Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the headstrong Sgt. Shaeffer in "The Hell with Heroes" (1968). Born into a traditional working-class family, he served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, then settled in California; under the G.I. Bill, he attained his degree in theatrical arts from UCLA and began his career appearing as a leading man in stock companies. While attending a dinner party at the prestigious Frank and Musso's Restaurant, he was introduced to director Franklin J. Schaffner. Impressed by his dark good looks, slim physique, and charming voice, he took notice of his potential and arranged for him to begin a career in the television industry, beginning with him appearing under his supervision in a supporting role in an episode of "Playhouse 90." From there, he went on to flourish as a recognizable character actor appearing in over 125 features; often typecast as husbands, fathers, uncles, clergymen, authority figures, chauffeurs, detectives, reporters, waiters, doormen, soldiers, sailors, landlords, neighbors, curmudgeons, eccentrics, retail clerks, businessmen, city slickers, policemen, sidekicks, boyfriends, doctors, cowboys, sheriffs, bailiffs, lawyers, jurors, blue-collared guys, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "Crime & Punishment, USA" (1959), "The Threat" (1960), "Fitzwilly" (1967), "Topaz" (1969), "Airport" (1970), "The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler" (1971), "The Man" (1972), "Breezy" (1973), "Gable and Lombard" (1976), "Grand Theft Auto" (1977), and "Portrait of a White Marriage" (1988). On television, he became an even more familiar face appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Maverick," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Ben Casey," "Combat!," "Empire," "The Twilight Zone," "Slattery's People," "12 O'Clock High," "Lassie," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Rawhide," "The Fugitive," "Perry Mason," "The Invaders," "Cimarron Strip," "It Takes a Thief," "The Name of the Game," "Death Valley Days," "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Tim Conway Show," "Nancy," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Ironside," "O'Hara, U.S. Treasury," "Adam-12," "Room 222," "The Rookies," "Night Gallery," "Mission: Impossible," "Bonanza," "Columbo," "Barnaby Jones," "Hec Ramsey," "Chopper One," "Banacek," "Cannon," "Gunsmoke," "Shazam!," "Apple's Way," "Little House on the Prairie," "Emergency!," "Baretta," "Mobile One," "Police Story," "Ellery Queen," "McCloud," "Quincy, M.E.," "The Waltons," "A Man Called Sloane," "Eight is Enough," "The Magical World of Disney," "Hart to Hart," "Knots Landing," "Hotel," "Days of Our Lives," "Dallas," "Houston Nights," and "Raven". 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 Democratic Committee, presided as a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, had been a magazine model for the Forbes Agency, was the celebrity spokesman for A&P Supermarkets, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, had been one of the founding members of the Canyon Theatre Guild, and he was married to actress Toby Adler from 1967 to 1979 (their union ended upon her death and produced one daughter, actress Shelly O'Neill). Upon his 1992 retirement, he spent the final years of his life being a regular attendee at autograph conventions, as well as partaking in charitable and religious ventures, until his death.