Richard Erdman
Richard Erdman | |
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![]() Erdman in The Admiral Was a Lady (1950) | |
Born | John Richard Erdmann June 1, 1925 |
Died | March 16, 2019 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 93)
Other names | Dick Erdman |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1944–2017 |
Known for | Community (2009–2015) Stalag 17 (1953) Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) |
Spouses |
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Children | 1 |
John Richard Erdman (June 1, 1925 – March 16, 2019) was an American character actor and occasional film and television director.[1] He appeared in more than 160 films, and television productions between 1944 and 2017, mostly in supporting roles.[2] He is most known for his recurring role in the critically acclaimed comedy series Community (2009-2015), and the classic films, Stalag 17 (1953), and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970).
Early life
Erdman was born John Richard Erdmann in Enid in northern Oklahoma. His mother was Allie J. Erdman. His parents divorced during his childhood. Erdman, his sibling, and his mother moved to Colorado Springs when he was a teenager. He graduated from Palmer High School, where he would perform on stage. During his youth, he worked as a paper boy for the Colorado Springs Evening Telegraph. A stage director named Newton Winburne encouraged him to try his luck in Hollywood.[3]
Career
Erdman started his career at Warner Bros. where he signed a studio contract. Two of his first roles were in the films Mr. Skeffington, starring Bette Davis and Claude Rains and Janie, starring Joyce Reynolds. After a few smaller roles he achieved success as a character actor in supporting roles. In a career that spanned seven decades, his best-known roles are that of the barracks chief Hoffy in Stalag 17, and the garrulous, tedious barfly McNulty in the Twilight Zone episode "A Kind of a Stopwatch". He also appeared in The Men (1950) with Marlon Brando and the film noir Cry Danger (1951) with Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming. In Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) he played Colonel Edward F. French, the officer who responded to the failure to transmit the warning to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
He has guest starred in a wide variety of shows such as Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Dream of Jeannie, The Beverly Hillbillies, Here's Lucy, That Girl, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, One Day at a Time, Lou Grant, Quincy, M.E., Cheers, and Murder, She Wrote.
He is also known as a voice artist, contributing to the animated shows, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, The Amazing Spider-Man, Johnny Quest, DuckTales, Snorks, Paddington, and Batman: The Animated Series.
He directed the 1971 TV film Mooch Goes to Hollywood.[4] From 2009 to 2015, Erdman had a recurring role as the old student Leonard Rodriguez on Community. His last role was in 2017 in the sitcom Dr. Ken.
Personal life
Erdman married actress Leza Holland in 1948, but they divorced two years later. He was married to his second wife, Sharon Randall, from 1953 until her death in 2016. They had one daughter, Erica, who was born in 1954 and died on February 18, 2010, of an accidental overdose of prescription medicine.[5] Erica was a poet and illustrator (The Ellyn Maybe Coloring Book) and the author of one full-length collection of poems (The Apocalyptic Kid).
Death
Erdman died on March 16, 2019, aged 93, in an assisted-living facility in Los Angeles, California. He had been suffering "from age-related dementia" and recently had a fall.[6]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1944 | Mr. Skeffington | Western Union Boy | uncredited |
1944 | Janie | Scooper Nolan | |
1944 | Musical Movieland | Sailor with Tour | uncredited |
1944 | The Very Thought of You | Soda Jerk | |
1944 | Hollywood Canteen | Soldier on Deck | uncredited |
1945 | Objective, Burma | Pvt. Nebraska Hooper | |
1945 | The Horn Blows at Midnight | Joe Smith | scenes deleted |
1945 | Star in the Night | Cowboy | |
1945 | Danger Signal | Bunkie Taylor | |
1945 | Too Young to Know | Tommy | |
1946 | Janie Gets Married | Lt. 'Scooper' Nolan | |
1946 | Night and Day | Music Store Customer | uncredited |
1946 | Shadow of a Woman | Joe | |
1946 | So You Want to Play the Horses | Eddie | uncredited |
1946 | Deception | Jerry Spencer | uncredited |
1946 | Nobody Lives Forever | Bellboy, The Marwood Arms | |
1947 | That Way with Women | Eddie | |
1947 | Wild Harvest | Mark Lewis | |
1948 | The Time of Your Life | Willie (the pinball machine maniac) | |
1949 | Easy Living | Buddy Morgan | |
1950 | Swiss Tour | Eddy | |
1950 | The Men | Leo | |
1950 | The Admiral Was a Lady | Oliver 'Ollie' Bonelli | |
1951 | Cry Danger | Delong | |
1951 | You're in the Navy Now | Ens. Chuck Dorrance | |
1951 | The Stooge | Ben Bailey | |
1951 | The Wild Blue Yonder | Cpl. Frenchy | |
1952 | Aladdin and His Lamp | Mirza | |
1952 | The San Francisco Story | Shorty | |
1952 | Jumping Jacks | Pvt. Dogface Dolan | |
1952 | The Happy Time | Alfred Grattin | |
1953 | The Blue Gardenia | Al | |
1953 | Stalag 17 | Sgt. 'Hoffy' Hoffman | |
1953 | Mission Over Korea | Pvt. Swenson | |
1953 | The Steel Lady | Jim Evans | |
1955 | Francis in the Navy | Murph | |
1955 | Bengazi | Selby | |
1956 | Anything Goes | Ed Brent | |
1956 | The Power and the Prize | Lester Everett | |
1958 | The Rawhide Trail | Rupe Pardee | |
1958 | Saddle the Wind | Dallas Hanson | |
1959 | Face of Fire | Al Williams | |
1961 | Marines, Let's Go | MP | uncredited |
1964 | The Brass Bottle | Seymour Jenks | |
1966 | Namu, the Killer Whale | Deke | |
1969 | Rascal | Walt Dabbett | |
1970 | Tora! Tora! Tora! | Col. Edward F. French | |
1973 | The Brothers O'Toole | Judge Quincey P. Trumbell | |
1974 | Mr. Majestyk | Dick Richard | uncredited |
1982 | Heidi's Song | Herr Sessman | voice |
1984 | Trancers | Drunken Wise Man | |
1985 | Tomboy | Chester | |
1986 | Stewardess School | Attorney | |
1987 | Beverly Hills Car Park | Waiter | |
1994 | The Pagemaster | Pirate | voice |
1999 | The Learning Curve | Ralph | |
2008 | Empire State Building Murders | Eddie Walker | |
2010 | The Bag | John Harper |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1952 | Rebound | Mason | Episode: The Girl |
1953 | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show |
Various Roles | 3 episodes |
1953–55 | Where's Raymond? | Pete Morrisey | 35 episodes |
1955 | Cavalcade of America | Harry Jordan | Episode: The Gift of Dr. Minot |
1955 | Medic | Dick Hopper | Episode: Glass of Fear |
1955 | Schlitz Playhouse | Eddie McGuire | Episode: The Last Out |
1955-57 | NBC Matinee Theater | Performer | 3 episodes |
1955 | Science Fiction Theatre | Seth Turner | Episode: Are We Invaded? |
1956 | The Ford Theatre | Pepper | Episode: Double Trouble |
1956 | Star Stage | Performer | Episode: Career |
1956 | Crossroads | Performer | Episode: Man on the Totem Pole |
1957 | West Point | Cap. Don Prickette | Episode: Jet Flight |
1958-66 | Perry Mason | Various Roles | 6 episodes |
1958 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Charlie Brown | Episode: The Crooked Road |
1959 | Disneyland | Sergeant Jasper | 2 episodes |
1959 | The David Niven Show | Bobo | Episode: Life Line |
1960 | The Danny Thomas Show | Joe Forbes | Episode: Danny, The Handyman |
1960 | Alcoa Theatre | Matt Brent | Episode: Forced Landing |
1960–61 | The Tab Hunter Show | Richard Fairfield III | 32 episodes |
1962-63 | Saints and Sinners | Klugie | 18 episodes |
1963 | The Twilight Zone | McNulty | Episode: A Kind of a Stopwatch |
1965 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Buck Brown | Episode: Baby Fat |
1966 | Green Acres | Dillwell Pinkley | Episode: A Home Isn't Build for a Day |
1967 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | P.T. Barkley | Episode: The Suburbia Affair |
1967 | Gomer Pyle USMC | Sergeant Gilroy | Episode: Go Blow Your Horn |
1968 | Premiere | Murphy | Episode: Out of the Blue |
1968 | Hogan's Heroes | Walter Hobson | Episode: No Names Please |
1969 | I Dream of Jeannie | Store Manager | Episode: Ride 'Em Astronaut |
1969 | The Wild Wild West | Mordecai Krone | Episode: The Night of the Bleak Island |
1970 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Whitehouse Guard | Episode: The Clampetts in Washington |
1970 | Nancy | Pruitt | Episode: Going, Going, Going |
1970 | Here's Lucy | Supermarket Clerk | Episode: Lucy Loses Here Cool |
1971 | That Girl | Milton | Episode: The Russians Are Staying |
1975 | Police Story | Det. Eddie Samuels | Episode: The Witness |
1975 | Kate McShane | Frederick De Fernando | Episode: Kate McShane |
1975–76 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Vernon/Slayton | 2 episodes |
1977 | The Bionic Woman | Terrence Quinn | Episode: Over the Hill Spy |
1978 | Alice | Gene Crowley | Episode: The Reporter |
1979 | Time Express | Horace Hilling | Episode: Rodep/Cop |
1979 | Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo | Additional Voices | Television Series |
1979 | The Amazing Spider-Man | Mr. Zeider | 2 episodes |
1980 | One Day at a Time | Charlie | Episode: The Amarillo Connection |
1981 | Space Stars | Additional Voices | 11 episodes |
1978–82 | Lou Grant | Various Roles | 4 episodes |
1982 | Quincy, M.E. | Miles' Attorney | Episode: Expert in Murder |
1983 | The Dukes | Additional voices | 20 episodes |
1986 | Johnny Quest | Additional Voices | Television Series |
1986 | Cheers | Duncan Fitzgerald | Episode: Money Dearest |
1986 | Pound Puppies | Angry Neighbor | Episode: The Fairy Dogmother |
1987 | She's the Sheriff | Performer | Episode: A Little Romance |
1987 | DuckTales | Mayor Rufus B. Pinfeathers King Arty (voice) |
2 episodes |
1987 | Popeye and Son | Additional Voices | 13 episodes |
1987 | It's a Living | Ernie | Episode: A Pen Pal for Your Thoughts |
1988 | Jessie | Dr. Adams | Television Movie |
1988 | The New Yogi Bear Show | Additional Voices | 4 episodes |
1988 | Snorks | Additional Voices | 3 episodes |
1984–89 | Murder, She Wrote | Jonathan/Eggman | 2 episodes |
1988-89 | Fantastic Max | Additional Voices | 3 episodes |
1989 | The Further Adventures of SuperTed | Additional Voices | 13 episodes |
1989-90 | Paddington | Additional Voices | 2 episodes |
1990 | Wings | Howard Banks | Episode: Around the World in 80 Days |
1990 | Timeless Tales from Hallmark | voice | Episode: The Emperor's New Clothes |
1990 | Out of This World | Judge | Episode: Forget Your Troubles |
1991 | The New Adam-12 | Man with Dementia | Episode: Dementia |
1991–93 | The Pirates of Dark Water | Additional Voices | 9 episodes |
1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Elliot | Episode: See No Evil |
1994 | Picket Fences | Justice Stevens | Episode: May it Please the Court |
1995 | Hudson Street | Judge Broadnax | Episode: Contempt |
1995 | Capitol Critters | Voice | Episode: The Bug House |
1997 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Mr. Perl | Episode: Pride and Prejudice |
2000 | Felicity | Howie | Episode: A Good Egg |
2002 | Boomtown | Kevin's Dad | Episode: Reelin' in the Years |
2002 | Judging Amy | Mr. Callahan | Episode: Cause for Alarm |
2002 | The Bernie Mac Show | Frank | Episode: The Sweet Life |
2004 | Joan of Arcadia | Mr. Hanson | Episode: No Bad Guy |
2006 | Viagra Falls | Pete | Television Movie |
2008 | Empire State Building Murders | Eddie Walker | Television Movie |
2009 | Operating Instructions | Henry | Television Movie |
2009–15 | Community | Leonard | 53 episodes |
2015 | Weird Loners | Carl's Grandfather | Episode: Weird Knight |
2017 | Dr. Ken | Richard Erdman | Episode: Ken's Big Audition |
As a director
Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | 2 episodes | |
1971 | Teenage Tease | Feature Film | |
1971 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Television Film | |
1973 | The Brothers O'Toole | Feature Film |
References
- ^ "Richard Erdman". The New York Times.
- ^ Valentine, Dan (July 21, 1967). "Nothing Serious". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ Aldridge, Dorothy (October 14, 1972). "A Character Actor Career Which Began Here Spins a 30-year Cycle, Climaxing in Colorado". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Mooch Goes to Hollywood". The New York Times.
- ^ "Erica E. Erdman". Los Angeles Times. February 26, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ Richard Erdman, Actor in Stalag 17 and TV's Community, Dies at 93, hollywoodreporter.com; accessed March 17, 2019.
External links
- 1925 births
- 2019 deaths
- American people of German descent
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- Male actors from Oklahoma
- Actors from Enid, Oklahoma
- Film directors from Oklahoma
- Audiobook narrators