Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the outspoken Tony Montague in "Shadowed" (1946). Born Wilton Ratcliffe, he was raised in a family of wealth and position. After working as a newspaper editor for the Hartford Times, he began his career as a professional actor in stock companies having been inspired to change careers due in part to having penned so many entertainment columns. After being discovered by a talent scout during a stage performance of "Gabrielle", he was brought out to California for several screen and voice tests. Upon being reviewed by director Gus Meins, he was so impressed by his dark good looks, slim physique, and articulate voice, that he arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him appearing in a supporting role in "Earl of Puddlestone" (1940). From there, he would go on to flourish as a notable character actor appearing in over 130 features; often typecast as husbands, fathers, white-collared workers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, businessmen, soldiers, policemen, reporters, detectives, curmudgeons, landlords, clergymen, aristocrats, historical figures, foreigners, sly villains, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "A Royal Scandal" (1945), "Just Before Dawn" (1946), "Dead Reckoning" (1947), "The Babe Ruth Story" (1948), "Blondie's Big Deal" (1949), "The West Point Story" (1950), "My True Story" (1951), "Million Dollar Mermaid" (1952), "So This is Love" (1953), "A Star is Born" (1954), "The Sea Chase" (1955), "Lust for Life" (1956), "Tip on a Dead Jockey" (1957), "Compulsion" (1959), "Return to Peyton Place" (1961), and "Lonnie" (1963). On television, he became a household name appearing in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Chevron Theatre," "You Are There," "Lux Video Theatre," "Cavalcade of America," "Fireside Theatre," "City Detective," "Front Row Center," "My Friend Flicka," "State Trooper," "Gunsmoke," "Playhouse 90," "Aloca Theatre," "The Walter Winchell File," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Bourbon Street Beat," "Peter Gunn," "Hawaiian Eye," "Zane Grey Theatre," "Perry Mason," "Cheyenne," "Death Valley Days," "The Barbara Stanwyck Show," "Dante," "Wagon Train," "The Tab Hunter Show," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Peter Loves Mary," "Follow the Sun," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Dr. Kildare," and "Ben Casey". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, was a member of the Hollywood Republican Committee, presided as a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, had been a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, and he was married to stage actress Mary Goodwin from 1924 to 1950 columnist Elisabeth Strong from 1952 until his death (his first marriage ended upon her death and produced one child). Following his 1964 retirement, he spent the final years of his life being involved in charitable and religious causes, along with being a generous benefactor for several public schools and libraries until his death.