Bert Remsen

Herbert Birchell Remsen (February 25, 1925 – April 22, 1999) was an American actor and casting director. He appeared in numerous films and television series.

Early life and military service Remsen was born in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island, the son of Helen (née Birchell) and Winfred Herbert Remsen.

Seaman 1/c Herbert B. Remsen was a crew member on the destroyer USS Laffey during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. On April 16, 1945, the USS Laffey was attacked by 22 Japanese kamikaze planes during an 80-minute period. Remsen suffered burns during the battle but was able to return to duty and survive what the US Navy called, "one of the great sea epics of war".

Career He played character roles in numerous films directed by Robert Altman, including Brewster McCloud (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Thieves Like Us (1974), California Split (1974), Nashville (1975), Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) and A Wedding (1978).

Remsen's other film credits included Fuzz (1972), Baby Blue Marine (1976), Uncle Joe Shannon (1978), Fast Break (1979), Carny (1980), Borderline (1980), Inside Moves (1980), Second-Hand Hearts (1981), Lookin' to Get Out (1982), The Sting II (1983), Places in the Heart (1984), Code of Silence (1985), TerrorVision (1986), Eye of the Tiger (1986), Miss Firecracker (1989), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will? (1990) and Only the Lonely (1991). His last film was the posthumously released The Sky is Falling (2000).

He also appeared in various television guest-starring roles, including the role of Jim Ford in the episode "Pete Henke" of the 1958 NBC western series, Jefferson Drum, starring Jeff Richards. He was a regular in the cast of the short-lived 1976 NBC dramatic television series Gibbsville, a regular in the first season (1980-1981) of the ABC comedy television series It's a Living as Mario the cook, and appeared on Dallas in 1987 as Harrison 'Dandy' Dandridge. He portrayed a judge in the pilot for The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993).

After suffering an injury on the set of a television show, Remsen had moved away from acting, working in casting from 1966 to 1974. Other than one voice credit over the next few years (an announcer's voice in a 1969 episode of The F.B.I.), he did not return to acting until 1970, when he was hired as the casting director on Brewster McCloud, where director Altman talked him into taking a small role in the film instead. During his nine years as a casting director and casting supervisor, in addition to a slowly increasing workload on screen, Remsen was casting director for 31 different television series or television movies, including 25 episodes each of The F.B.I. and The Rookies.

Personal life He was first married to actress Katherine MacGregor, who played Mrs. Oleson in the NBC television series Little House on the Prairie. His daughter, with second wife Barbara Joyce Dodd, a casting director, is actress Kerry Remsen.

Select acting filmography Film

Pork Chop Hill (1959) - Lieutenant Cummings Tess of the Storm Country (1960) - Mike Foley Moon Pilot (1962) - Agent Brown Kid Galahad (1962) - Max (uncredited) Dead Ringer (1964) - Dan Lister The Lollipop Cover (1965) - Salesman The Strawberry Statement (1970) - Policeman at Gate Brewster McCloud (1970) - Officer Douglas Breen McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) - Bart Coyle Fuzz (1972) - Sergeant Murchison Thieves Like Us (1974) - 'T-Dub' California Split (1974) - Helen Brown Nashville (1975) - Star Baby Blue Marine (1976) - Mr. Hudkins Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) - Guard O'Meara Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) - The Bartender (Crutch) Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (1977, TV Movie) - Mayor Douglas A Wedding (1978) - William Williamson Uncle Joe Shannon (1978) - Braddock Fast Break (1979) - Bo Winnegar Joni (1979) - John Eareckson Carny (1980) - Delno Baptiste Borderline (1980) - Carl J. Richards Inside Moves (1980) - 'Stinky' Second-Hand Hearts (1981) - Voyd Lookin' to Get Out (1982) - 'Smitty' Independence Day (1983) - 'Red' Malone The Sting II (1983) - 'Kid Colors' Lies (1983) - Murrey Haliday Policewoman Centerfold (1983) - Captain Buckman Places in the Heart (1984) - 'Tee Tot' Hightower Code of Silence (1985) - Commander Kates Stand Alone (1985) - Paddie TerrorVision (1986) - Grampa Tai-Pan (1986) - Wilf Tillman Eye of the Tiger (1986) - Father Healey P.K. and the Kid (1987) - Al Three for the Road (1987) - Stu Remote Control (1988) - Bill Denver South of Reno (1988) - Howard Stone Miss Firecracker (1989) - Mr. Morton Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989) - Milt Curfew (1989) - Gentleman with Cane Vietnam, Texas (1990) - Monsignor Sheehan Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will? (1990) - Daddy Peacemaker (1990) - 'Doc' Dick Tracy (1990) - Bartender Jezebel's Kiss (1990) - Dr. Samuel Whatley Evil Spirits (1990) - John Wilson Payback (1991) - Burt Only the Lonely (1991) - 'Spats' The Player (1992) - Bert Remsen Loving Lulu (1992) The Bodyguard (1992) - Rotary Club President Joshua Tree (1993) - Woody Engstrom Jack the Bear (1993) - Mitchell In the Shadows, Someone's Watching (1993, TV movie) - Oliver London Maverick (1994) - Riverboat Poker Player #7 White Man's Burden (1995) - Hot Dog Vendor Conspiracy Theory (1997) - Mr. Sutton Road Ends (1997) - Arliss Hugo Pool (1997) - Sad Old Man The Sky Is Falling (1999) - Mr. Finch Forces of Nature (1999) - Ned A Walk in the Park (1999) - Ken Sherry

Television YearTitleRole Notes 1958 Jefferson Drum Jim Ford Season 1, Episode 9 "Pete Henke" 1959 Rawhide Ash Season 2 Episode 3: "Incident at Dangerfield Dip" 1960 Wanted Dead or Alive Lieutenant Pierce Season 2, Episode 28 "Vendetta" 1961 Rawhide Murdock Season 3 Episode 13: "Incident Near the Promised Land" 1961 Rawhide Murdock Season 3 Episode 14: "Incident of the Big Blowout" 1961 Rawhide Murdock Season 4 Episode 1: "Rio Salado" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Police Lieutenant Marsh Season 6 Episode 20: "The Throwback" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Policeman Season 6 Episode 28: "Gratitude" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Jimmy the Bartender Season 7 Episode 10: "Services Rendered" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Pete the Police Officer Season 7 Episode 11: "The Right Kind of Medicine" 1962 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Sheriff Season 1 Episode 7: "Annabel" 1962 Leave It to Beaver Mr. Thompson Season 5, Episode 23 "Eddie Quits School" 1963 The Fugitive U.S. Coast Guard Skipper Season 1, Episode 4 "Never Wave Goodbye Part II" 1975 The Rookies Lucas Dawson Season 4, Episode 12 “The Reluctant Hero” 1976 Gibbsville Mr. Pell 13 Episodes1976ColumboMarkSeason 6, Episode 1 "Fade in to Murder" 1979 The New Adventures of Wonder Woman Dr. Jaffe Season 3, Episode 20 "The Boy Who Knew Her Secret" 1979 Hart to Hart Jimmy Delaney Season 1, Episode 7 "Cop Out" 1980 It's a Living Mario the Cook 13 Episodes 1987 Dallas Harrison 'Dandy' Dandridge 10 Episodes 1993 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Judge Pilot Episode 1996 Baywatch Shop Owner Season 6, Episode 22 "Go for the Gold"