Ivan Dixon

Ivan Nathaniel Dixon III (April 6, 1931 – March 16, 2008) was an American actor, director, and producer best known for his series role in the 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes, and for his starring roles in the 1964 independent drama Nothing But a Man and the 1967 television film The Final War of Olly Winter. In addition, he directed many episodes of television series.

Active in the civil rights movement from 1961, Dixon served as a president of Negro Actors for Action. When he was young, the family lived in a brownstone at 518 West 150th Street in Harlem, on the same block with Josh White, writer Ralph Ellison, and the tap-dancing brothers Gregory Hines and Maurice Hines.

Dixon graduated from Lincoln Academy, a private black boarding school in Gaston County, North Carolina. He subsequently earned a drama degree in 1954 from North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a historically black college.

In 1958, he was a stunt double for Sidney Poitier in the film The Defiant Ones. Dixon was cast in two episodes of The Twilight Zone: "The Big Tall Wish" – as the lead, in a primarily black cast in a TV drama – and a key supporting role in "I Am the Night—Color Me Black". In 1962, Dixon co-starred with Dorothy Dandridge in the "Blues for a Junkman" episode of Cain's Hundred; it was the highest-rated episode of the series. An expanded version was released as a feature film in Europe as The Murder Men; this was Dandridge's last screen appearance.

On September 25, 1962, Dixon portrayed Jamie Davis, a livery stable groom, in the episode "Among the Missing" of NBC's Laramie western series. In that same year, he played a prosecution expert witness, in "The Case of the Promoters Pillbox" episode of Perry Mason. This was followed in 1963 when he played the role of John Brooks, alias Caleb Stone IV, in the episode "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew", in which his character switched names with a white man. Later, he appeared as a judge in the 1986 Perry Mason made-for-TV movie The Case of the Shooting Star.

In 1964, Dixon starred in the independent film Nothing But a Man, written and directed by Michael Roemer; Dixon said he was most proud of this performance. He also directed the controversial 1973 feature film The Spook Who Sat by the Door,

His widow Berlie Ray Dixon, born on April 5, 1930, in Badin, North Carolina, died on February 9, 2019, in Charlotte, at the age of 88.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1957 Something of Value Lathela, Loyal Gun-Bearer Alternative title: Africa Ablaze 1959 Porgy and Bess Jim 1960 The Twilight Zone Bolie Jackson TV series, Episode: "The Big Tall Wish" 1961 Have Gun – Will Travel Isham Spruce TV series, "Long Way Home" (air date April 2, 1961) 1961 A Raisin in the Sun Asagai 1961 Battle at Bloody Beach Tiger Blair 1961 Too Late Blues Party Guest Uncredited, Directed by John Cassavetes 1962 Laramie Jamie Davis TV series, "Among the Missing" (Sept 25, 1962) 1962 Cain's Hundred Joe Sherman TV series, "Blues for a Junkman" (February 20, 1962), co-starring Dorothy Dandridge 1962 The New Breed Wick TV series, 2 episodes 1962 Perry Mason Parness TV series, Episode: "The Case of the Promoter's Pillbox" 1963 Perry Mason Caleb Stone IV TV series, Episode: "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew" 1963 Outer Limits Major Harold Giles TV series, Episode: "The Human Factor" 1963 Going My Way Robin Green TV series, "Run, Robin, Run" 1963 Stoney Burke Dr. Manning TV series, Episode: "The Test" 1964 Nothing But a Man Duff Anderson 1964 The Fugitive Dr. Towne Episode: "Escape Into Black" 1964 The Outer Limits Sgt. James Conover Episode: "The Inheritors" 1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Jean Francis Soumarin TV series, Episode: "The Vulcan Affair" 1964 The Twilight Zone Reverend Anderson TV series, Episode: "I Am the Night—Color Me Black" 1965 I Spy Elroy Brown TV series, Episode: "So Long, Patrick Henry" 1965 A Patch of Blue Mark Ralfe 1965–1970 Hogan's Heroes Staff Sergeant James Kinchloe TV series, 145 episodes 1967 The Fugitive Ambassador Unawa TV series, Episode: "Dossier on a Diplomat" 1967 CBS Playhouse Olly Winter TV play, The Final War of Olly Winter 1968 It Takes a Thief General Kristoff TV series, Episode: "Get Me to the Revolution on Time" 1969 Where's Jack? Naval Officer 1970 The F.B.I. Terrance Maynard TV series, Episode: "The Deadly Pact" 1970 Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came Sgt. Jones Alternative title: War Games 1971 The Fourth Bill Cosby Special, Or? TV special, Director 1971 Clay Pigeon Simon 1971–1972 Nichols TV series, Director, 4 episodes 1972 Trouble Man Director 1973 The Spook Who Sat by the Door Director 1974–1975 The Waltons TV series, Director, 7 episodes 1974 Claudine Wedding Guest Uncredited 1975 Starsky & Hutch TV series, Director, 1 episode 1975–1979 The Rockford Files TV series, Director, 9 episodes 1976 Car Wash Lonnie 1977 McCloud TV series, Director, 1 episode 1977 Quincy, M.E. TV series, Director, 1 episode 1978 The Bionic Woman TV series, Director, 1 episode 1979 Wonder Woman TV series, Director, 1 episode 1981–1982 Bret Maverick TV series, Director, 3 episodes 1981–1983 The Greatest American Hero TV series, Director, 6 episodes 1984 Airwolf TV series, Director, 1 episode 1984 Trapper John, M.D. TV series, Director, 1 episode 1984 The A-Team TV series, Director, 1 episode 1982–1986 Magnum, P.I. TV series, Director, 13 episodes 1986 Perry Mason Judge TV film: "The Case of the Shooting Star" 1987 Amerika Dr. Alan Drummond TV miniseries, 7 parts1989 Quantum Leap TV series, Director, 1 episode In the Heat of the Night TV series, Director, 1 episode 1991 Father Dowling Mysteries Rev. Johnson TV series, Episode: "The Joyful Noise Mystery", (final appearance) 1993 Percy & Thunder Director

Awards and honors National Black Theatre Award Paul Robeson Pioneer Award, Black American Cinema Society 1967 – Emmy Awards nomination, Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Drama, The Final War of Olly Winter