Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the headstrong Ray Link in "Swell Guy" (1946). Born into a traditional working-class family, he began his career as a leading man in stock companies. After being discovered by director David Butler while appearing in a stage production of "Our Town", he was so impressed by his slim physique, blonde good looks, and distinctive voice, that he took notice of his potential and arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him appearing under his supervision per a supporting role in "Caught in the Draft" (1941). From there, he would go on to flourish as a notable character actor appearing in over 100 features; often typecast as husbands, fathers, relatives, boyfriends, blue-collared guys, detectives, reporters, cowboys, sheriffs, policemen, bailiffs, guards, retail clerks, salesmen, curmudgeons, landlords, neighbors, clergymen, educators, doctors, lawyers, authority figures, jurors, aristocrats, soldiers, sergeants, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "Sergeant York" (1941), "Private Snuffy Smith" (1942), "Let's Have Fun" (1943), "Land and Live in the Jungle" (1944), "Lost City of the Jungle" (1946), "Suddenly It's Spring" (1947), "The Big Caper" (1957), "Party Girl" (1958), "North by Northwest" (1959), "The Detective" (1968), "Desperate Characters" (1971), and "The Visitors" (1972). On television, he appeared in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Suspense," "Big Town," "Studio One," "Kraft Theatre," "Telephone Time," "Conflict," "The Gale Storm Show," "Sugarfoot," "Playhouse 90," "Bat Masterson," "Boots and Saddles," "77 Sunset Strip," "Maverick," "Tombstone Territory," "Black Saddle," "Whirlybirds," "Bonanza," "Cheyenne," "Bourbon Street Beat," "Manhunt," "Insight," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Armstrong Circle Theatre," "The Lucy Show," "Hazel," "Gunsmoke," "Perry Mason," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "For the People," "Slattery's People," "Dark Shadows: The Vampire Curse," "Great Performances," "Hawk," and "The Doctors." During his career, he was a lifelong member of the Actors Studio, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, had been a member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was a commercial model for the Forbes Agency, had been a theatrical instructor for the UCLA, and he was married to character actress Courteen Landis from 1947 until his death (their union produced no children).