Actor. He was an accomplished character actor in films and television. Probably best-known for his role as Ralphie's father in the Holiday classic "A Christmas Story," he began his acting career in 1944 working in an off-Broadway play. He was first seen on film in an uncredited role in the 1945 film "A Song to Remember." He had several bit parts in many films throughout the 1940's. He appeared in live theater and film productions, including a starring role in the National touring company of "Death of a Salesman," before landing the lead role in his first television series, "Crime Photographer," in 1951. After the show ended a year later, he continued working in films and on television. He appeared in many major television programs in the 1950s including two classic appearances on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." His main success of the time would come on the stage. It was on the stage that he would be noticed and get parts in film and television. He co-starred in many successful films including: "The Man With the Golden Arm," with Frank Sinatra, "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell," with Gary Cooper, and "Summertime," with Katharine Hepburn. In the late 1950s he became the first actor to simultaneously star in two television series; "Mike Hammer" and "Riverboat." Throughout the 1960s and 70s, he continued to be seen in several television shows and would appear in several successful stage productions of such hit shows as "The Rainmaker," "The King and I," "Camelot" and as 'Carl Kolchak' in "The Night Stalker" movie and subsequent TV series. In 1983 he became a holiday tradition when he appeared in the film "A Christmas Story." Also in the 1980s and early 90s he would become a regular guest-star on the show "Murphy Brown," earning an Emmy award for his role of Murphy's father, Bill Brown. He would continue to work throughout the 1990s being seen in such shows as: "Murder, She Wrote," "Grace Under Fire," and "The X-Files." His health declined in later years and suffered a terrible blow in 2003 when his wife of over thirty years, actress Kathie Browne died.