Harvey Lembeck
Harvey Lembeck | |
---|---|
Born | Brooklyn, New York City, US | April 15, 1923
Died | January 5, 1982 Los Angeles, California, US | (aged 58)
Years active | 1947–1982 |
Spouse | Caroline Dubs |
Children | Michael Lembeck Helaine Lembeck |
Harvey Lembeck (April 15, 1923 – January 5, 1982) was an American comedic actor best remembered for his role as Cpl. Rocco Barbella on
Early life
Lembeck was born in Brooklyn to a Jewish family. [1] Lembeck started his career right out of New Utrecht High School, as a dancer at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. He was half of an exhibition dance team known as The Dancing Carrolls. His partner, Caroline Dubs, became his wife.[2]
The son of a Brooklyn button manufacturer, Lembeck yearned for a career as a radio sports announcer. Following his discharge from the U.S. Army at the end of World War II in 1945, he attended New York University, obtaining a degree in radio arts in 1947. However, he chose the stage as a career upon the advice of one of his instructors, Prof. Robert Emerson, who had seen him perform in college plays.[3]
Career
1940s and 1950s
Two weeks after graduation, Lembeck won the role of Sam Insigna in Mister Roberts, which he played on Broadway for nearly three years.
Lembeck made three films for
In 1954, he returned to Broadway, appearing in the play Wedding Breakfast.
Lembeck also performed onstage in 1955 in the musical
1960s and 1970s
In the 1961-1962 television season, Lembeck played a theatrical agent, Jerry Roper, in the ABC sitcom The Hathaways, starring Peggy Cass and Jack Weston as "parents" to the performing Marquis Chimps. He appeared twice as "Al" in "Variations on a Theme" and "Music Hath Charms" (both 1961) on another ABC sitcom, The Donna Reed Show.[4]
Having spent a great deal of his adult life in uniform, Lembeck once again donned Navy togs in the 1962–1963 season to co-star with
In 1964, Jack Kosslyn of the Mercury Theatre asked Lembeck to take over his actors' workshop. Lembeck took this opportunity to create his comedy workshop. Initially working with comedy scripts, he soon ran out of good comedy material and found that
During the late 1960s and 1970s, Lembeck became a mainstay on television, making over 200 guest appearances, including
Lembeck also directed the road companies of
Death
Lembeck was guest starring in an episode of
Theatrical appearances
- Alvin Theatre) – Insigna (with Karl Lukas, Tige Andrews, Murray Hamilton, all from The Phil Silvers Show)
- Stalag 17 (May 8, 1951-June 21, 1952, 472 performances, at the 48th Street Theatre) – Sgt. Harry Shapiro (with Robert Strauss, Allan Melvin, Bob Shawley, all from The Phil Silvers Show; Strauss and Lembeck appeared in the filmed version)
- Wedding Breakfast (November 20, 1954-February 26, 1955, 113 performances, at the 48th Street Theatre) – Norman (with Tony Franciosa)
- Phoenix '55 (May 23, 1955-July 17, 1955, 97 performances, at the Phoenix Theatre; with Nancy Walker)
- South Pacific (April 24, 1955 -December 5, 1955, 23 performances, at the New York City Center – Luther Billis)
- Oklahoma! (March 19, 1958-March 30, 1958, 16 performances, at New York City Center) – Ali Hakim
- Man of La Mancha – Sancho Panza (touring company, performed at the White House for President Lyndon B. Johnson)
Selected filmography
- You're in the Navy Now (1951) - Norelli
- Fourteen Hours (1951) - Cab Driver (uncredited)
- The Frogmen (1951) - Marvin W. 'Canarsie' Mikowsky
- Finders Keepers (1952) - Undetermined Role
- Just Across the Street (1952) - Al
- Back at the Front, also known as Willie and Joe Back at the Front (1952) - Joe
- Girls in the Night (1953) - Chuck Haynes
- Stalag 17 (1953) - Sgt. Harry Shapiro
- Mission Over Korea (1953) - Sgt. Maxie Steiner
- The Command (1954) - Pvt. Gottschalk
- Between Heaven and Hell (1956) - Pvt. Bernard 'Bernie' Meleski - Co. G
- The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961) - Duty Sgt. Malcolm Greenbriar
- Sail a Crooked Ship (1961) - Nickels
- A View from the Bridge (1962) - Mike
- Beach Party (1963) - Eric Von Zipper
- Love with the Proper Stranger (1963) - Julio Rossini
- The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) - Polak
- Bikini Beach (1964) - Eric Von Zipper
- Pajama Party (1964) - Eric Von Zipper
- Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) - Eric Von Zipper
- How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) - Eric Von Zipper
- Sergeant Deadhead (1965) - Airman McEvoy
- Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) - Motorcycle Thug in Dungeon
- The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) - Eric Von Zipper
- Fireball 500 (1966) - Charlie Bigg
- The Spirit Is Willing (1967) - Capt. Pederson (uncredited)
- Hello Down There (1969) - Sonarman
- A Likely Story (1973)
- There Is No 13 (1974) - Older George
- Raid on Entebbe (1976, TV Movie) - Mr. Harvey
- The Gong Show Movie (1980) - Man in Steam Room
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1955-59 | The Phil Silvers Show | Cpl. Rocco Barbella, Indian Chief, Self | 142 episodes |
1962-63 | Ensign O'Toole | Seaman Gabby Di Julio | 31 episodes |
1965 | My Favorite Martian | Rembrandt Jones | S2:E38, "Portrait in Brown" |
1966 | The Monkees | Fuselli | S1:E11, "Monkees à la Carte" |
1973-78 | All In The Family |
Sam, Wally | 2 episodes |
1978 | CHiPs | Champagne truck driver | S1:E15, "Surf's Up" |
1981-82 | Mork & Mindy | Ovits | 2 episodes |
References
- ^ Abramovitch, Ilana and Galvin, Seán (2002) Jews of Brooklyn Boston: Brandeis University Press. Accessed January 1, 2016.
- ^ Staff (March 28, 2013) "Harvey Lembeck Stays Liked" Classic Film and TV Café
- ^ "Harvey Lembeck and the Ratz and Mice Cast Music of the Beach Party Movies" BeachPartyMovieMusic.com
- ^ a b c d e f g "Harvey Lembeck". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Harvey Lembeck" on the Internet Broadway Database
- ^ "Justice". The Classic TV Archive. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-4422-3504-5.
- ^ Interview taken from Sgt. Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition (The Phil Silvers Show) DVD
External links
- Harvey Lembeck at IMDb
- Harvey Lembeck at the Internet Broadway Database