- Jack Kruschen
Jack Kruschen (
March 20 ,1922 –April 2 ,2002 ) was aCanadian -borncharacter actor who worked primarily in Americanfilm ,television and radio.Radio
Born in
Winnipeg, Manitoba , Kruschen began his radio career while still in high school, and during the 1940s, he became a staple of West Coastradio drama . He had regular or recurring roles on "Broadway Is My Beat " (as Sgt. Muggavan), and "Pete Kelly's Blues" (as Red, the bass player), as well as frequent episodic roles onanthology series,Westerns and crime dramas.He was heard on such high-profile series as "Escape", "Dragnet", "
The Rifleman ", "Gunsmoke " (usually as law abiding locals), "Crime Classics ", "Frontier Gentleman ", "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar ", "Nightbeat " and "Suspense."Films
His movie career is highlighted by his memorable performance as neighbor Dr. Dreyfuss in
Billy Wilder 's "The Apartment " (for which he received an Academy Award nomination forBest Supporting Actor ).Other film assignments included
George Pál 's "The War of the Worlds" (as Salvatore, one of the first three victims, a role he reprised on the "Lux Radio Theater " adaptation), "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (as saloon owner Christmas Morgan), "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars ", "Lover Come Back ", "McLintock! " (withJohn Wayne andMaureen O'Hara ) and "Cape Fear".Television
Kruschen was performing on television as early as 1939, appearing in dramas on Don Lee's experimental television station in Los Angeles, where he was seen on some 200 TV sets with three-inch screens.
His TV career included the regular role of Grandpa Papadopolis on the
situation comedy "Webster" and guest villain Eivol Ekdol, a villainous magicians' craftsman on "Batman". He also was seen on "Dragnet", "Zorro", "Barney Miller ," and in later years, "Murphy Brown ", "" and "Full House ".In 1969, he co-starred with
Stefanie Powers in an unsold ABC sitcom pilot, "Holly Golighty", adapted fromTruman Capote 's "Breakfast at Tiffany's".His final on-camera appearance was in the 1997 film, "Til There Was You" (with
Sarah Jessica Parker ). He was married to Marjorie Ullman from January 1947 to 1951, and his second marriage was with Mary Pender fromJuly 23 ,1979 untilApril 2 ,2002 when he died inChandler, Arizona , aged 80.External links
*imdb name | id=0472816 | name=Jack Kruschen
*findagrave|6809465
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