Lyle Bettger
Lyle Stathem Bettger (February 13, 1915 – September 24, 2003) was an American character actor who had roles in Hollywood films and television from the 1950s onward, often portraying villains. One such role was the wrathfully jealous elephant handler Klaus from the Oscar-winning film The Greatest Show on Earth (1952).
Lyle Bettger | |
|---|---|
 in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) | |
| Born | February 13, 1915 Philadelphia, U.S. |
| Died | September 24, 2003 (aged 88) Atascadero, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–1980 |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Gertrude Rolfe, 1941–1996 (her death); 3 children |
Early years
Bettger was born in Philadelphia, the son of Frank Bettger, an infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Mertie Stathem Bettger. He graduated from the Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.[1]
Stage
Bettger's theatrical debut was in Brother Rat at the Biltmore Theatre in New York City in 1936. His Broadway credits include Dance Night (1938), Summer Night (1939), The Flying Gerardos (1940–1941), The Moon Is Down (1942), All for All (1943), Oh, Brother! (1945), John Loves Mary (1947–1948), and Love Life (1948–1949).[2]
When Paramount sent a talent scout to see him, Bettger was signed to a three-year contract.
Film
Bettger's movie career began when he was cast in The Lie in 1949.[3] Movie columnist Frank Neill reported, "On the basis of his performance in the movie, he has been signed to a juicy contract."[4]
Later Bettger was cast as the lead in the film noir No Man of Her Own (1950). He soon became a regular on the set of Westerns such as Denver and Rio Grande (1952), The Great Sioux Uprising (1953), Forbidden (1953), Drums Across the River (1954), Destry (1955), The Lone Ranger, (1956) and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). Lyle developed a reputation for playing the bad guy and excelled in villainous roles such as the menacing Joe Beacom in Union Station (1950) and the cold-blooded Nazi Chief Officer Kirchner in The Sea Chase (1955). One of his later roles was in the 1969 film Impasse as a bigoted World War II veteran.
Radio
Programs on which Bettger appeared in old-time radio included Grand Central Station.[5]
Television
Bettger made many appearances in dramatic roles on television, starring in the 1957 series The Court of Last Resort[6] as well as guest starring on Hawaii Five-O, Rawhide, The Tall Man, The Rifleman, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Blue Light, The Time Tunnel, Death Valley Days, Laramie and Tales of Wells Fargo.
Personal life
Bettger was married to Mary Gertrude Rolfe from 1941 to her death in 1996. They had three children: Lyle, Jr., Frank, and Paula. She was an actress who played Henry Aldrich's sister in The Aldrich Family on radio,.[7] He died on September 24, 2003 in Atascadero, California aged 88. His remains were cremated. He was survived by his children and a sister.
Filmography
| Year 1957 (not certain of the year) | Title Wells Fargo | Role John Wesley Hardin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | No Man of Her Own | Stephen 'Steve' Morley | |
| 1950 | Union Station | Joe Beacom | |
| 1951 | The First Legion | Dr. Peter Morrell | |
| 1951 | Dear Brat | Mr.Baxter | |
| 1952 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Klaus | |
| 1952 | Denver and Rio Grande | Johnny Buff | |
| 1952 | Hurricane Smith | Clobb | |
| 1953 | The Vanquished | Roger Hale | |
| 1953 | The Great Sioux Uprising | Stephen Cook | |
| 1953 | All I Desire | Dutch Heinemann | |
| 1953 | Forbidden | Justin Keit | |
| 1954 | Carnival Story | Frank Colloni | |
| 1954 | Drums Across the River | Frank Walker | |
| 1954 | Destry | Decker | |
| 1955 | The Sea Chase | Chief Officer Kirchner | |
| 1956 | The Lone Ranger | Reece Kilgore | |
| 1956 | Showdown at Abilene | Dave Mosely | |
| 1957 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Ike Clanton | |
| 1960 | Guns of the Timberland | Clay Bell | |
| 1962 | Bonanza | Lem Partridge | Episode: "The Guilty" |
| 1964 | Combat! | Captain Brauer | Episode: A Rare Vintage |
| 1965 | Town Tamer | Lee Ring / Marshal Les Parker | |
| 1966 | Johnny Reno | Mayor Jess Yates | |
| 1966 | Nevada Smith | Jack Rudabough | |
| 1966 | Bonanza | Jed Ferguson | Episode: "Something Hurt, Something Wild" |
| 1967 | Return of the Gunfighter | Clay Sutton | |
| 1967 | The Fastest Guitar Alive | Charlie | |
| 1969 | Impasse | Hansen | |
| 1969 | Hawaii Five-O | Joe Fletcher | Episode: "All the King's Horses" |
| 1970 | The Hawaiians | Janders | |
| 1971 | The Seven Minutes | Frank Griffith | |
| 1973 | Hawaii Five-O | Klepper | Episode: "The Sunday Torch" |
| 1975 | Hawaii Five-O | Admiral Dean | Episode: "Murder: Eyes Only" |
| 1976 | Hawaii Five-O | Karl Norton | Episode: "Let Death Do Us Part" |
| 1977 | Hawaii Five-O | Dr. Dimitri Sartain | Episode: "Tsunami" |
| 1977 | Hawaii Five-O | Jonathan Kaye | Episode: "The Silk Trap" |
| 1977 | Hawaii Five-O | Jonathan Kaye | Episode: "Head to Head" |
| 1978 | Hawaii Five-O | Malcolm Rhodes | Episode: "Invitation to Murder" |
| 1978 | Hawaii Five-O | Jonathan Kaye | Episode: "A Stranger in His Grave" |
References
- Aaker, Everett (2006). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters. McFarland & Company. pp. 49–51. ISBN 978-0-7864-6409-8.
- "Lyle Bettger". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- Gwynn, Edith (August 30, 1949). "Hollywood". Pottstown Mercury. p. 4. Retrieved January 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- Neill, Frank (September 26, 1949). "Around Hollywood". New Castle News. p. 19. Retrieved January 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Saturday Highlights". Globe Gazette. Mason City, Iowa. September 5, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved January 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1979). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. p. 137. ISBN 978-0345282484.
- Gerhard, Inez (July 22, 1948). "Star Dust". Shiner Gazette. p. 6. Retrieved January 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
