Edward Platt

Edward Platt
Born	Edward Cuthbert Platt February 14, 1916(1916-02-14) Staten Island, New York, USA
Died	March 19, 1974 (aged 58) Santa Monica, California, USA
Spouse(s)	Suzanne Belcher (1954 - 1974)

Edward Cuthbert Platt (February 14, 1916 – March 19, 1974) was an American character actor best known for his portrayal of "The Chief" in the 1965-70 NBC/CBS television series Get Smart. With his deep voice and mature countenance, he played an eclectic mix of characters over the span of his career.

Early life

Platt was born on St. Valentine's Day, 1916, in Staten Island, New York. He studied at Princeton University, majoring in romance languages, but switched to study music at the Juilliard School with the intention of having a career as an opera singer. Before the United States entered World War II, he sang in a band with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, performing in such musicals as The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. During his time in the United States Army, he served as a radio operator. After the war, he continued to appear on radio.

Stage, film and television career

He debuted on Broadway in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Allegro. He landed his first film due to help from José Ferrer who performed with him in the Broadway play The Shrike. Ferrer and Platt played the same parts in the film version in 1955. Also in 1955 he appeared in Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. Platt returned to Broadway in 1958 with the musical Oh, Captain! playing a romantic role. In 1959, he played Cary Grant's attorney in North by Northwest. In 1959, Platt starred in the movie The Rebel Set, which was "riffed" by the television show Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Platt also appeared in episodes of the original Perry Mason, Bonanza, The Outer Limits, and The Twilight Zone.

His most famous role came in the 1960s when he accepted the role of "Chief" in the spy comedy television show Get Smart. He played various cameos after the series ended.

Death

Platt is believed to have died of a heart attack in 1974 at the age of 58. In August 2007, a Get Smart fan website published an interview with a man claiming to be Edward's son Jeff Platt in which he stated that his father had died as a result of a suicide, caused by depression and financial difficulties.^[1] He left four children from two marriages and a brother living in Santa Barbara, California. His ashes were scattered at sea.

Partial filmography

• I Was a Male War Bride (1949)
• The Shrike (1955)
• Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
• Storm Center (1956)
• The Great Man (1956)
• Written on the Wind (1956)
• Omar Khayyam (1956)
• The Proud Ones (1956)
• Designing Woman (1957)
• The Rebel Set (1959)
• North by Northwest (1959)
• Texas John Slaughter: The Man from Bitter Creek (1959)
• Pollyanna (1960)
• Cash McCall (1960)
• Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961)
• Cape Fear (1962)
• Black Zoo (1963)
• The Man from Button Willow (1974)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Edward Platt

• Edward Platt at the Internet Movie Database
• Edward Platt at the Internet Broadway Database
• Edward Platt at Find a Grave
• "Chief" places 6th on Great Secondary TV Characters list