John Dehner

John Dehner
Born	John Forkum November 23, 1915(1915-11-23) Staten Island, New York, United States
Died	February 4, 1992 (aged 76) Santa Barbara, California, United States
Years active	1941 - 1988

John Dehner (November 23, 1915 - February 4, 1992) was an American actor in radio, television, and films, playing countless roles, often as a droll villain. Between 1941 and 1988, he appeared in over 260 films and television programs.

Radio

Dehner had an extensive career as a radio actor, appearing as a lead or supporting player in such series as Gunsmoke and Philip Marlowe. He starred as Paladin in the radio version of Have Gun — Will Travel, one of the few times a show began on television and then was later adapted for radio. On CBS radio in 1958, he starred in Frontier Gentleman, a radio Western series that opened with a trumpet theme by Jerry Goldsmith and this introduction:

Herewith, an Englishman's account of life and death in the West. As a reporter for the London Times, he writes his colorful and unusual accounts. But as a man with a gun, he lives and becomes a part of the violent years in the new territories. Now, starring John Dehner, this is the story of J. B. Kendall, Frontier Gentleman...

Written and directed by Antony Ellis, the short-lived series followed the adventures of journalist Kendall as he roamed the Western United States in search of stories for the London Times.

Television and films

Dehner appeared with Maudie Prickett in the 1953 episode "Bad Men of Marysville" of the syndicated Western television series The Adventures of Kit Carson, starring Bill Williams. He guest starred on the 1955-1956 NBC Western anthology series, Frontier and in the CBS Cold War drama, Crusader, starring Brian Keith. He played Sheriff Henry Plummer in an episode of the 1954-1955 syndicated Stories of the Century, starring Jim Davis as Matt Clark, the fictitious detective of the Southwestern Railroad. In 1966 he played assassin "Iron Man" Torres in the Night of the Steel Assassin episode of Wild Wld West.

He delivered two memorable performances on ABC's Maverick (1957) opposite James Garner in the episodes "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" ("...if you can't trust your banker, whom can you trust?") and "Greenbacks, Unlimited." Dehner also played Pat Garrett in Gore Vidal's The Left Handed Gun, opposite Paul Newman as Billy the Kid. Dehner appeared in Scaramouche (1952) as Doutreval of Dijon, and he played the non-singing role of Mr. Bascombe, the mill owner and intended robbery victim, in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel.

He took the role of Colonel Tedesco in the Playhouse 90 original drama by A.E. Hotchner, The Killers of Mussolini. More of his television appearances can be seen on three episodes of Hogan's Heroes. In 1957, he was in Texas Rangers with Gale Storm.

Dehner appeared in three episodes of The Twilight Zone: as Captain Allenby in the 1959 episode "The Lonely"; a 1961 episode, "The Jungle", as an engineer who receives an African curse; and "Mr. Garrity and the Graves" in the series' fifth and final season. He guest starred in the episode "Three" of the syndicated crime drama The Brothers Brannagan, starring Stephen Dunne and Mark Roberts.

Dehner appeared in a number of Rifleman episodes as various characters. He guest-starred in NBC's The Wide Country, a drama about rodeo performers which aired in 1962-63. He also guest starred on an episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" playing Colonel Harvey, purveyor of a magic elixir that casts a spell over Aunt Bee. The next season he guest-starred on Jack Palance's ABC circus drama, The Greatest Show on Earth and on the short-lived CBS sitcom/drama Glynis, starring Glynis Johns and Keith Andes. He was featured in the F Troop Season One Episode "Honest Injun" as a dishonest traveling patent medicine salesman. In 1966, he guest starred in the episode "Power of Fear" of Barry Sullivan's NBC western series The Road West. In 1970, he appeared in The Cheyenne Social Club with James Stewart and Henry Fonda.

From 1971-73 he was Cy Bennett, Doris Martin's overbearing boss on The Doris Day Show. One of his last appearances was as the sympathetic judge in the courtroom thriller Jagged Edge. He appeared in the Columbo episodes Swan Song (1974) and Last Salute to the Commodore (1978), playing the title role in the latter. In 1983, he starred in the short-lived NBC prime time soap opera Bare Essence as "Hadden Marshall".

His interment is at Carpinteria, California's cemetery.

Partial filmography

External links

• John Dehner at the Internet Movie Database
• John Dehner at Find a Grave