Warren Stevens

Warren Albert Stevens (November 2, 1919 – March 27, 2012) was an American stage, screen, and television actor.

Early life and career Stevens was born in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania and graduated from Clarks Summit High School. He attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School and entered the United States Naval Academy in 1937 but was medically discharged in 1940. Stevens received notice on Broadway in the late 1940s, and thereafter was offered a Hollywood contract at 20th Century Fox. His first Broadway role was in The Life of Galileo (1947) and his first movie role followed in The Frogmen (1951). As a young studio contract player, Stevens had little choice of material, and he appeared in films that included Phone Call from a Stranger (1952), Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952), and Gorilla at Large (1954). A memorable movie role was that of the ill-fated "Doc" Ostrow in the science fiction film Forbidden Planet (1956). He also had supporting roles in The Barefoot Contessa (1954) with Humphrey Bogart and Intent to Kill (1958).

Despite occasional parts in big films, Stevens was unable to break out consistently into A-list movies, so he carved out a career in television as a journeyman dramatic actor.

Television career He co-starred as Lieutenant William Storm in Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (NBC, 1956–1957), a prime time adventure series set in India. Stevens also provided the voice of John Bracken in season one of Bracken's World (NBC, 1968–1970). He played the role of Elliot Carson in the daytime series Return to Peyton Place during its two-year run (1972–1974).

He appeared in over 150 prime time shows from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including:

Golden Age anthology series (Actors Studio, Campbell Playhouse, The Web, Justice, The Philco Television Playhouse, Studio One, The United States Steel Hour, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Route 66), Mysteries Hawaiian Eye (4 episodes), Adam-12 (1 episode), Perry Mason, The Untouchables, Climax!, Checkmate (2 episodes), Surfside 6 (2 episodes), 77 Sunset Strip (2 episodes), Behind Closed Doors, I Spy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ironside (3 episodes), The Mod Squad, Mannix, Cannon (3 episodes), Griff, Mission: Impossible (4 episodes), Combat! (1 episode). Horror and Sci Fi Inner Sanctum (3 episodes), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (2 episodes), The Twilight Zone (episode "Dead Man's Shoes"), One Step Beyond (episode "The Riddle"), The Outer Limits (episode "Keeper of the Purple Twilight"), Star Trek (episode "By Any Other Name"), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (3 episodes), The Time Tunnel, Science Fiction Theater, Land of the Giants (2 episodes) Comedies The Donna Reed Show (2 episodes, 1965 and 1966), M*A*S*H (1 episode, Season 4, episode 13, "The Gun", Dec 2, 1975) Westerns (Laramie, The Rebel, A Man Called Shenandoah), Wagon Train (2 episodes), The Alaskans, Tales of Wells Fargo (1 episode), Gunsmoke (3 episodes), Bonanza (4 episodes), Daniel Boone (3 episodes), The Virginian (3 episodes), The Big Valley (one episode), Rawhide, and Have Gun, Will Travel (3 episodes). Tombstone Territory (1 episode), Stoney Burke (1 episode). In 1970 he appeared as Paul Carson on The Men From Shiloh (rebranded name for The Virginian) in the episode titled "Hannah."

Stevens' appearance in the 1955 movie Robbers' Roost introduced him to Richard Boone, who hired him for a continuing television role on The Richard Boone Show, an award-winning NBC anthology series which lasted for the 1963–1964 season.

Stevens was a close friend of actor Richard Basehart and helped him through a difficult divorce in the early 1960s. Stevens guest-starred in a few episodes of Basehart's ABC series, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He also had a supporting role on another Irwin Allen production, The Return of Captain Nemo in 1978.

In his later years, Stevens' appearances were infrequent. He guest-starred in ER in March 2006 and had two roles in 2007.

For the DVD release of Combat! he provided audio commentary for "The Gun" (S5, E1) an episode in which he had guest-starred. He also guest-starred in "The Imposter" (S3, E10).

Death Stevens died on March 27, 2012, from complications of lung disease in his home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California. He had three children.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1951 Follow the Sun Radio Announcer Uncredited 1951 The Frogmen Hodges 1951 Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell Reporter 1952 Phone Call from a Stranger Marty Nelson 1952 Red Skies of Montana Steve Burgess 1952 Deadline – U.S.A. George Burrows 1952 Wait till the Sun Shines, Nellie McCauley Uncredited 1952 O. Henry's Full House Druggist (segment "The Last Leaf"), Uncredited 1952 Something for the Birds Beer Commercial Announcer Voice, Uncredited 1953 The I Don't Care Girl Lawrence 1953 Shark River Clay Webley 1954 Gorilla at Large Joe, Detective 1954 The Barefoot Contessa Kirk Edwards 1954 Black Tuesday Joey Stewart 1955 Women's Prison Glen Burton 1955 The Man from Bitter Ridge Linc Jackman 1955 Robbers' Roost Smokey 1955 Duel on the Mississippi Hugo Marat 1956 The Price of Fear Frankie Edare 1956 Forbidden Planet Lieutenant 'Doc' Ostrow 1956 On the Threshold of Space Captain Mike Bentley 1956 Accused of Murder Stan 'Scarface' Wilbo 1958 Man or Gun Mike Ferris 1958 Hot Spell Wyatt Mitchell - Virginia's Boyfriend 1958 The Case Against Brooklyn Rudi Franklin 1958 Intent to Kill Finch 1959 No Name on the Bullet Lou Fraden 1962 Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock Jess Dollard 1962 40 Pounds of Trouble Swing 1966 Madame X Michael Spalding 1966 Gunpoint Nate Harlan 1966 An American Dream Johnny Dell 1966 Cyborg 2087 Dr. Carl Zellar 1968 Madigan Captain Ben Williams 1968 The Sweet Ride Brady Caswell 1976 The Student Body Dr. Blalock 1980 High Ice Sergeant Lomax Television film 1983 Stroker Ace Jim Catty 1991 Samurai Cop Film Lab Owner 2007 Carts Fred Tait (final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes 1950 Robert Montgomery Presents "The Champion" 1950-1953 The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse Various roles 4 episodes 1953 Suspense Bernard Frank "Mr. Matches" 1953-1554 Studio One Various roles 2 episodes 1954 The U.S. Steel Hour Paul Dane "The End of Paul Dane" 1955 Medic Dr. Robert Alan Parker "Breath of Life" 1955-1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Various roles Season 1 Episode 2 "Premonition" as Perry Stanger (1955) Season 1 Episode 30 "Never Again" as Jeff Simmons (1956) 1956 Four Star Playhouse Dan "Dark Meeting" 1956-1957 Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers Lieutenant William Storm 26 episodes 1957 Climax! Various roles 2 episodes 1957-1963 Gunsmoke Various roles 3 episodes 1957-1963 Have Gun-Will Travel Various roles 3 episodes 1958 Perry Mason Alan Neil "The Case of the Empty Tin" 1959-1962 Wagon Train Various roles 2 episodes 1959 Tales of Wells Fargo Clay Allison "Clay Allison" 1959 Men Into Space Dr. Randolph "Quarantine" 1960-1962 Hawaiian Eye Various roles 4 episodes 1961 The Untouchables Alex Brosak "90-Proof Dame" 1962 The Twilight Zone Nathan 'Nate' Bledsoe "Dead Man's Shoes" 1963-1964 The Richard Boone Show Various roles 25 episodes 1964 The Outer Limits Eric Plummer "Keeper of the Purple Twilight" 1964 Combat! Sergeant Walter "The Impostor" 1965 Rawhide Talbot "Clash at Broken Bluff" 1965 Bonanza Paul Mandel "The Ballerina" 1965 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Captain Dennis Jenks "The Children's Day Affair" 1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre Mark Wilton "The Trains of Silence" 1966 The Rat Patrol Sergeant Frank Griffin "The Do or Die Raid" 1966 Death Valley Days Doc Holiday "Doc Holidays Gold Bars" 1966 The Time Tunnel Dr. Harlow "One Way To The Moon" 1966The Big Valley Bert Jason "Tunnel of Gold" 1966 Combat! Sergeant Higgin "The Gun" 1966 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Sam Garrity "Deadly Invasion" 1967 Bonanza Count Alexis "The Prince" 1967 Mission Impossible Karl de Groot "The Slave" 1967 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Van Wyck "Cave of the Dead" 1968 Star Trek Rojan "By Any Other Name" 1968 Mission: Impossible Frank Layton "The Bargain" 1968 Bonanza Sam Bragan "The Trackers" 1970 Bonanza Owen Driscoll "El Jefe" 1971 Sarge Peter Scott "Psst! Wanna Buy a Dirty Picture?" 1971 Adam-12 Art McCall “The Dinosaur” 1972 Mission Impossible Thor Coffin "Image" 1975 M*A*S*H Colonel Chaffey "The Gun" 1978 Wonder Woman Beal "The Murderous Missile" 1980 Quincy, M.E. Wayne Fields "Last Rites"