Henry Beckman (26 November 1921 – 17 June 2008) was a Canadian stage, film and television actor. He appeared in well over 100 productions in the United States and Canada, including recurring roles as Commander Paul Richards in the 1954 Flash Gordon space opera television series, Bob Mulligan in the ABC sitcom I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, George Anderson in the television adaptation of Peyton Place, Captain Clancey in the Western comedy-drama Here Come the Brides, and conniving United States Army Colonel Douglas Harrigan in McHale's Navy and Colonel Platt in the movie McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force. He made four guest appearances on the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason, including the role of David the murderer in the 1960 episode "The Case of the Flighty Father." In 1966, he guest-starred in an episode of the espionage drama series Blue Light. He appeared in numerous popular TV shows, among them: The Twilight Zone, Columbo, Barney Miller, Gunsmoke, Happy Days, and the The Rockford Files, and made four appearances on Quincy, M.E.. In the 1980s he played the security guard Alf on the Don Adams sitcom Check It Out!, and was also a non-celebrity contestant on the TV game show Scrabble. He continued to act through his late seventies on shows like The Commish and MacGyver, and he also had a recurring role in The X-Files for several seasons.Beckman won two Canadian Etrog Awards (now known as the Genie Award), for Best Supporting Actor, one of them in 1978 for Blood and Guts.With his first wife and fellow actor Cheryl Maxwell, Beckman founded the Dukes Oak Theater in Cooperstown, New York, and served as the theater company's producer.He served with the Canadian Military during World War II, and survived the D-Day Landings at Juno Beach, Normandy, on 6 June 1944.Beckman was the author of How to Sell your Film Project, a how-to guide on getting independent films produced, and Hollywood With its Pants Down, a witty look at some of actors he worked with over the years.He is the father of respected astrophysicist and software engineer Dr. Brian Beckman, who, after a lengthy career at Microsoft is currentlyTemplate:When? developing Drone Delivery for Amazon; as well as several online projects.He died in Barcelona, Spain on 17 June 2008 with his second wife Hillary at his side.
He is retired from movies and lives in Honolulu, Hawaii [August 2007]
2
Won two "Genie" awards for acting, the Canadian equivalent of the "Oscar" trophy.
3
While filming the TV series Here Come the Brides (1968), he grew attracted to the Seattle wilderness where much of the filming occurred. He and his family eventually moved to Deming, Washington, where they enjoyed country living.
4
Had a strong talent for languages and accents and played a number of ethnic heavies as a result.
5
A scriptwriter and author on the side, he was also a member of the Writer's Guild of Canada and the Screen Writers Guild of America. His last script was entitled "Hide and Go Kill".
6
He became Sir Henry Beckman when he was invested as a member of the "Knights of Malta," The Order of Saint John of Jersualem of the Americas and Euope, a centuries-old military order. His two sons were also admitted.
7
Joined the Canadian military service by changing his birth date, before he was 18, and served from 1939-1945. He survived the landings at Normandy.
8
Lived in warmer climates in later years, including Hawaii and then Mallorca and Barcelona. He died of heart failure with step-granddaughter Hillary Beckman by his side.
9
In 1977, Henry and Cheryl were awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal for "contributions to Canadian culture and the esteem in which they were held by their peers".
10
Following their 1955 marriage, Henry and Cheryl eventually purchased The Dukes Oak Theatre in Cooperstown, New York. Two years after that, they sold the theatre and moved to California where he pursued an on-camera career.
11
Wife Cheryl was a one-time actress and Broadway producer.
12
Veteran character actor who had a long career on film and (especially) TV since the early 1950s.
13
He wrote and published a book about how to make an independent film.
14
He and his late wife, Cheryl Maxwell, who died on October 20, 1998, had two sons, Brian Beckman and Stuart Beckman.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Insight
1964-1969
TV Series
Ward / Brown / Manny / ...
Adam-12
1969
TV Series
Charles Levering
Sweet Charity
1969
Policeman (uncredited)
The Outsider
1969
TV Series
Sheriff Damon
The Stalking Moon
1968
Sgt. Rudabaugh
I Dream of Jeannie
1968
TV Series
Policeman
Madigan
1968
Philip Downes
Run for Your Life
1965-1968
TV Series
Narrator / Hank Kellogg / Lt. Flaherty / ...
The Monkees
1967-1968
TV Series
Manager / D. A.
Bewitched
1967-1968
TV Series
Bill Walters / Arch Wilkerson
Iron Horse
1967
TV Series
Dr. Thompson
Custer
1967
TV Series
Claude Ostler
Garrison's Gorillas
1967
TV Series
Gunther Berger
The Virginian
1967
TV Series
Corey
The Andy Griffith Show
1967
TV Series
Mr. Gilbert, the Prosecutor
The Second Hundred Years
1967
TV Series
Ralph Wilson
The Flying Nun
1967
TV Series
Major Overland
The Caper of the Golden Bulls
1967
Bendell
Death Valley Days
1964-1967
TV Series
Howard Franklin / Michael Tarpey / Michael Parpey
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1967
TV Series
Lt. Schaeffer
Rango
1967
TV Series
Tarzan
1967
TV Series
Michael O'Brian
The Wild Wild West
1965-1967
TV Series
Paul J. Lambert / Governor Bradford
Run Buddy Run
1966
TV Series
Jake
Perry Mason
1960-1966
TV Series
William March / Albert King / Sidney L. Garth / ...
McHale's Navy
1965-1966
TV Series
Colonel Harrigan
Col. Douglas Harrigan
Col. Harrigan
Blue Light
1966
TV Series
Schreiber
Ben Casey
1962-1966
TV Series
Curt Bowers
The Munsters
1965
TV Series
Ralph, the Husband / 'Leadfoot' Baylor
Honey West
1965
TV Series
Fred Cody
McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force
1965
Col. Platt
The Glory Guys
1965
Salesman
Peyton Place
1964-1965
TV Series
George Anderson
The Satan Bug
1965
Dr. Baxter
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1965
TV Series
Dr. George Tower
Combat!
1965
TV Series
Major Mueller
The Jack Benny Program
1964-1965
TV Series
Commercial Man / Joe - Butcher
Kiss Me, Stupid
1964
Truck Driver
My Living Doll
1964
TV Series
Dr. Carl Miller
The Fugitive
1963-1964
TV Series
Keller / Brown / Airplane Passenger
The Third Man
1964
TV Series
Steve Garson
A House Is Not a Home
1964
Croupier (uncredited)
Marnie
1964
First Detective
The Lieutenant
1963-1964
TV Series
Major Al Barker / Maj. Adam Butler
The Greatest Show on Earth
1964
TV Series
Spike Samson
Dead Ringer
1964
Prosecutor (uncredited)
My Favorite Martian
1963-1964
TV Series
Ass't D.A. Ronald Bradley / Lt. Harland
The Great Adventure
1964
TV Series
The Danny Kaye Show
1963
TV Series
Mr. Gilmore
Twilight of Honor
1963
Man Stirring Up Crowd (uncredited)
Arrest and Trial
1963
TV Series
Trella
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
1962-1963
TV Series
Mulligan
The Man from the Diners' Club
1963
Policeman (uncredited)
The Twilight Zone
1960-1963
TV Series
Townsperson / Policeman
Dr. Kildare
1961-1962
TV Series
Sam Allen / Security Officer
The Eleventh Hour
1962
TV Series
Mills
Have Gun - Will Travel
1962
TV Series
Les Horgan
Saints and Sinners
1962
TV Series
Mike
Sam Benedict
1962
TV Series
Gerald Spanglor
Route 66
1961-1962
TV Series
Wasson / Nightclub Romeo / Cooper
The New Breed
1962
TV Series
Sergeant Rayless
Target: The Corruptors
1961-1962
TV Series
Gil Dayton
Father of the Bride
1962
TV Series
Police Sergeant
Laramie
1962
TV Series
Bartender
Hennesey
1962
TV Series
Manager
Hazel
1962
TV Series
Pitchman
13 West Street
1962
Joe Bradford
Dennis the Menace
1960-1961
TV Series
Clerk / Mr. Fleming
Follow the Sun
1961
TV Series
Lt. Langley
Breakfast at Tiffany's
1961
Narcotics Detective Cronberger (uncredited)
Cain's Hundred
1961
TV Series
Sgt. Kaline
The Law and Mr. Jones
1961
TV Series
J.A. Wethering, D.A.
The Asphalt Jungle
1961
TV Series
Dunn
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1960-1961
TV Series
Officer / Policeman
Hong Kong
1960
TV Series
Brody
Two Faces West
1960
TV Series
Duvall
The Donna Reed Show
1960
TV Series
Hal
Mr. Lucky
1960
TV Series
Huey
The Bramble Bush
1960
Bill Watts (uncredited)
Black Saddle
1960
TV Series
Richard Talbot
The Ann Sothern Show
1960
TV Series
Chairman
Peter Gunn
1959
TV Series
Jules Burnett
Police Station
1959
TV Series
Detective Stan Abramson
The Phil Silvers Show
1959
TV Series
Mexican Girl's Husband
Naked City
1959
TV Series
Priest
Armstrong Circle Theatre
1958
TV Series
Lt. Rush
Decoy
1957
TV Series
Frank Bandiner
Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion
1955-1957
TV Series
Louis / Private Miller
So Lovely... So Deadly
1957
Steve Clark
The Wrong Man
1956
Prisoner at Arraignment Hearing (uncredited)
I Spy
1956
TV Series
The Roy Rogers Show
1955
TV Series
Tinker
Flash Gordon
1954-1955
TV Series
Cmdr. Paul Richards
Commander Richards
Commander Paul Richards
Studio One in Hollywood
1953
TV Series
Harry
The Glory Brigade
1953
Soldier (uncredited)
Niagara
1953
Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Suspense
1952
TV Series
Aide
The Web
1952
TV Series
The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
1951
TV Series
Johnson County War
2002
TV Movie
Governor Barb
The Chris Isaak Show
2001
TV Series
Old Janitor
Cold Squad
2001
TV Series
Old Man Douglas
Lion of Oz
2000
Narrator (voice)
Epicenter
2000
Pat
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
1999-2000
TV Series
Judge
The Sentinel
1999
TV Series
Sam Bramley
My Husband's Secret Life
1998
TV Movie
Christy Sullivan
The X-Files
1993-1998
TV Series
Detective Frank Briggs / Old Man
Poltergeist: The Legacy
1997
TV Series
Sergeant
Shadow of a Doubt
1995
TV Movie
Judge Mulhern
Jack Reed: One of Our Own
1995
TV Movie
James Quinn
The Marshal
1995
TV Series
The Outer Limits
1995
TV Series
Brad Hoffman
While Justice Sleeps
1994
TV Movie
Ned Stokes
The Man Upstairs
1992
TV Movie
Sheriff
The Commish
1992
TV Series
Dr. Kranz
The Ray Bradbury Theater
1992
TV Series
Mr. Merriwell Blythe
Street Justice
1992
TV Series
Pine's Father
The Last P.O.W.? The Bobby Garwood Story
1992
TV Movie
Psychiatrist
Blood River
1991
TV Movie
Sheriff Peabody
Street Legal
1988-1991
TV Series
Lou Staples / Saul Gold
The Beachcombers
1990
TV Series
Blackie Bowman
MacGyver
1990
TV Series
Judge
I Love You to Death
1990
Wendel Carter
Stuck with Each Other
1989
TV Movie
Mr. Klopperman
Booker
1989
TV Series
Judge Alvarez
Family Reunion
1988
Leo
War and Remembrance
1988
TV Mini-Series
Maj. Gen. McIntyre
Werewolf
1987-1988
TV Series
Doc / Gun Salesman
Throb
1987
TV Series
Marty
St. Elsewhere
1987
TV Series
Simon & Simon
1987
TV Series
Mr. Brennan
Every Dog's Guide to Complete Home Safety
1987
Short
Boss (voice)
Check It Out
1985-1986
TV Series
Alf Scully
Fame
1985
TV Series
William Rosenkrantz
Kane & Abel
1985
TV Mini-Series
Glen Ricardo
Partners in Crime
1984
TV Series
The General
Jessie
1984
TV Series
Matt Houston
1984
TV Series
Talbot
Seeing Things
1984
TV Series
Harper
Trapper John, M.D.
1983
TV Series
Floyd Yaeger
Quincy M.E.
1977-1983
TV Series
Sgt. Wendorf / Max / Sheriff Tom Brady / ...
The Lost Satellite
1983
TV Series
Various
Death Hunt
1981
Bill Luce
The Littlest Hobo
1980
TV Series
Priest
Matt and Jenny
1980
TV Series
Harry Alfred Teasdale
The Rockford Files
1980
TV Series
Sheriff Neal
Welcome Back, Kotter
1979
TV Series
Samson Malone
The Brood
1979
Barton Kelly
The Great Detective
1979
TV Series
Pete Stevens
Blood & Guts
1978
Red Henkel
Fantasy Island
1978
TV Series
Mr. Weaver
Happy Days
1977
TV Series
Professor Garrity
King of Kensington
1977
TV Series
Teddy Bear
The Fighting Men
1977
TV Movie
Coxswain
McMillan & Wife
1977
TV Series
Harry Court
Silver Streak
1976
Conventioneer
Bronk
1975-1976
TV Series
Harry Mark
The Canary
1975
TV Movie
Lou
The Family Holvak
1975
TV Series
Skinner
The Lost Saucer
1975
TV Series
Commander Stickler
The Six Million Dollar Man
1975
TV Series
Robert Meyer
Barney Miller
1974-1975
TV Series
Lyman Cooper / Uncle Charlie Ryan
Who Is the Black Dahlia?
1975
TV Movie
Traveling Salesman
Police Story
1973-1975
TV Series
Captain Calvelli / Garbash
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
1975
TV Series
Senator Stephens
Ironside
1967-1974
TV Series
Ralph 'The Angel' Drexell / Clark Andrews / Durand / ...
Cannon
1974
TV Series
Billy Burrows
Barnaby Jones
1974
TV Series
Capt. Mike
Marcus Welby, M.D.
1974
TV Series
Danny's Manager
Gunsmoke
1962-1974
TV Series
Dr. Rhodes / Thaddius McKay / Uncle Sunday / ...
Why Rock the Boat?
1974
Philip Butcher
Devil Times Five
1974
Dr. Brown
Indict and Convict
1974
TV Movie
Mav Theisen
Tenafly
1974
TV Series
Reverend Matthews
Hec Ramsey
1973
TV Series
Pipe Yard Owner
The Starlost
1973
TV Series
William
Shaft
1973
TV Series
Stanley Hollister
Here's Lucy
1973
TV Series
Truck Driver
Between Friends
1973
Will
Brock's Last Case
1973
TV Movie
Jake Hinkley
The Merry Wives of Tobias Rouke
1972
Tobias Rouke
Mannix
1967-1972
TV Series
Sheriff Simkins / Leonard Duncan
Columbo
1972
TV Series
Man at Murder Scene
Me and the Chimp
1972
TV Series
Mr. Pitts
The Sixth Sense
1972
TV Series
Mr. Bennington
Funny Face
1971
TV Series
Pat / Pat Harwell
Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law
1971
TV Series
Mr. Harlen
The Harness
1971
TV Movie
Doc Marn
Nichols
1971
TV Series
Murphy
Love, American Style
1971
TV Series
Jack (segment "Love and the Guilty Conscience")
Police Surgeon
1971
TV Series
Bonanza
1968-1971
TV Series
Doctor Phelps / Charlie Matson
Night Gallery
1971
TV Series
The Policeman (segment "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar")
The Immortal
1970
TV Series
Dr. Andrew Kinneson
The Interns
1970
TV Series
Miller
Nancy
1970
TV Series
Marcus
Here Come the Brides
1968-1970
TV Series
Capt. Roland Francis Clancey / Capt. Roland Frances Clancey