Nat Polen

Nathan Polen (June 14, 1914 – May 3, 1981) Polen was the middle child of three, born to Russian-born parents Jack and Bertha Polen. His father was a singer and stage performer who appeared in a 1915 production of Oskar Nedbal's operetta, The Peasant Girl, and later served under Josiah Zuro as assistant stage manager for New York City's Free Open Air Opera at Ebbets Field.

Polen attended Thomas Jefferson High School, graduating in 1931. He studied drama at New York University, the American National Theater and Academy, and the Guild School of Drama. While he was at NYU he formed a dance band. Limited facilities at the university caused the band to play in hotels, which led to Polen's gaining a reputation among professional musicians as "a solid young drummer". After a hiatus while he served in the Navy from 1942 to 1946, he played for CBS, including performing as part of the CBS Symphony Orchestra. In 1947, his interests turned to acting, as he declined jobs with Benny Goodman and Woody Herman in favor of acting on radio.

Acting Polen had a continuing role on the Charlie Chan radio series. Other radio programs on which he acted included Columbia Workshop and The FBI in Peace and War. He then played Ephraim Webster on The Edge of Night and Dr. John Crager on the ABC afternoon version of The Nurses. He later became second acor to portray Dr. Jim Craig on One Life to Live from 1969 until shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer in 1981. He was also a film actor, playing Lt. Reilly in the 1972 film Across 110th Street. Other credits include appearing in 37 episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theatre.

On Broadway Polen portrayed Colonel Egan in Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole (1961).

Community activities Polen was involved with supervision of activities for teenagers in East Norwich, New York, where he and his family lived. He directed plays at Oyster Bay High School, and the Board of Education there created the annual Nat Polen Scholarship Award to honor him.

On May 3, 1981, aged 66, Polen died of pancreatic cancer at Central Regional Hospital in Plainview, New York.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? Uncredited1972 Across 110th Street Lt. Reilly 1979 Boardwalk Dr. Rothbart (final film role)