Val Avery

Sebouh Der Abrahamian (July 14, 1924 – December 12, 2009), known professionally as Val Avery, was an American character actor who appeared in hundreds of movies and television shows. In a career that spanned 50 years, Avery appeared in over 100 films and had appearances in over 300 television episodes.

Early life and education Avery was born in Philadelphia to Armenian parents Megerdich and Arousiag Der Abrahamian. His father was from Sebastia and moved to the United States in 1907. During the Armenian genocide, his grandfather Bedros Der Abrahamian, a priest at the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Sebastia, was murdered.

Career Avery was frequently cast as tough or low-class types, such as policemen, thugs, mobsters, bartenders, and blue-collar workers.

He had television roles in The Twilight Zone episode "The Night of the Meek" (1960), and in four Columbo episodes: "A Friend in Deed" (1974), "Dead Weight" (1971), "The Most Crucial Game" (1972), and "Identity Crisis" (1975).

Personal life Avery and actress Margot Stevenson were married from 1953 until his death. Their daughter, Margot Avery, is also an actress.

Death Avery died on December 12, 2009, at age 85 in his home in the Greenwich Village section of New York City.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1956 The Harder They Fall Frank Uncredited 1957 Edge of the City Brother 1958 The Long, Hot Summer Wilk Uncredited 1958 King Creole Ralph Uncredited 1959 Last Train from Gun Hill Steve, Horseshoe Bartender 1960 The Magnificent Seven Henry 1961 Too Late Blues Milt Frielobe 1962 Requiem for a Heavyweight Young Fighter's Promoter 1963 Hud Jose 1963 Love with the Proper Stranger Stein Uncredited 1965 Sylvia Pudgey Smith Uncredited 1965 The Hallelujah Trail Denver Bartender 1965 Satan's Bed Unknown 1966 Wild Wild Winter Fox 1966 Nevada Smith Buck Mason 1966 Assault on a Queen Trench 1967 Hombre Delgado 1968 Faces Jim McCarthy 1968 No Way to Treat a Lady The Bartender Uncredited 1968 The Pink Jungle Rodriguez 1968 The Brotherhood Jake Rotherman 1969 Machine Gun McCain Chuck Regan 1969 A Dream of Kings Fatsas 1970 The Traveling Executioner Jake 1971 Vanishing Point Police Officer Uncredited 1971 The Anderson Tapes Rocco "Socks" Parelli 1971 Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! The Marshal 1971 Minnie and Moskowitz Zelmo Swift 1972 The Legend of Hillbilly John Cobart 1973 Black Caesar Cardoza 1973 Papillon Pascal 1973 The Laughing Policeman Inspector John Pappas 1975 Russian Roulette Rudolph Henke 1975 Let's Do It Again Lieutenant Bottomley 1975 Lucky Lady Dolph 1976 The Killing of a Chinese Bookie Blair Benoit 1976 Harry and Walter Go to New York Chatsworth 1977 Heroes Bus Driver 1978 Up in Smoke The Hoods: Factory Boss 1979 Love and Bullets Caruso 1979 The Wanderers Mr. Sharp 1979 The Amityville Horror Sergeant Gionfriddo 1980 Brubaker Wendel 1980 Gloria Sill 1981 The Chosen Teacher 1981 Continental Divide Alderman Yablonowitz 1981 Choices Coach Rizzo 1981 Sharky's Machine Manny, Man With Siakwan 1982 Assignment Berlin Talaat Pasha 1982 Jinxed! Milt Hawkins 1983 The Sting II O'Malley 1983 Easy Money Louie, The Bartender 1984 The Pope of Greenwich Village Nunzi 1985 Too Scared to Scream Dr. Richards 1986 Cobra Chief Halliwell 1986 The Messenger Clark 1997 Donnie Brasco Santo Trafficante Jr. 1999 A Fish in the Bathtub Abe 2001 In the Shadows Carlo Pierazzi 2004 Blueberry Judge (final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes 1953 Lux Video Theatre Hank Episode: "One for the Road" 1954–1956 The Big Story Informer 2 episodes 1955 Robert Montgomery Presents Philip Reilly, The Tall Dark Man Episode: "The Tall Dark Man" 1956–1958 Kraft Television Theatre John Hardy / Mauck 2 episodes 1956–1958 Playhouse 90 The Bartender 2 episodes 1956–1961 Armstrong Circle Theatre Uncle Steve / Joe Varetti / Napol / Ronald Levesque / Gino Dovelli 9 episodes 1957 There Shall Be No Night Gus Shuman Television film 1957 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Carson Episode: "Proud Woman" 1957–1969 Gunsmoke "Bull" Anders / Trent / Dorner / Joe Nadler 4 episodes 1958 The Investigator Unknown 2 episodes 1959 The Lineup Unknown Episode: "The Frederick Freemont Case" 1959 Border Patrol "Waxey" Walters Episode: "In a Deadly Fashion" 1959 Peter Gunn Hoodlum Episode: "Protection" 1959 Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Sheriff Jenkins Episode: "Goodbye, Al" 1959 Johnny Staccato Corky Lewis Episode: "Viva, Paco!" 1959 The Lawless Years "Bobo" Koening Episode: "The Billy Boy 'Rockabye' Creel Story" 1959 The Play of the Week Police Chief Episode: "The Power and the Glory" 1960 Cradle Song The Driver Television film 1960 The Untouchables Frank Salinas / Johnny, The Enforcer 2 episodes 1960 Bonanza Sheriff Trev Kincaid Episode: "Breed of Violence" 1960 Hong Kong Michael Fortune Episode: "The Turncoat" 1960 The Twilight Zone The Bartender Episode: "The Night of the Meek" 1961 Tales of Wells Fargo Frank "Bully" Armstrong Episode: "Town Against a Man" 1961 Have Gun – Will Travel B.J. Throckton, The Banker Episode: "The Gold Bar" 1961 Rawhide Sheriff S3:E28, "Incident of the Blackstorms" 1961 The Asphalt Jungle The Big Fellow Episode: "The Dark Night" 1961 The Power and the Glory Unknown Television film 1961 The Investigators Phil Bledsoe Episode: "Something for Charity" 1961–1963 The Defenders Strafaci / Mac Peters / District Attorney Anthony Periko 3 episodes 1962 The Everglades Pops / Harry Conlin 2 episodes 1963 Naked City Franko Episode: "Beyond This Place There Be Dragons" 1963 The Doctors and the Nurses Charman Tompkins Episode: "Strike" 1963–1964 East Side/West Side Lieutenant Al Costello / Detective Al Costello 5 episodes 1964 The Reporter Pete Krenek Episode: "How Much for a Prince?" 1964 Mr. Broadway Detective Episode: "Smelling Like a Rose" 1964–1965 The Munsters The Commissar / Marty 2 episodes 1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre Sergeant / Colonel Velasquez 3 episodes 1965 Slattery's People Lou Teller Episode: "Question: Does Nero Still at Ringside Sit?" 1965 Peyton Place Boudreau Episode: #1.81 1965 Daniel Boone Watowah Episode: "The Old Man and the Cave" 1965 Get Smart KAOS Agent #1 Episode: "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" 1965 Honey West Roger Episode: "A Neat Little Package" 1965–1967 The Fugitive Jim Ross / Gordie Shiller / Jerry Kulik / Burns 4 episodes 1966 The Virginian Jim Sunderland Episode: "Harvest of Strangers" 1966 Run for Your Life 2nd Man Episode: "Night Train from Chicago" 1966 Felony Squad Gene Hardy Episode: "Strike Out" 1966 I Spy Josef Episode: "Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up?" 1966 Laredo Sheriff Jonathan Daniels Episode: "Road to San Remo" 1966 The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones Morgan Television film 1966–1967 The Wild Wild West Brad Logan / John Crane 2 episodes 1966–1974 The F.B.I. Max Horton / Tony Hendricks / Carn / Roy Sumner 4 episodes 1967 Dragnet 1967 Phil Masturian Episode: "The Big Explosion" 1967 The Invaders Manager Episode: "The Mutation" 1967 Iron Horse Grimes Episode: "The Passenger" 1967 Mr. Terrific Leo Episode: "Stanley the Track Star" 1967 CBS Playhouse McDermott Episode: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" 1968 Lancer Wade Hackett Episode: "Julie" 1968 Judd, for the Defense John Rowan Episode: "A Swim with Sharks" 1968 N.Y.P.D. Walter Carney Episode: "The Love Hustle" 1968–1971 The Mod Squad Briggs / "Turk" 2 episodes 1968–1972 Mission: Impossible Augie Leitch / Frank Brady / Constantine Victor / Al Ross 4 episodes 1969 My Friend Tony Unknown Episode: "Let George Do It" 1970 Dan August Russ Carter, Ranch Foreman Episode: "The Murder of a Small Town" 1970 The Name of the Game Mike Episode: "Cynthia Is Alive and Living in Avalon" 1970 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Lieutenant Aram Makarian Episode: "Panther in a Cage" 1970–1974 Mannix Vanaman / Doyle / Mel Cooley / Harry Ruxton 4 episodes 1971 A Tattered Web Sergeant Harry Barnes Television film 1971 Monty Nash Luis Perez / Man 2 episodes 1971 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Victor Corso Episode: "The Convicts" 1971–1972 McCloud Walter McKay / Gruber 2 episodes 1971–1975 Columbo Louie / Artie Jessup / Ralph Dobbs / Harry Barnes 4 episodes 1972 Nichols Jasper 2 episodes 1972–1973 Ironside McKay / Arnie Hummel 2 episodes 1972–1974 Cannon Leo Crothers / Pawnshop Owner 2 episodes 1973 Firehouse Sonny Caputo Television film 1973 Madigan Augie Episode: "The Park Avenue Beat" 1973 Shaft Captain Rigano Episode: "The Killing" 1973 Blood Sport Frank Dorsdale Television film 1973 The Odd Couple Elmo Episode: "A Barnacle Adventure" 1973–1974 Barnaby Jones Andy Burns 4 episodes 1973–1974 Police Story Sergeant Mahler / Steve 2 episodes 1974 Kojak George Janis Episode: "Marker to a Dead Bookie" 1975 Archer Joe Mengers Episode: "Blood Money" 1975 The Law Ouspensky Television miniseries 1975 McCoy "Turk" Episode: "Double Take" 1976–1977 Baretta Ray Carmona / Pogo 2 episodes 1976–1978 Switch Rosie Finniston / Irving Munn 2 episodes 1977 Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model? Chuck Voit Television film 1977 Starsky & Hutch Captain Ryan Episode: "Starsky and Hutch Are Guilty" 1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Tracy / Skipper 2 episodes 1977 Man from Atlantis Lew Episode: "C.W. Hyde" 1977–1981 Quincy, M.E. Rawley Dinehart / Aaron Zakarian / Carlo Russo 4 episodes 1981 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Bearded Man In Suit Episode: "What're Girls Like You Doing in a Bank Like This?" 1984 The Streets Whitcomb Television film 1984 Hardcastle and McCormick Willie Lerner Episode: "It Coulda Been Worse, She Coulda Been a Welder" 1985 Out of the Darkness Guido Pressano Television film 1986 Courage Pete Solto Television film 1987 Cagney & Lacey Rekubian Episode: "Favors" 1988 Friday the 13th: The Series Russ Sharko Episode: "Badge of Honor" 1989 Men Burt Episode: "Cupid Ms...Takes" 1989 Moonlighting Mr. Viola Episode: "In 'N Outlaws" 1989 Hunter Ray Sullivan Episode: "Ring of Honor" 1991–1996 Law & Order Max Schaeffer / Dan Magadan Sr. 2 episodes 1992 Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story Salerno Television film 1992 Counterstrike Morey Lempke Episode: "No Honour Among Thieves" 1992 Secret Service Moe Episode: "It's in the Mail/Counterfeit Murder" 1992 Civil Wars Sol Lobell Episode: "The Old Man and the 'C'" 1994 Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker General William T. Sherman Television film 1997 Gold Coast Jimmy Capp Television film 2001 100 Centre Street Sal Gentle Episode: "Queenie and Joe"