Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the hot-tempered Matt Sullivan in "The Fighting Sullivans" (1944). Born John Hoffstadt, he dropped his last name after the beginning of World War II. He was raised within a family of wealth and position, the son of a prosperous surgeon and a professional opera singer. After attaining his degree in theatrical arts from the Pasadena Playhouse, he was discovered by a talent scout while appearing in a stage play in Stockton, California, and was given several screen and vocal tests. Upon being reviewed by director Raoul Walsh, he was so impressed by his dark good looks, slim physique, and articulate voice, he arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry under his supervision per a supporting role in "Northern Pursuit" (1943). From there, he would go on to flourish as a notable character actor appearing in over 170 features; often typecast as white-collared workers, soldiers, doctors, orderlies, photographers, reporters, detectives, waiters, chauffeurs, educators, boyfriends, bankers, retail clerks, businessmen, husbands, fathers, and, in his later years, patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "Destination Tokyo" (1943), "Janie" (1944), "San Antonio" (1945), "Shadow of a Woman" (1946), "Nora Prentiss" (1947), "Open Secret" (1948), "The Fountainhead" (1949), "Lonely Heart Bandits" (1950), "Home Town Story" (1951), "Washington Story" (1952), "Dream Wife" (1953), "Lucky Me" (1954), "A Bullet for Joey" (1955), "The Couch" (1962), "Irma la Douche" (1963), "Marnie" (1964), "They Call Me Mister Tibbs!" (1970), "The Organization" (1971), "Somewhere in Time" (1981), and "Milk Money" (1994). On television, he appeared in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "The Living Christ Series," "Mark Saber," "The Lone Ranger," "Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson," "Your Favorite Story," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "Waterfront," "Dragnet," "Navy Log," "Cavalcade of America," "Wire Service," "Sky King," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "77 Sunset Strip," "Bronco," "Shotgun Slade," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," "Death Valley Days," "Alcoa Premier," "The Cara Williams Show," "Petticoat Junction," "My Favorite Martian," "The Munsters," "Get Smart," "Days of Our Lives," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Ironside," "My Three Sons," "The Smith Family," "Mannix," "M*A*S*H," "Police Woman," "The Incredible Hulk," "Lou Grant," "Hart to Hart," "Passions," "Amazing Stories," "Murder, She Wrote," and "The Bold and the Beautiful". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, had been supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was a regular parishioner of the Temple Israel of Hollywood, had been a member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, presided as a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and the Boys & Girls Clubs, was the celebrity spokesman for H&R Block and Mattel, had been one of the founding members of the Canyon Theatre Guild, and he was married to actress June Lewis from 1947 until his death (their union produced three children). Following his 1994 retirement, he spent the final years of his life being a regular attendee at autograph conventions, and was involved in charitable and religious ventures, until his death from the complications of injuries sustained in a fall.