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Yale Summers

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Yale Summers
Yale Summers guest starring with Sharon Hugueny (right) in a May 1964 episode of Inger Stevens' sitcom The Farmer's Daughter
Born(1933-07-26)July 26, 1933
Manhattan, New York, US
DiedMay 6, 2012(2012-05-06) (aged 78)
OccupationActor
Years active1961–2009
SpouseSuzanne Ried Summers
Children2

Yale Summers (July 26, 1933 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor and producer, whose credits included the 1960s CBS television series, Daktari, with Marshall Thompson.[1]

Summers was heavily involved with the Screen Actors Guild. He was a member of the SAG national board of directors for twenty-seven years and the national executive committee for eighteen years.[2][3]

Acting career

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Born in Manhattan, Summers made his acting debut in the 1961 film, Mad Dog Coll, playing a small unbilled role.[2] The remainder of his career was almost entirely occupied with television. He appeared in a recurring role on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, as Dr. Bob Ayres during the 1964-1965 television season.[1] His best known role was as Jack Dane on Daktari, which aired from 1966 to 1968.[1] From 1972 to 1974, Summers replaced Lawrence Casey in the NBC daytime series, Return to Peyton Place, as the character Rodney Harrington.[1]

His additional television roles included guest spots on Land of the Giants, My Favorite Martian, My Three Sons, The Outer Limits, Quincy, M.E., Fantasy Island, and The Donna Reed Show.[1]

SAG and AFTRA involvement

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Summers was a founding member of the SAG Awards Committee and for a time the chairman of that committee.[1] Summers was a co-founder and producer of the Screen Actors Guild Awards from 1995 until 2009.[1][2]

Summers also served as the former national treasurer and the recording secretary for SAG.[2] Summers was a trustee of the SAG Pension and Health Funds and a member of the board for the SAG Foundation.[1][2] In 2008, SAG awarded Summers the Ralph Morgan Award for his service and involvement with the union.[1]

Summers was active with another actors' union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He served a combined twenty-four years on the national AFTRA board and the union's local Los Angeles chapter.[2]

SAG and AFTRA merged in March 2012, shortly before Summers' death.[4]

Personal life

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The only child of Joseph and Edlie Neuvohner,[3] Summers received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cornell University in 1955[1] and served in the United States Army, having attained the rank of lieutenant.[1]

He married actress Suzanne Ried in 1967. They had 2 children, one of whom is Jolie Elean Summers. He also had 2 grandchildren at the time of his death.

Filmography

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Films
Year Title Role
1961 Mad Dog Coll Gambler (uncredited)
1977 If You Loved Me Don
2000 $pent Max's Father (uncredited)
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1962 The Dick Powell Theater Jeff "330 Independence S.W." - Season 1 Episode 25
1962 Window on Main Street Fred "It's Blessed to Receive" - Season 1 Episode 27
1962 The Gallant Men Young Officer (uncredited) "Some Tears Fall Dry" - Season 1 Episode 8
1962 Cheyenne Lieutenant Jackson "Johnny Brassbuttons" - Season 7 Episode 11
1963 The Untouchables Student (uncredited) "The Snowball" - Season 4 Episode 15
1963 General Hospital Dr. Bob Ayres
1963 The Donna Reed Show Howard "The New Look" - Season 5 Episode 19, "Big Wheel" Season 5 Episode 33
1963 Channing Fraternity President "Exercise in a Shark Tank" - Season 1 Episode 2
1963 The New Phil Silvers Show TBC
1963 The Lieutenant Lt. Barry Everest "The Two Star Giant" - Season 1 Episode 4, "A Touching of Hands" - Season 1 Episode 7
1964 My Favorite Martian Intern "RX for a Martian" - Season 1 Episode 16
1964 The Outer Limits Buddy Lyman "Second Chance" - Season 1 Episode 23
1964 The Farmer's Daughter Paul Layton "Mismatch Maker" - Season 1 Episode 35
1964 Karen Hoot Dubbins "Surfer's Aide" - Season 1 Episode 2
1964 Twelve O'Clock High Lt. Charley Vale "Appointment at Liege" - Season 1 Episode 9
1966-68 Daktari Jack Dane
1969 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Walter Emmons "One Small Step for Man" - Season 1 Episode 5
1970 Land of the Giants Andre "Nightmare" - Season 2 Episode 16
1971 The Smith Family Mr. Bower "Cindy" - Season 1 Episode 1
1971 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Freshno Agent "Operation: Stolen Bonds" - Season 1 Episode 3
1971 McMillan & Wife George Fairborn "The Easy Sunday Murder Case" - Season 1 Episode 2
1972 Arnie Dougie Pritchett "Room at the Top" - Season 2 Episode 19
1965-72 My Three Sons Multiple roles
1972 Return to Peyton Place Rodney Harrington #2
1974 Big Rose: Double Trouble James Mayhew TV movie
1975 The Blue Knight Clark "Two to Make Deadly" - Season 1 Episode 1
1976 Emergency! Manager "The Tycoons" - Season 5 Episode 23
1977 Switch Porter Collins "Butterfly Mourning" - Season 2 Episode 17
1970-78 This Is the Life Multiple roles
1978 The Amazing Captain Nemo Sirak TV movie
1978 Fantasy Island Philip "I Want to Get Married/The Jewel Thief" - Season 2 Episode 5
1979 Quincy M.E. Coroner "Walking Softly Through the Night: Part 1, Part 2" - Season 4 episodes 14, 15
1979 240-Robert Mr. Kline "The Apology" - Season 1 Episode 1

Death

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Summers died in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 78 from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.[1][2]

Actor and former SAG President Ed Asner said, "Yale was a good man and a good friend who was totally dedicated to his belief in the union. He was completely unbiased and never took sides. He had a purist vision of how the guild should be run and wasn't swayed by the influence of special interest groups. He put the best interest of the guild and union first. I'm deeply sorry for his passing."[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Yale Summers dies at 78, 'Daktari' actor served SAG in multiple capacities". Variety. May 6, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "R.I.P. Yale Summers". Deadline Hollywood. May 7, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "SAG-AFTRA Remembers Yale Summers: Longtime SAG Board Member and Past Officer Passes Away". Screen Actors Guild. May 7, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  4. ^ "SAG-AFTRA's L.A. local sets Dec. 3 meeting". Variety. November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
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