Steve London

Steve London (March 9, 1929 – June 14, 2014)[1][2] was an American television and film actor and attorney, best known for his role as Federal Agent Jack Rossman on the ABC/Desilu Television series, The Untouchables from 1959–1963, which starred Robert Stack as Eliot Ness.

Early years

Born Walter Lee Gragg in St Louis, Missouri, he entered the United States Naval Academy in the summer of 1948 and played football there.[3] In 1951, he was selected as a tackle on the 24-member East team in the 27th East–West Shrine Game.[4]

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force, specializing in electronics. After leaving the Air Force, he worked as an engineer for Hughes Aircraft and owned a rug-cleaning business.[3]

Career

London was active in stock theater in southern California.[5]

He was a veteran of numerous Hollywood film and television roles, including parts on Daniel Boone, M Squad, Sky King, Lock Up, The Loretta Young Show, Sugarfoot, Mission Impossible, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Branded, and Mackenzie's Raiders. Film roles included Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (film), I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958), Zero Hour! (1957), The Gun of Zangara, and Alcatraz Express, the later two being two-part episodes of The Untouchables that were re-edited into feature films for international distribution.[6][7]

In The Untouchables, Rossman was the wiretap specialist. In one episode, he was described by series narrator Walter Winchell as "Agent Jack Rossman -- former telephone company lineman, wiretap expert, and a locksmith so talented that "Rossman could open everything but the Pearly Gates."[8] In the series, Rossman's weapon of choice was the 12 gauge pump-action shotgun, which he used to deadly effect. London appeared in 65 episodes of The Untouchables as Rossman.

Several years after the cancellation of The Untouchables, London appeared in a special episode of The Lucy Show entitled "Lucy The Gun Moll", an Untouchables reunion of sorts, where he reprised his role as sidekick to Robert Stack.[9][10] Actor Bruce Gordon who played Frank Nitti in the series, also appeared in this episode, and The Untouchables narrator Walter Winchell served as narrator for this episode.[11]

After 1966, his acting career waned, so he left Hollywood, finished law school, and began practicing law[3] under his birth name. Many years later, London returned to acting, where he played roles in the Cartoon Network television series Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, (2007), and the film Brothers War (2009).

Personal life

On October 7, 1953, London married actress Sandra Gregg, and they had two children. They were divorced on October 28, 1957.[12]

In 1982, he married his second wife Judith,[3] and they resided in Pasadena, California, until his death on June 14, 2014 at the age of 83.[9]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1957Zero Hour!First Officer Walt Stewart
1958I Married a Monster from Outer SpaceCharles Mason
1966Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-RoundAirline ClerkUncredited
2009Brothers at WarOld Klaus(final film role)

References
  1. Lentz, Harris M. III (2015). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2014. McFarland. p. 215. ISBN 9780786476664. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. "Walter Gragg Obituary - Valley Funeral Home - Burbank CA".
  3. Sagerholm, James (2015). As We Recall: Reminiscences of the Naval Academy Class of 1952. Naval Institute Press. pp. 11–13. ISBN 9781612518930. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  4. "S. M. U. Gridder On West Squad". Des Moines Tribune. Iowa, Des Moines. Associated Press. 5 December 1951. p. 22. Retrieved December 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Supporting Role Assigned". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. 13 June 1957. p. 16. Retrieved December 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Steve London Filmography and Movies".
  7. "Steve London @ARTISTdirect".
  8. TV.com. "Steve London".
  9. "Steve London".
  10. "YouTube".
  11. "YouTube".
  12. "Actress Charges Mate Had Violent Temper". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. October 19, 1957. p. 2. Retrieved December 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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