Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of clerks, deckhands, prospectors, and police officers, but some were uncredited. He will be best remembered for playing the role of the 'Gestapo Man' in the war romance film drama, "Hitler's Children" (1943). The film which was also his actual film debut was directed by Edward Dmytryk and Irving Reis (who later resigned from the film), which was based on the book, "Education For Death" by Gregor Ziemer, which was written for the screen by Emmet Lavery, and which also starred Tim Holt, Bonita Granville, Kent Smith, Bruce Cameron, Curt Furberg, Gavin Muir, and H.B. Warner, tells the story of lurid exposé of the Hitler Youth which follows the woes of an American girl declared legally German by the Nazi government. He is also best remembered for his role as the 'Captain' in the episode entitled, "Taste Of Danger," of the classic western adventures television series, "Klondike," which originally aired on December 5, 1960. He was born one of four children as Franklin Eugene Eldredge in Ashtabula, Ohio, to Lewellyn Orrin Eldredge (1867-1949), and his wife Luetta Gertrude "Lulu" Mathias Eldredge (1872-1931), on June 7, 1897. He was educated locally and worked as a salesman. He later served his country during World War I. He enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve Forces at the Recruiting Station in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 2, 1918. He trained with the rank of Seaman, Second Class at the Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois, until November 7, 1918, when he was called to active duty. He was released from active duty on February 13, 1919, after 101 days, and was given an honorable discharge due to a lack of funds on September 30, 1921. He later moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career and found work in bit parts with Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (or MGM). Besides, "Hitler's Children" (1943), his many other film credits include, "Gaslight" (1944), "Cornered" (1945), "They Were Expendable" (1945), "Deadline For Murder" (1946), "The Yearling" (1946), "Merton Of The Movies" (1947), "Sealed Verdict" (1948), "Saturday's Hero" (1951), "Lost In Alaska" (1952), and "Young Bess" (1953). His last film role was playing the 'Piano Man' in the western film, "Gun Fight" (1961), which was directed by Edward L. Cahn, and which also starred James Brown, Joan Staley, and Gregg Palmer. He passed away from a sudden heart attack in Los Angeles, California, on October 6, 1961, and he was buried in Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River, Ohio. He was married twice, first to Edythe A. Christenson on April 15, 1921, in Cuyahoga, Ohio, and second to Lauretta Elizabeth Schweitzer (1906-1981), on August 9, 1929, in Cuyahoga, Ohio. The couple had no children and they later divorced.