) - Dave McRaab *''

'' (1963) - Bertram Chalmers, Sherman's Boss *'' Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963) - Lieutenant Colonel M.B. Larrabee *'' Fate Is the Hunter'' (1964) - Proctor *''Across the River'' (1965) - Policeman *''

Blindfold A blindfold (from Middle English ') is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. While a properly fitted blindfold prevents sight even if the eyes are open, a poorly tied or trick blindfo ...

'' (1966) - Police Lieutenant *'' The Reluctant Astronaut'' (1967) - Cervantes *'' Private Duty Nurses'' (1971) - Dr. Sutton *'' Hawaii Five-O'' (1975, Episode "Computer Killer") - Hugh Tilles *'' Spider-Man Strikes Back'' (1978) - J. Jonah Jameson

References

External links

* *
Robert F. Simon
at Internet Off-Broadway Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Robert F. 1908 births 1992 deaths Male actors from Ohio American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors People from Mansfield, Ohio 20th-century American male actors