Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the staunch Bert Carr in "The Big Operator" (1959). Born Benjamin Austin Gage, he originally began his career as a singer Anson Weeks Orchestra, until he withdrew to serve in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. Following the end of the war, he settled in California and attained work as a radio announcer for The Bob Hope Show replacing the original announcer Bill Goodwin who withdrew to work for George Burns and Gracie Allen. Upon being befriended by Hope, he was so impressed by his dark good looks, articulate voice, and professionalism, that he arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him being a dubbing his singing voice for such established actors as Cornel Wilde and George Montgomery. After appearing as himself in an episode of "Johnny Olson's Rumpus Room", he began to embark on a successful career as a character actor, often typecast as husbands, fathers, cowboys, sheriffs, athletes, policeman, landlords, neighbors, doctors, blue-collared guys, detectives, reporters, retail clerks, salesmen, historical figures, heroes, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "Dangerous When Wet" (1953) and "Coonskin" (1974). On television, he flourished as a household name appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Our Miss Brooks," "The Donna Reed Show," "Destry," "F Troop," "Maverick," "Batman," "Star Trek," "The Lucy Show," "Bonanza," "Police Story," and "McCoy". In addition, he made numerous appearances on the radio programs "Maxwell House Coffee Time," "Ford Showroom," "The Danny Thomas Show," "Blue Network Varieties," "Remember This Song?," "Soldiers With Wings," and "The Joan Davis Show". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been an active member of the Hollywood Republican Committee, was a regular parishioner within the Church of Religious Science, had been a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and the Boys & Girl Scouts of America, recorded a string of solo albums, and he was married to actress and swimmer Esther Williams from from 1945 to 1958 (their union ended in divorce and produced three children). In 1978, after appearing in his final television appearance in an episode of "Police Woman", he died unexpectedly from complications of heart failure.