Ron Foster obit

 

Ronald R “Ron” Foster has died

He was not on the list.

Ron Foster, born Feb. 19, 1930, in Wichata, Kansas, passed away Feb. 26, 2015, in Placerville, Calif. He was the loving father of daughter, Debbi S. Nelson (Don); son, R. Craig Foster (Laura); and stepsons, Robert Smith, Mike Foster, Paul Smith and Gene Smith and their families. He was the loving grandfather of Boue Akina, Carli Cameron, Cassidy Foster and Erin Foster; and loving great-grandfather of Jordan Akina, Madeline Akina, Caleb Cameron and Sophia Cameron.

Ron was a Hollywood actor for 45 years, a writer and a playwright. He was in the Army reserves. You are missed, loved, and forever in our hearts, Dad.

Foster's early work on television included 24 appearances from 1957 to 1959, mostly in the role of Officer Garvey in the syndicated series Highway Patrol. He appeared five times between 1959 and 1960 on CBS's adventure series Men into Space in the role of Lieutenant Neil Templeton. He appeared three times in different roles from 1959 to 1964 on CBS's Rawhide. From 1964 to 1971, he appeared five times in different roles on NBC's Bonanza. He appeared twice in 1957 on separate episodes in the first season of the NBC Western Wagon Train.

Foster portrayed Master Sergeant William Connors on CBS's The Twilight Zone in the 1963 episode "The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms". In 1957, he played Kenny Hedges in the episode "Jet Flight" of the military series The West Point Story. He appeared at this time on Death Valley Days as Siles Begg in "Rough and Ready".

In 1959, he was cast as Steve in the film Diary of a High School Bride;[citation needed] and appeared in starring roles in several low budget films for producer Edward Small and director Edward L. Cahn, including Cage of Evil and The Walking Target (both 1960).

He also had two starring roles in the Western Bat Masterson; as gunslinger Toby Dawson in "Six Feet of Gold" (1960 - S2E20) and as Sheriff Buck Simpson in the series's final episode "Jeopardy at Jackson Hole" (1961 - S3E34).

Foster's last regular role was in segments of NBC's Law and Order as William Jefferson in the 1990 episode "Everybody's Favorite Bagman" and as Councilman Clayton in "Haven" in 1999. He performed voice work between 1995 and 2008 in such video games as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, The Longest Journey, Grand Theft Auto IV and Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne.

He appeared with Ernest Borgnine in the "Seven Against the Sea" April 3, 1962 episode of Alcoa Premiere (pilot for the 1962–66 World War II ABC sitcom McHale's Navy).

Partial filmography

 

    The Proud and Profane (1956) - Bolton (uncredited)

    The Storm Rider (1957) - Burns (uncredited)

    Under Fire (1957) - Lieutenant (uncredited)

    Young and Dangerous (1957) - Rock's Buddy (uncredited)

    Rockabilly Baby (1957) - Carnival Barker (uncredited)

    Cattle Empire (1958) - Stitch (uncredited)

    Thundering Jets (1958) - Control Tower Sergeant (uncredited)

    Desert Hell (1958) - Pvt. Bergstrom

    Diary of a High School Bride (1959) - Steve

    Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960) - Doc

    Three Came to Kill (1960) - Herb Morely (uncredited)

    The Music Box Kid (1960) - Larry Shaw

    Cage of Evil (1960) - Det. Scott Harper

    The Walking Target (1960) - Nick Harbin

    Operation Bottleneck (1961) - Lt. Rulan H. Voss

    Secret of Deep Harbor (1961) - Skip Hanlon

    House of the Dammed (1963) - Scott Campbell

    Private Lessons (1981) - Fillmore

    The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - Man in Winesop's Office

    Ninja III: The Domination (1984) - Jiminez

    The Money Pit (1986) - Record Producer

    Legal Eagles (1986) - Reporter #3

 

Other television roles

 

    Official Detective "Murder In A Girl's School" - Miller Dolce (1958)

    Peter Gunn "Murder on the Midway" - Martin Franklin (1958)

    Perry Mason as Fred Pike in "The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor" (1960)

    The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as Johnny in "Arizona Lottery" (1960)

    Sea Hunt, twice (1959–1960, Season 3, Episode 18)

    Colt .45 as Tommy Potts in "Bounty List" (1960)

    Checkmate as Bill in "The Mask of Vengeance" (1960)

    Bat Masterson, twice as Toby Dawson in "Six Feet of Gold" (1960) and as Sheriff Buck Simpson in "Jeopardy at Jackson Hole" (1961)

    Gunsmoke, twice (1961)

    Tales of Wells Fargo as Ken Logan in "Royal Maroon" (1962)

    Alcoa Premiere as Lieutenant Durham in "Seven Against the Sea" (1962)

    Laramie as Lee Taylor in "The Wedding Party" (1963)

    The Virginian as Charlie Dorsey in "The Money Cage" (1963)

    G.E. True as Captain James Dunlop in "Black Market" (1963)

    The Outer Limits as Dr. Robert Richardson in "The Mice" (1964)

    Kraft Suspense Theatre as Reverend Larson in "Portrait of an Unknown Man" (1964)

    Combat! as Private Marshall in "Crossfire" (1965)

    Twelve O'Clock High as Captain Borega in "Gauntlet of Fire" (1966)

    Run for Your Life as Major Conway in "Rendezvous in Tokyo" (1967)

    The High Chaparral as Lieutenant Corey in "The Peacemaker" (1968)

    The Bill Cosby Show as Dr. Madeo in "Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend" (1969)

    O'Hara, U.S. Treasury as Al Ellis in "Operation Crystal Springs" (1970)

    Petrocelli, twice (1974 and 1976)

    Dynasty, as a sheriff in "Colorado Roulette" (1988)

    The Cosby Show, twice (1987 and 1991)