Actor. A pudgy, comic character player, he is best known for his role as Corporal Rocco Barbella on TV's "The Phil Silvers Show" (a.k.a. "Sgt. Bilko", 1955 to 1959), and as the laughable biker villain Erich Von Zipper in the "Beach Party" films of the 1960s. Lembeck was born in Brooklyn. After serving in the Army during World War II he attended New York University, earning a degree in Broadcasting. He decided to try his luck with acting on the advice of one of his teachers. On Broadway he created the roles of Insignia in "Mister Roberts" (1948) and Sgt. Harry Shapiro in "Stalag 17" (1951), reprising the latter in director Billy Wilder's 1953 screen adaptation. His other films include "Back at the Front" (1952), "A View from the Bridge" (1961), "Love with the Proper Stranger" (1963), "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (1964), "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965), "Raid on Entebbe" (1977), and "The Gong Show Movie" (1980). Between film and theatre gigs Lembeck honed his skills as a stand-up comedian with a knack for raucous improvisation. From the late 1960s he made over 200 guest appearances on such TV shows as "The Monkees", "Night Gallery", "All in the Family", "Vegas", and "Mork and Mindy", and taught a Hollywood workshop for aspiring comedians. His son is actor Michael Lembeck.
Actor. A pudgy, comic character player, he is best known for his role as Corporal Rocco Barbella on TV's "The Phil Silvers Show" (a.k.a. "Sgt. Bilko", 1955 to 1959), and as the laughable biker villain Erich Von Zipper in the "Beach Party" films of the 1960s. Lembeck was born in Brooklyn. After serving in the Army during World War II he attended New York University, earning a degree in Broadcasting. He decided to try his luck with acting on the advice of one of his teachers. On Broadway he created the roles of Insignia in "Mister Roberts" (1948) and Sgt. Harry Shapiro in "Stalag 17" (1951), reprising the latter in director Billy Wilder's 1953 screen adaptation. His other films include "Back at the Front" (1952), "A View from the Bridge" (1961), "Love with the Proper Stranger" (1963), "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (1964), "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965), "Raid on Entebbe" (1977), and "The Gong Show Movie" (1980). Between film and theatre gigs Lembeck honed his skills as a stand-up comedian with a knack for raucous improvisation. From the late 1960s he made over 200 guest appearances on such TV shows as "The Monkees", "Night Gallery", "All in the Family", "Vegas", and "Mork and Mindy", and taught a Hollywood workshop for aspiring comedians. His son is actor Michael Lembeck.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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