Name: Simon Oakland
Date of Birth: 28 August 1915 In the early 1980s, he narrated television commercials for Federal Express and The Journal Newspapers (Washington, D.C., area). Until the 1940s, he was a concert violinist. Through his career, he performed on Broadway. He made his film debut as the "tough, but compassionate" journalist who speaks up for Susan Hayward's Barbara Graham in I Want to Live! (1958). He would wind up playing this type often over the course of his career. He went on to play a long series of tough guy types, usually on the right side of the law (or in positions of authority), most notably in Psycho (1960), West Side Story (1961) and as Antonio Vincenzo (Kolchak's boss) in the sci-fi TV series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (1974). A gifted actor, he often accepted roles that were inferior to his acting ability and often played on type rather than talent. He was highly respected by his co-workers as an actor; he died of cancer, one day after his 68th birthday. ... A frequent traveler by air between New York and California. Maintained dual residences in both New York and Hollywood so that he could maintain his career in both theater and movies. Read more Simon Oakland movies (actor)User Comments |
