Richard Bakalyan obit

Richard Bakalyan, Tough Guy Character Actor and a Cop in 'Chinatown,' Dies at 84

Richard Bakalyan, the quintessential tough guy character actor who sparred with Jack Nicholson and shot Faye Dunaway in Chinatown — just one of his many dozens of appearances in films and on television — has died. He was 84.

Bakalyan, who played juvenile delinquents, cops and gangsters as well as several henchmen on TV’s Batman during his more than a half-century in show business, died unexpectedly Friday at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, N.Y., his family announced. Given the nickname “Dicky B.” by Nancy Sinatra, Bakalyan played opposite her father, Frank Sinatra, in Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Von Ryan’s Express (1965) and None but the Brave (1965), and he wielded a machine gun (but didn’t have a line of dialogue) in The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967). Early in his career, Bakalyan played young men gone astray in such films as The Delinquents (1957), directed by Robert Altman; The Delicate Delinquent (1957), the first film Jerry Lewis starred in following his breakup with Dean Martin; The Brothers Rico (1957); Juvenile Jungle (1958); and Hot Car Girl (1958). In The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), the native of Watertown, Mass., portrayed a thief; he had a scene with Jesus (Max von Sydow) as both men are nailed to crosses. “My mother back east, she said, &lsquoCan’t you play a nice guy? What are the neighbors gonna say?' ” Bakalyan recalled in an interview for The Face Is Familiar series. “I said, Ma, I’m an actor, gimme a break here.’ Except when I got The Greatest Story Ever Told. I called her and said, Ma, I’m playing another gangster, another heavy, but I’m hanging around with the right people.’ ”

 In Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974), Bakalyan played a cop, Loach, who gives J.J. Gittes (Nicholson) a hard time after he sees the private detective sporting a conspicuous bandage. “What happened to your nose, Gittes? Someone slam a bedroom window on it?” he teases Nicholson, who replies: “Nope, your wife got excited and she crossed her legs a little too quick. Understand what I mean, pal?” Toward the end of the film, he shoots Dunaway’s character, Evelyn Mulwray, as she’s driving away in the darkness. Bakalyan also appeared in such films as Paratroop Command (1959), Up Periscope (1959), -30- (1959), Pressure Point (1962), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), The Strongest Man in the World (1975) and The Man With Bogart’s Face (1980). He was the narrator in Disney's It’s Tough to Be a Bird, which won an Academy Award in 1970 for best short subject (cartoons), and he voiced Dinky in another Disney project, The Fox and the Hound (1981).

On Batman, he was a henchman for The Joker (Cesar Romero), posing as a green alien in an attempt to frighten the citizens of Gotham City. He also was seen in episodes featuring the villains The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), King Tut (Victor Buono) and Louie the Lilac (Milton Berle). A veteran of the U.S. Air Force who served during the Korean War, Bakalyan showed up on dozens of other TV shows — most often as bad guys — including The Rebel, The Untouchables, Wagon Train, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Mod Squad, Cannon, Mannix,  Kojak, The Rockford Files, Vega$, Baywatch Nights and Millennium. Bakalyan knew he wasn’t a leading man but didn’t seem to have a problem with that. “Some of the bigger films, in order to get the money to make them, they need the certain stars that people will stand in line to watch,” he said in The Face Is Familiar interview. “They’re not going to stand around the corner for me. However, they’re going to enjoy what I do because I’m going to fit into the puzzle.” Survivors include his brother William, sisters-in-law Adelia and Marianne and nephews and nieces Richard, David, Beverly and Carol.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1954      Attila                    

1957      The Delinquents               Eddy     

1957      The Delicate Delinquent                Artie     

1957      Dino       Chuck   

1957      The Brothers Rico             Vic Tucci              

1957      Hear Me Good   Hermie

1958      The Cool and the Crazy Jackie Barzan    

1958      Juvenile Jungle Tic-Tac

1958      The Bonnie Parker Story                Duke Jefferson

1958      Hot Car Girl         Walter 'Duke' Willis        

1959      Paratroop Command      Charlie

1959      Up Periscope      Seaman Peck     

1959      -30-        Carl Thompson

1961      The Errand Boy Jason, Anastasia's Director          

1962      Panic in Year Zero!           Carl       

1962      Pressure Point   Jimmy  

1963      Operation Bikini                Seaman Hiller    Uncredited

1964      Robin and the 7 Hoods   Robbo's Hood #1             

1964      The Patsy             Boy at Spring Hop            Uncredited

1965      None but the Brave         Cpl. Ruffino        

1965      The Greatest Story Ever Told       Good Thief on Cross        Uncredited

1965      Donald's Fire Survival Plan            Common Sense (voice) Short film

1965      Von Ryan's Express          Corporal Giannini            

1966      Follow Me, Boys!              Umpire                 Uncredited

1967      The St. Valentine's Day Massacre              John Scalise       

1968      Never a Dull Moment     Bobby Macoon

1969      The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes            Chillie Walsh     

1972      Now You See Him, Now You Don't            Cookie

1973      Charley and the Angel    Buggs   

1974      Chinatown          Detective Loach               

1975      The Strongest Man in the World                Cookie

1976      The Shaggy D.A.                Freddie                

1978      Return from Witch Mountain      Eddie    

1979      Understanding Alcohol Use and Abuse    Emotion (voice)                Short film

1979      H.O.T.S.                Charlie Ingels    

1980      The Man with Bogart's Face         Lt. Bumbera       

1981      The Fox and the Hound Dinky (voice)     

1984      Blame It on the Night     Manzini               

1994      Confessions of a Hitman                Uncle Dino         

2000      The Mask Maker               Mask Maker       Short film

2001      Dischord              Det. Dunbarton                

2006      Art School Confidential Cranky Guard    

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1955      Luke and the Tenderfoot              Bill Bangles         Episode: "The Boston Kid"

1957      Official Detective              Bob Wolfe           Episode: "The Blind Man"

1957      The Lineup                          Episode: "The 17643 Case"

1957      Casey Jones        Jackie    Episode: "Way Station"

1957–1958          The Walter Winchell File               Yutch / Sid           2 episodes

1958      Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer                Lou         Episode: "Dead Men Don't Dream"

1958      Panic!    Carl        2 episodes

1958      The Silent Service             Torpedoman Pasqual Mignon / Motor Machinist Mate George J. McKnight            2 episodes

1959      Bat Masterson   Sam Teller           Episode: "Double Trouble in Trinidad"

1959      The D.A.'s Man Dunn     Episode: "The Mob Versus O'Hara"

1959      The Lawless Years            Eddie Safranik / Buggsy 2 episodes

1959      U.S. Marshal       Joe Savage          Episode: "Trigger Happy"

1959      Hotel de Paree Rob        Episode: "A Rope Is for Hanging"

1959      The Deputy         Billy the Kid        Episode: "The Big Four"

1959      Peter Gunn         Chino Amalo       Episode: "Kidnap"

1959      Hennesey            Harry Benson     Episode: "Hennesey Meets Mrs. Horatio Grief"

1959      Tightrope!           Loomis Episode: "Cold Kill"

1959      Bold Venture     Johnny Regis      Episode: "Blue Moon"

1959–1961          The Rebel            Bart Vogan / Calley Kid   3 episodes

1960      Wanted Dead or Alive    Harry Quint         Episode: "Angela"

1960      Johnny Ringo     Lee Rafferty        Episode: "The Raffertys"

1960      Mr. Lucky            Spider   Episode: "Big Squeeze"

1960      Lock-Up                Spook Chambers              Episode: "Society Matron"

1960      Dan Raven           Darnell Episode: "The Satchel Man"

1960      The Tall Man      Tiger Eye              Episode: "Tiger Eye"

1960–1963          The Untouchables           Cully / Lucky / Benno / Monk / Prisoner / Joe Courtney   6 episodes

1961      The DuPont Show with June Allyson         Lieutenant          Episode: "End of a Mission"

1961      Checkmate         Cabbie Episode: "The Human Touch"

1961      The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis   Sergeant Wyncoup          2 episodes

1961      Miami Undercover          Zip Logan             Episode: "Auto Motive"

1961      Holiday Lodge    Bobo Manning   Episode: "Never Hit a Stranger"

1961      Lawman               Eggers - Bank Robber      Episode: "Trojan Horse"

1961      Las Vegas Beat Lt. Bernard McFeety       Television film

1962      The New Breed                 Episode: "To Sell Another Human Being"

1962      Dr. Kildare           Yount    Episode: "The Burning Sky"

1962      The Dick Powell Show     Justin Wolf / Bartender 2 episodes

1962–1966          Combat!               Sgt. Piper / Sgt. Wolfson                2 episodes

1963      Hawaiian Eye     Spence Merrill   Episode: "The Long Way Home"

1963      Laramie                Mel Doleman     Episode: "Broken Honor"

1963      Wagon Train      Muscles                Episode: "The Sam Pulaski Story"

1964      Channing             Roberto                Episode: "Memory of a Firing Squad"

1964      Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre                Charlie Episode: "Two Is the Number"

1964      Ben Casey            Abner Goetz       Episode: "For a Just Man Falleth Seven Times"

1965      Wendy and Me Pete       Episode: "The Wendy Mob"

1965      No Time for Sergeants   Stanley Swackheimer     Episode: "Whortleberry Roots for Everyone"

1965      Vacation Playhouse                         Episode: "Luke and the Tenderfoot"

1965      Branded               Roy Barlow         Episode: "The Richest Man in Boot Hill"

1966      Mister Roberts Joe         Episode: "Black and Blue Market"

1966      The Monroes     Grac       Episode: "Night of the Wolf"

1966      The Tammy Grimes Show             Tony      Episode: "How to Steal a Girl Even If It's Only Me"

1966–1968          Batman                Verdigris / C. B. / Arbutus / Fouad Sphinx               6 episodes

1966–1969          Gunsmoke          Billy Holland / Teems      2 episodes

1967      The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.                 Brutus   Episode: "The Phi Beta Killer Affair"

1967      Hondo   Cole Younger     Episode: "Hondo and the Judas"

1967      Cimarron Strip   Colly Sims            Episode: "Nobody"

1967–1972          Mannix                 Eberle / Vincent's Thug / Frank Quigley 3 episodes

1967–1978          The Wonderful World of Disney                 Ernie Nelson / Charlie / Shortie / Jocko / Narrator (voice)                 8 episodes

1968      Garrison's Gorillas            Cpl. Robert Wade             Episode: "War Games"

1968      The Mod Squad                 Fuller     Episode: "The Price of Terror"

1968      Felony Squad     Gus Levering      Episode: "The Distant Shore"

1970      The Partridge Family       Skee      Episode: "Danny and the Mob"

1971      Love, American Style      Burglar Segment: "Love and the Hiccups"

1972      The Bobby Darin Amusement Co.              Himself                 7 episodes

1973      The Bobby Darin Show   Himself / Carmine            11 episodes

1974      Chase    Manduke             Episode: "Eighty-Six Proof TNT"

1974      The Manhunter                Johnny Fusco     Episode: "Jackknife"

1974–1975          Cannon                 Dieter / Andy Norlan       2 episodes

1975      Kolchak: The Night Stalker            The 1st Killer      Episode: "The Trevi Collection"

1975      Kojak     Proctor Episode: "Be Careful What You Pray For"

1975–1977          Emergency!        Charlie / Charley / Dewey             3 episodes

1976      The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper        Ernie Nelson       Television film

1976      Ellery Queen      Knucks O'Neill    Episode: "The Adventure of the Sunday Punch"

1976      Woman of the Year         Pinkey Barbiki    Television film

1976      Viva Valdez         Moretti                 Episode: "The Apprentice"

1976      Monster Squad Toil         Episode: "Ultra Witch"

1976      Switch   Sgt. Kingman      Episode: "Quicker Than the Eye"

1976      Holmes & Yoyo Phillips Episode: "The Hostages"

1977      The Streets of San Francisco        Gimpy   Episode: "Hang Tough"

1977      Most Wanted     Fred Conroy        Episode: "Ms. Murder"

1977      The Bionic Woman          Gino Talvin          Episode: "Once a Thief"

1977      Pine Canyon Is Burning Charlie Edison    Television film

1977      Bunco   Henry Durand    Television film

1977–1978          Barnaby Jones   Winchell / Harry Layton                 2 episodes

1978      The Rockford Files            Porter   Episode: "The Gang at Don's Drive-In"

1978–1981          Vegas    Bernie / Freddie 'Fingers' / Bronson / Marvin Hale             5 episodes

1978–1981          Charlie's Angels                 Artie Weaver / Eddie Feducci / Thad Roper           3 episodes

1980      CHiPs     O'Hare Episode: "The Strippers"

1980      The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo           Mr. Crawford     Episode: "The Haunting of Orly Manor"

1980      The Love Boat    Ben        Episode: "Celebration/Captain Papa/Honeymoon Pressure"

1981      Border Pals         Little Eddie          Television film

1981      Fantasy Island    James    Episode: "The Lady and the Monster/The Last Cowboy"

1981–1984          The Fall Guy        Walt / Red Eye 2 episodes

1982      Herbie, the Love Bug      Detective O'Brien             Episode: "Herbie the Best Man"

1983      Cagney & Lacey                 John Travis          Episode: "Jane Doe #37"

1983      Shooting Stars   Snuffy   Television film

1984      Matt Houston    Jimmy   Episode: "The High Fashion Murders"

1984      Hill Street Blues                Flaherty                Episode: "Fuched Again"

1985      Heart of a Champion: The Ray Mancini Story        Frank Jacobs       Television film

1986      Hardcastle and McCormick           Paul Perry            Episode: "When I Look Back on All the Things"

1987      Scarecrow and Mrs. King               Meatball Bonfelli              Episode: "The Khrushchev List"

1987      Sledge Hammer!               Clive Winston    Episode: "Hammer Hits the Rock"

1987–1988          Hunter Kenny Dunstan 3 episodes

1987–1990          Matlock                Mickey Callahan / Bobby Devine                2 episodes

1995      Hudson Street   Frank Rampert Episode: "Crime, Per Se"

1995–1996          Baywatch Nights               Bookie / Informant / Peebles Runkin       2 episodes

1998      JAG        Harold Green     Episode: "Yesterday's Heroes"

1998      Millennium         Abum    Episode: "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me"

2004      Las Vegas             'Fast Tommy' Polone      Episode: "Always Faithful"

2004      Cold Case             Wendell Foyt     Episode: "The House"

2008      My Name Is Earl                Mr. Wallace        Episode: "Quit Your Snitchin'"