Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the stern Dr. Fred Richmond in the classic thriller "Psycho" (1960). Born Isidor Simon Weiss, he was the eldest of three sons to construction worker Jacob Weiss and homemaker Ethel Oaklander (whose maiden name he would both shorten and take upon as a surname upon creating his career in theatrics). After performing as a professional violinist, he began his career on the Broadway stage appearing as a leading man in such productions as "Skipper Next to God," "Light Up the Sky," "Caesar and Cleopatra," "The Shrike," "Have I Got a Girl for You!," "The Shriek," "Angela," "Twigs," and "The Shadow Box". After being discovered by director William Wyler, he was so impressed by his dark good looks, professionalism, and articulate voice, that he arranged for him to relocate from New York to California and begin a newfound career in the film industry beginning with him being under his supervision in "The Desperate Hours" (1955). From there, he would go on to flourish as well-known character actor appearing in over 150 features; often typecast as husbands, fathers, uncles, cousins, eccentrics, doctors, lawyers, best friends, city slickers, tough guys, blue collared workers, retail clerks, landlords, neighbors, villains, philanthropists, businessmen, stockbrokers, clergymen, sidekicks, reporters, detectives, educators, military men, guards, sheriffs, cowboys, butlers, wardens, probation officers, salesmen, and patriarchs. He appeared in such motion pictures as "I Want to Live!" (1958), "West Side Story" (1961), "The Sand Pebbles" (1966), "Tony Rome" (1967), "The Hunting Party" (1971), and "Scandalous John" (1971). With the advent of television, he flourished as a household name appearing in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Suspense," "You Are There," "Goodyear Playhouse," "I Spy," "The Thin Man," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "The Naked City," "Tightrope," "Men Into Space," "Bronco," "Laramie," "Armstrong Circle Theatre," "Deadline," "General Electric Theatre," "Checkmate," "Perry Mason," "Route 66," "The New Breed," "Adventures in Paradise," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Cain's Hundred," "Wagon Train," "The United States Steel Hour," "Stoney Burke," "The Twilight Zone," "My Favorite Martian," "The Untouchables," "77 Sunset Strip," "Slattery's People," "The Defenders," "Rawhide," "Get Smart," "Combat!," "The Virginian," "Gunsmoke," "Cimarron Strip," "Gentle Ben," "Tarzan," "Off to See the Wizard," "Judd for the Defense," "The Big Valley," "Daniel Boone," "The Mod Squad," "The Name of the Game," "Dan August," "Cade's County," "Medical Center," "Ironside," "Toma," "S.W.A.T.," "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," "Ellery Queery," "Hawaii Five-O," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Police Story," "Charlie's Angels," "The Rockford Files," "Switch," "The Littlest Hobo," "Lou Grant," "Quincy, M.E.," and "Tucker's Witch". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was a regular parishioner of the Temple Israel of Hollywood, supported the California State Democratic Committee, was a vocal coach for the Pasadena Playhouse, was active as a chairman for his local charters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Red Cross, and he was married to gourmet chief Lois Porta from 1945 until his death (their union produced three children). A lifelong smoker, he died from complications of cancer.