Cliff Gorman

Joel Joshua Goldberg (October 13, 1936 – September 5, 2002), known professionally as Cliff Gorman, was an American actor. He won an Obie Award in 1968 for the stage presentation of The Boys in the Band,

Life and career Gorman was born Joel Joshua Goldberg in Queens, New York, the son of Jewish parents, Ethel (née Kaplan) and Samuel Goldberg, who later changed their surname to Gorman. He attended the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan.

He was originally cast as the lead in the 1978 sitcom Hello, Larry, but was replaced by McLean Stevenson after Gorman was involved in an altercation with costar Donna Wilkes. This bad blood between Gorman and Wilkes would spill over onto the production of the 1984 film Angel, where Wilkes was the lead, and Gorman had a supporting role as Lt. Andrews.

He played Joseph Goebbels in the 1981 television film The Bunker. He had roles in the films Cops and Robbers (1973), Rosebud (1975), Brinks: The Great Robbery (1976), An Unmarried Woman (1978) with Jill Clayburgh, Night of the Juggler (1980), Hoffa (1992) with Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito, and Night and the City (1992). His TV work included performances in the series Law and Order, Murder, She Wrote, Friday the 13th: the Series, and the 1970s drama Police Story, written by former LAPD Detective Sergeant Joseph Wambaugh.

On the September 13, 1965 episode of To Tell The Truth, Gorman sat in seat #1 as an imposter for game #3 of the evening. He received two votes, one from Orson Bean, and one from Kitty Carlisle. When asked what he actually did for a living, he responded that he sold room air conditioners for the Republic Water Heater Company.

Personal life Gorman was married to Gayle Stevens Gorman from May 31, 1963 until his death. He and his wife cared for his fellow The Boys in the Band cast member Robert La Tourneaux in the last few months of his battle against AIDS, until La Tourneaux's death on June 3, 1986.

Death On September 5, 2002, Gorman died of leukemia at the age of 65 at his home in Manhattan.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1968 N.Y.P.D. Hickey S2.E1 - "Naked in the Streets" 1969 Justine "Toto" 1970 The Boys in the Band Emory 1970 Dan August Harry Russell S1.E13 - "Passing Fair" 1973 Cops and Robbers Tom 1973 Class of '63 Mickey Swerner ABC Movie of the Week 1974-75 Police Story Sgt. Billy Humm 2 episodes 1975 Medical Story Dr. Frank Duffy S1.E5 - "An Air Full of Death" 1975 Rosebud Yafet Hamlekh Directed by Otto Preminger 1975 The Silence Stanley Greenberg TV film 1975 Strike Force Detective Joey Gentry TV film 1976 Hawaii Five-O Robert Huston S9.E5 - "Tour De Force, Killer Aboard" 1976 Brinks: The Great Robbery Danny Conforti TV film 1977 Having Babies II Arthur Magee TV film 1977 The Streets of San Francisco Sgt. Eddy Earl Mack S5.E23 - "Time Out" 1978 An Unmarried Woman Charlie 1979 All That Jazz Davis Newman 1980 Night of the Juggler Gus Soltic 1981 The Bunker Joseph Goebbels TV film 1982 Trapper John, M.D. Brad Wylie 2 episodes 1983 Cocaine and Blue Eyes Riki Anatole TV film 1984 Angel Lieutenant Andrews 1985 Half Nelson Actor S1.E2 - "Uppers and Downers" 1985 Doubletake Aaron TV miniseries 1985 The Paper Chase Mr. Garrett S3.E12 - "Lasting Impressions" 1986-92 Murder, She Wrote NYPD Lt. Parnell 2 episodes 1987 Friday the 13th: The Series Dr. Vincent Howlett S1.E7 - "Doctor Jack" 1987 Cagney & Lacey Robert B. Roberts S7.E7 - "Greed" 1988 Spenser: For Hire Joey S3.E15 - "The Big Fight" 1989 Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder Bernstein TV film 1990 Vestige of Honor Sanderson TV film 1992 Terror on Track 9 Sgt. Aaron Greenberg TV film 1992 Night and the City Phil Nasseros 1992 Hoffa Soloman "Solly" Stein 1993 The Return of Ironside Joe McManus TV film 1994 Janek: The Forget-Me-Not Murders Aaron TV film 1995 New York News Actor S1.E13 - "The Using Game" 1995 Down Came a Blackbird Nick the Greek TV film 1996 Desert Breeze TV film 1998 Law & Order Trial Judge Gary Feldman 3 episodes 1999 Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Sonny Valerio 1999 The '60s: The Complete Miniseries Father Daniel Berrigan TV miniseries 2000 King of the Jungle Jack 2003 Kill the Poor Yakov Posthumous release