Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the insightful Dr. Carrington in "The Thing from Another World" (1951). After serving in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, he settled in California following the end of the war and under the G.I. Bill he attained his degree in theatrical arts from the University of Southern California. While appearing in a production of "Twelfth Night" at the La Jolla Playhouse, he was discovered by director Rudolph Mate who happened to be seated in the audience that evening. Impressed by his dark good looks, articulate voice, and manly physique, he arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him being under his supervision in "Union Station" (1950). From there, he would go on to enjoy a successful career as a character actor appearing in over 250 features; often cast as lawyers, scientists, doctors, politicians, white-collared workers, husbands, fathers, neighbors, public servants, jurors, ministers, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "His Kind of Woman" (1951), "Monkey Business" (1952), "War of the Worlds" (1953), "Day of Triumph" (1954), "Stranger on Horseback" (1955), "The Leather Saint" (1956), "Hell on Devil's Island" (1957), "The Power of the Resurrection" (1958), "Day of the Outlaw" (1959), "All Hands on Deck" (1960), "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962), "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1966), "Waterhole No. 3" (1967), "The Legend of Lylah Clare" (1968), "Journey Through Rosebud" (1972), "Futureworld" (1976), "Deal of the Century" (1983), "Who's That Girl?" (1987), "Time Trackers" (1989), "Frame Up" (1991), and "Matinee" (1993). During the advent of television, he flourished as a household name appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Cavalcade of America," "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show," "Public Defender," "Studio 57," "Lux Video Theatre," "Lassie," "You Are There," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "Crusader," "The Joseph Cotten Show," "Broken Arrow," "Wire Service," "Crossroads," "The Gale Storm Show," "State Trooper," "Dr. Christian," "The Adventures of Jim Bowie," "Telephone Time," "Suspicion," "Casey Jones," "The Thin Man," "Trackdown," "The Californians," "Yancy Derringer," "Rescue 8," "Men Into Space," "The Dennis O'Keefe Show," "Coronado 9," "Johnny Midnight," "The Rifleman," "Maverick," "The Magical World of Disney," "General Electric Theatre," "Lawman," "The Untouchables," "Adventures in Paradise," "Father of the Bride," "The Roaring 20's," "This Is the Life," "The Wide Country," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Hazel, "The Twilight Zone," "77 Sunset Strip," "Wagon Train," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Destry," "Channing," "Perry Mason," "Burke's Law," "The Munsters," "Get Smart," "Iron Horse," "Batman," "Death Valley Days," "Insight," "Garrison's Gorillas," "Ironside," "Daniel Boone," "Gunsmoke," "The F.B.I.," "Laverne & Shirley," "Lincoln," "Father Murphy," "Dynasty," "Perfect Strangers," "Cheers," "Chicago Hope," and "Picket Fences." During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been an active member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was an active parishioner of the Catholic church, presided as a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, had been a generous benefactor for several libraries and state parks, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, and was a 1993 inductee into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. After appearing in what would be his final theatrical endeavor in "The Naked Monster" (2005), Cornthwaite, who never married nor had any children, retired from acting and spent the final year of his life living comfortably at the Motion Picture and Television House where he devoted his time to religious and charitable causes until his death from the complications of advanced age.