Frank Marth

Frank Marth
Marth in the Beverly Garland crime drama, Decoy (1958)
Born(1922-07-29)July 29, 1922
New York City, U.S.
DiedJanuary 12, 2014(2014-01-12) (aged 91)
OccupationActor
Years active1949–1987
Spouse
(m. 1967)

Frank Marth (July 29, 1922 – January 12, 2014) was an American film and television actor. He may be best known as a cast-member of Cavalcade of Stars (1949; 1950–1957), especially segments of The Honeymooners, which later became a television series (1955–56).

Early years

Marth was born in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan to Mr. And Mrs. Frank Marth, Sr. He attended public schools graduating from Commerce High School. He initially worked in building construction, but after World War II he attended the Feagin School of Dramatic Art with plans to work in radio.[1]

Career

Early in his career, Marth worked in radio, including being announcer, commentator, and disc jockey on WOV in New York City and WWDX-FM[1] and WPAT in New Jersey.[2]

On stage, Marth acted in productions of local and regional theaters, including the Greenwood Playhouse in Maine and the Willimantic Playhouse in Connecticut.[2]

Marth's big screen credits included roles in films such as Madame X (1966), Madigan (1968), Pendulum (1969), The Lost Man (1969), Marooned (1969) and Telefon (1977).

On television, Marth appeared in two episodes of Perry Mason, five episodes of The Big Valley, one episode of The Wild Wild West and Mannix, five episodes of Hogan's Heroes, three episodes of Barnaby Jones, two episodes of Mission: Impossible, and episodes of Hawaii Five-O, The Fugitive, Cannon, The Invaders, Gunsmoke,The F.B.I., The Streets of San Francisco, The Six Million Dollar Man, The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, Dallas and M*A*S*H. In 1970 Marth appeared as Rawlings in the western TV series The Virginian in the episode titled "The Gift". In 1976, he appeared in an episode of Sara and played the commanding officer of Ben Murphy's character in the TV series version of The Dirty Dozen.[3] He also played Ben Fraser, Jr. in the NBC drama From These Roots (1958-1961)[3]: 369  and was a regular on Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine and The Jackie Gleason Show.[3]: 521 

Tall and fair-haired, Marth, often in tandem with the short, dark-haired George O. Petrie, played various recurring and one-time roles on The Honeymooners; e.g., as one of the brutal hoods who hold the Kramdens and Ed Norton hostage after Ralph witnesses a bank robbery; as Harvey Walstatter, who hires Alice Kramden to babysit his son, Harvey, Jr.; and as the inquiring news photographer who lands Ralph Kramden in hot water after he quotes Kramden declaring that he is "head of the household".

Death

Marth died of congestive heart failure and Alzheimer's disease on January 12, 2014, in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 91.[4]

Filmography (partial)

Year Title Role Notes
1956 Fright George Morley
1961 Breakfast at Tiffany's Party Guest Uncredited
1963 Love with the Proper Stranger Carlos Uncredited
1966 Madame X Det. Combs
1968 Madigan Lt. James Price
1969 Pendulum Lt. Smithson
1969 The Lost Man Warren
1969 Marooned Air Force Systems Director
1977 Telefon Harley Sandburg
1994 Loving Deadly John (final film role)

Television (partial)

Year Title Role Notes
1955–1957 The Honeymooners
1964, 1966 Combat! German Captain / Lt. Vogler Episodes: "Operation Fly Trap" and "Run, Sheep, Run"
1964 My Favorite Martian Capt. Edward Prescott Episode: "The Great Brain Robbery"
1965–1970 Hogan's Heroes Various characters 5 episodes
1970 The Virginian Emmett Rawlings Episode: "The Gift"
1974–1976 Cannon Captain Royce / Eliott Strickland Episodes: "Kelly's Song" and "Point After Death"
1977 Wonder Woman Tall Man Episode: "Knockout"
1979 Battlestar Galactica Josh Moreland Episode: "Greetings from Earth"
1985 The A-Team Jim Sullivan Episode: "Road Games"

References

  1. ^ a b "Marth Joins WWDX Announcing Staff". The Herald-News. Passaic, New Jersey. January 21, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "At Greenwood". Portland Press Herald. July 24, 1949. p. B9. Retrieved October 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. p. 264. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  4. ^ Barnes, Mike (January 13, 2014). ""Honeymooners" Actor Frank Marth dies at 91". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2019.