Warren Stevens
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Warren Albert Stevens (November 2, 1919 – March 27, 2012) was an American stage, screen, and television actor.


Early life and career

Stevens was born in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania and graduated from Clarks Summit High School."Susan Huntington Engaged to Marry"
'' The Scranton Tribune'', Scranton, Pennsylvania, volume 340, number 65, September 14, 1942, page 6.
He attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School and entered the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...
in 1937 but was medically discharged in 1940. In January 1942, he enlisted in the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
and became an aviation cadet. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, he served in the Army Air Forces as a pilot. A founding member of the Actors Studio in New York, Stevens received notice on Broadway in the late 1940s, and thereafter was offered a Hollywood contract at
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
. His first Broadway role was in '' The Life of Galileo'' (1947) and his first movie role followed in '' The Frogmen'' (1951). As a young studio contract player, Stevens had little choice of material, and he appeared in films that included '' Phone Call from a Stranger'' (1952), '' Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie'' (1952), and '' Gorilla at Large'' (1954). A memorable movie role was that of the ill-fated "Doc" Ostrow in the science fiction film '' Forbidden Planet'' (1956). He also had supporting roles in '' The Barefoot Contessa'' (1954) with
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
and '' Intent to Kill'' (1958). Despite occasional parts in big films, Stevens was unable to break out consistently into A-list movies, so he carved out a career in television as a journeyman dramatic actor. Stevens was a Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.


Television career

He co-starred as Lieutenant William Storm in '' Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers'' ( NBC, 1956–1957), a prime time adventure series set in India. Stevens also provided the voice of John Bracken in season one of '' Bracken's World'' (NBC, 1968–1970). He played the role of Elliot Carson in the daytime series '' Return to Peyton Place'' during its two-year run (1972-1974). He appeared in over 150 prime time shows from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including: *
Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...
anthology series ('' Actors Studio'', '' Campbell Playhouse'', '' The Web'', ''
Justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
'', ''
The Philco Television Playhouse ''The Philco Television Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the ...
'', '' Studio One'', '' The United States Steel Hour'', '' Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'', '' Route 66''), *Mysteries '' Hawaiian Eye'' (4 episodes), '' Perry Mason'', '' The Untouchables'', '' Climax!'', ''
Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...
'' (2 episodes), '' Surfside 6'' (2 episodes), '' 77 Sunset Strip'' (2 episodes), '' Behind Closed Doors'', '' I Spy'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' Ironside'' (3 episodes), '' The Mod Squad'', '' Mannix'', ''
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 ...
'' (3 episodes), ''
Griff Griff may refer to: People * Griff (name), a list of people with the given name or surname * Griff (singer), stage name of English singer and songwriter Sarah Faith Griffiths (born 2001) * Nickname of Guy Griffiths (1915–1999), British Secon ...
'', '' Mission: Impossible'' (4 episodes), Combat! (1 episode). *Horror and Sci Fi '' Inner Sanctum'' (3 episodes), ''
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 ...
'' (2 episodes), '' The Twilight Zone'' (episode " Dead Man's Shoes"), '' One Step Beyond'' (episode "The Riddle"), '' The Outer Limits'' (episode " Keeper of the Purple Twilight"), ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' (episode " By Any Other Name"), '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' (3 episodes), ''
The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science-fiction television series written around a theme of time travel adventure; it starred James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction televisi ...
'', Science Fiction Theater'', Land of the Giants (2 episodes) *Comedies '' The Donna Reed Show'' (2 episodes, 1965 and 1966), '' M*A*S*H'' (1 episode, Season 4, episode 13, "The Gun", Dec 2, 1975) *Westerns ('' Laramie'', '' The Rebel'', '' A Man Called Shenandoah''), '' Wagon Train'' (2 episodes), '' The Alaskans'', '' Tales of Wells Fargo'' (1 episode), ''
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 ...
'' (3 episodes), ''
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 ...
'' (4 episodes), ''
Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...
'' (3 episodes), '' The Virginian'' (3 episodes), '' The Big Valley'' (one episode), '' Rawhide'', and '' Have Gun, Will Travel'' (3 episodes). ''Tombstone Territory'' (1 episode), ''Stoney Burke'' (1 episode). In 1970 he appeared as Paul Carson on ''The Men From Shiloh'' (rebranded name for '' The Virginian'') in the episode titled "Hannah." Stevens' appearance in the 1955 movie '' Robbers' Roost'' introduced him to Richard Boone, who hired him for a continuing television role on '' The Richard Boone Show'', an award-winning NBC anthology series which lasted for the 1963–1964 season. Stevens was a close friend of actor Richard Basehart and helped him through a difficult divorce in the early 1960s. Stevens guest-starred in a few episodes of Basehart's ABC series, '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea''. He also had a supporting role on another
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen; June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
production, '' The Return of Captain Nemo'' in 1978. In his later years, Stevens' appearances were infrequent. He guest-starred in '' ER'' in March 2006 and had two roles in 2007. For the DVD release of '' Combat!'' he provided audio commentary for "The Gun" (S5, E1) an episode in which he had guest-starred (he also guest-starred in "The Imposter" (S3, E10))


Death

Stevens died on March 27, 2012, from complications of lung disease in his home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California. He had three children.


Filmography


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Warren 1919 births 2012 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th Century Studios contract players 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors People from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania United States Army Air Forces officers Male actors from Greater Los Angeles Male actors from Pennsylvania Deaths from lung disease California Democrats Pennsylvania Democrats Male Western (genre) film actors United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy midshipmen