Dobie Gillis actor Steve Franken dies at 80
He was not on the list.
Comedic character actor Steve Franken, who portrayed braggart rich kid Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. in the 1959–63 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, died Friday in Los Angeles. He was 80.
The cause was cancer, his wife Jean said.
The second cousin of Minnesota Senator and humorist Al Franken, he portrayed Bud in the 2001 theatrical cartoon movie The Trumpet of the Swan.
Franken voiced Professor Eugene Atwater in the short-lived 1996 Warner Bros. animated series Road Rovers.
He guested as the voice of Rundle in the 1993 Batman episode “The Mechanic,” and was Mr. Beal in the 1999 Detention episodes “Little Miss Popular” and “Comedy of Terrors.” In 2000, he guested as Mr. Janus in the Static Shock episode “Grounded.”
Franken provided additional voices in Smurfs (1981), The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (1990) and Todd McFarlane’s Spawn (1997).
He was born Stephen Robert Franken in Queens, New York on May 27, 1932. A Cornell University graduate, he began acting in New York City in such plays as Inherit the Wind, the fictionalized drama about the Scopes “Monkey Trial.”
He appeared six times in different roles on the sitcom Bewitched.
Franken guested in 1963’s “The Case of the Deadly Verdict,” the only Perry Mason episode in which the famed fictional lawyer had a client who was convicted.
In 2004, his role in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis won him a TV Land Award nomination for Favorite Fashion Plate — Male.
His first marriage, to Julia Carter, ended in divorce.
Besides his wife, Steve Franken is survived by their daughter, Anne; two daughters from his first marriage, Emily Franken and Abigail Glass; and two grandchildren.
Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1958 Stage Struck Dressing Room Well-Wisher uncredited
Cop Hater Boy in Lineup
1964 The Americanization of Emily Young Sailor
The Time Travelers Danny McKee
1966 Wild Wild Winter John
Follow Me, Boys! P.O.W. Lieutenant
1968 Panic in the City Hal Johnson
The Party Levinson
1969 Angel in My Pocket Zimmerman
Number One Robin
1970 Which Way to the Front? Peter Bland
1972 Every Man Needs One Bob Rasmussen TV movie
1973 Voyage of the Yes Doctor TV movie
The Stranger Henry Maitland TV movie
Westworld Technician
1974 Houston, We've Got a Problem Shimon Levin TV movie
1975 The Last Survivors Don West TV movie
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Dr. Charles Crennis
Sky Heist Traffic Controller TV movie
Murder on Flight 502 Donald Goldman TV movie
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? Harold Booker Esquire
1976 Kiss Me, Kill Me Murry Tesko TV movie
The Missouri Breaks The Lonesome Kid
1977 It Happened at Lakewood Manor Lionel White TV movie
1978 Avalanche Henry McDade
Zuma Beach Rick TV movie
Terror Out of the Sky Paul Gladstone TV movie
1979 The North Avenue Irregulars Tom Voories
1980 Hardly Working Steve Torres
There Goes the Bride Church Organist
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu Pete Williams
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall Virgil Quinby TV movie
1982 Not Just Another Affair Dr. Morton Schiller TV movie
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther Harvey Hamilcard III
High School U.S.A. Dr. Fritz Hauptmann TV movie
1984 The Sheriff and the Astronaut FBI Agent Henley TV movie
1985 The Fourth Wise Man Pharisee #1 TV movie
There Were Times, Dear Harry TV movie
1987 Can't Buy Me Love Moda Clerk
1988 Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. TV movie
Freeway Lawyer
1989 Transylvania Twist Hans Hupp
1991 Never Forget Dan Greenspan TV movie
1993 Breakfast of Aliens Fred
1994 Munchie Strikes Back Professor Graves
1998 The Pandora Project Sam Davis
1999 Restraining Order Jerry
The Omega Code Jeffries
2000 Nurse Betty Administrator
Agent Red General Socka
2001 The Trumpet of the Swan Bud voice role
Crash Point Zero Stuart Elliott
2005 The Works Gordon
2007 The Metrosexual Professor
2009 Angels & Demons Cardinal Colbert
2010 Watch Out for Slick Emory
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1958 Decoy Bar Patron episode: "Saturday Lost"
Playhouse 90 Willie episode: "The Time of Your Life"
1960 Deadline Copy Boy episode: "To Move a Mountain"
1960-1963 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. recurring role
1961 Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond Crazed soldier episode: "Night of Decision"
The Rebel Ruck episode: "The Pit"
Assignment: Underwater Carstairs episode: "Witness from the Dead"
Lock-Up Willie Betterley episode: "The Case of Willie Betterley"
1962 Checkmate Dunc Tomilson episode: "The Yacht-Club Gang"
Dr. Kildare Freddie Binns episode: "Operation: Lazarus"
Ensign O'Toole Ensign Clifford Bender episode: "Operation: Gaslight"
1963 Perry Mason Christopher Barton episode: "The Case of the Deadly Verdict"
The Lieutenant Lieutenant Sam Panosian episode: "To Take Up Serpents"
Beetle Bailey Lieutenant Forbes episode: Psychological Testing
1963-1964 Mr. Novak Jerry Allen recurring role
1964 Petticoat Junction Homer Bedloe Jr. episode: "Bedloe and Son"
1964-1965 Tom, Dick and Mary Dr. Dick Moran recurring role
1965 The Patty Duke Show Bob episode: "Sick in Bed"
McHale's Navy Lieutenant Jason Whitworth episode: "Birth of a Saleman"
Please Don't Eat the Daisies Crawford episode: "Two Seats on the Moon Shot"
The Farmer's Daughter Bellboy episode: "Crisis at Crystal Springs"
My Favorite Martian George episode: "Tim and Tim Again"
1966 Tammy Crazy Wolf episode: "Two for Tee Pee"
The Patty Duke Show Ronald Dawson episode: "Do You Trust Your Daughter?"
The Wild Wild West Le Fou episode: "The Night of the Bottomless Pit"
That Girl Actor Playing Dr. Bruce Alden episode: "Soap Gets in Your Eyes"
The Long, Hot Summer episode: "Carlotta, Come Home"
The Rat Patrol Ned Cunningham episode: "The Gun Runner Raid"
Bewitched George Barkley episode: "Follow That Witch"
Hawkins episode: "A Gazebo Never Forgets"
1967 Batman Rudy, the Valet episode: "That Darn Catwoman"
T.H.E. Cat Carl Leandro episode: "Matter Over Mind"
My Three Sons Al Morgan episode: "The Sky Is Falling"
Mission: Impossible Akim Hadramut episode: "The Slave"
1968 The Second Hundred Years Corporal episode: "Luke and Comrade Tanya"
The Outsider Roger Edgeway episode: "What Flowers Daisies Are"
The Big Valley Bank Teller episode: "Hell Hath No Fury"
Blondie David Dithers episode: "Once Upon a Guru"
Bewitched Orvis episode: "Samantha's Secret Saucer"
Juke episode: "Darrin Gone! and Forgotten?"
1969 My Friend Tony episode: "The Hazing"
The Mod Squad Rabbi Elliott Tannenbaum episode: "In This Corner - Sol Alpert"
Bewitched Cousin Henry episode: "Samantha's Shopping Spree"
1970 Night Gallery Dr. Peter Mitchell episode: "The House"
1970-1973 Love, American Style Various roles 5 episodes
1970-1979 Insight Various roles 6 episodes
1971 Marcus Welby, M.D. Dr. Weitzman episode: "A Passing of Torches"
Bewitched Bruce episode: "Samantha and the Loch Ness Monster"
Adam-12 Ralph Salisbury episode: "The Ferret"
1972 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Kurt Balks episode: "The Trouble with Ralph"
Adam-12 Officer Albert Porter 2 episodes
Norman Corwin Presents episode: "Odyssey in Progress"
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Jonas Lasser 2 episodes
1974 The Rookies Alvin Conrad episode: "Key Witness"
Sierra Tommy episode: "Taking Cody Winslow"
Emergency! Bernard Goldberg episode: "Daisy's Pick Blind Date"
1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Neil episode: "Chopper"
Police Story D.A. Wallberger 2 episodes
Barney Miller Edward Foreman episode: "The Arsonist"
1976 Doc Harvey Kramer episode: "Oldies but Goodies"
Good Heavens Mr. Dee episode: "See Jane Run"
Holmes & Yoyo Jerry episode: "Funny Money"
1977 Man from Atlantis Doctor episode: "Man from Atlantis"
Lanigan's Rabbi Will Stopes episode: "The Cadaver in the Clutter"
Charlie's Angels Fred Olsen episode: "Pretty Angels All in a Row"
Petticoat Affair Milton episode: "A Party for the Captain"
C.P.O. Sharkey Dr. Simon episode: "Sharkey Files Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
Police Woman Clerk episode: "Do You Still Beat Your Wife?"
1978 J.P. Thompson episode: "Murder with Pretty People"
Kojak Arnie Goldman episode: "May the Horse Be with You"
Quincy, M.E. Dr. Kitei episode: "The Last Six Hours"
Alice Holdup Man episode: "Better Never Than Late"
CHiPs Student Driver episode: "Crash Diet"
1979 Kaz episode: "Kazinski Versus Bennett"
Supertrain episode: "The Queen and the Improbable Knight"
One Day at a Time Victor Mulhern episode: "The Piano Teacher"
1980 Disneyland Virgil Quinby episode: "The Ghosts of Buxley Hall"
Trapper John, M.D. Bernie Chalmers episode: "Slim Chance"
1981 Barney Miller Edward Novak episode: "Resignation"
The Love Boat Harry Mason 2 episodes
1982 CHiPs Alan Drummond episode: "Force Seven"
Trapper John, M.D. Patient episode: "Three on a Mismatch"
Simon & Simon Tunridge episode: "The Ten Thousand Dollar Deductible"
1983 Ryan's Four episode: "Ryan's Four"
Fantasy Island Wes Perry episode: "The Wedding Picture/Castaways"
1984 The Smurfs Additional Voices 1 episode, uncredited
Jessie Mr Anderson episode: "The Psychic Connection"
1985 Diff'rent Strokes Mr. Anderson episode: "Arnold Saves the Squirrel"
Hill Street Blues Arnold Solomon episode: "Queen for a Day"
MacGyver Walt, the Pilot episode: "Last Stand"
Hotel Carmondy episode: "Echoes"
1986 On Wings of Eagles Mort Myerson miniseries
Our House Forrester episode: "See You in Court"
1987 One Big Family Dickie Tyler episode: "Stagestruck"
Rags to Riches' Dennis Baxter episode: "Born to Ride"
Small Wonder Doctor episode: "Everyone Into the Pool"
1988 Freddy's Nightmare Mr. Birdwell episode: "Killer Instinct"
1989 Mr. Sexton episode: "Silence Is Golden"
Hunter Lou episode: "The Legion"
1990 The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda Additional Voices episodes: "Pity the Poor Pirate"
China Beach Judge Julius H. Hoffman episode: "The Call"
1992 Harry and the Hendersons Dr. J episode: "The Girl Who Cried Bigfoot"
Human Target Quentin Firth episode: "Designed by Chance"
1993 Batman: The Animated Series Rundle episode: "The Menchanic"
1994 Herman's Head Mr. Prescott episode: "Bedtime for Hermo"
Sisters Huey Short episode: "Heroes"
1995 ER Hank Travis episode: "Full Moon, Saturday Night"
1996 The Young and the Restless Dr. Everhart 1 episode
Sparks Judge episode: "Porky's Revenge"
1996-1997 Road Rovers Professor Eugene Atwater 2 episodes
1997-1999 Todd McFarlane's Spawn additional boices recurring role
1998 The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries President Generic episode: "Spooker of the House/Furgo"
Seinfeld Brendan episode: "The Maid"
Murphy Brown College Roommate episode: "Dial and Substance"
Maggie Winters Mr. Addison episode: "Dinner at Rachel's"
1999 Detention Mr. Beal 2 episodes, voice role
2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul Mr. Bellinger episode: "A Mason-Dixon Memory"
Static Shock Mr. Janus episode: "Grounded"
2001 Family Law Teacher episode: "Obligations"
2005 The Comeback episode: "Valerie Stands Out on the Red Carpet"
The King of Queens Vasili episode: "Move Doubt"
2006 Threshold Graham Bolton episode: "Alienville"
2012 The Jeff Lewis 5 Minute Comedy Hour Father episode: "Deathbed"
No comments:
Post a Comment