John Richard Erdman (June 1, 1925 – March 16, 2019) was an American character actor and occasional film and television director. He appeared in more than 160 films and television productions between 1944 and 2017, mostly in supporting roles. He is most known for his roles in the classic films Stalag 17 (1953) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970). In his final years, Erdman found renewed fame through his portrayal of Leonard Rodriguez in the comedy series Community (2009–2015).
Early life John Richard Erdman was born on June 1, 1925, in Enid, Oklahoma, and grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His father abandoned the family when he was a child. During his youth, he worked as a paper boy for the Colorado Springs Evening Telegraph. A stage director named Newton Winburne encouraged him to try his luck in Hollywood.
Career Two of Erdman's first roles were in the films Mr. Skeffington, starring Bette Davis and Claude Rains and Janie, starring Joyce Reynolds. After a few smaller roles he achieved success as a character actor in supporting roles. In a career that spanned seven decades, his best-known roles are that of the barracks chief Hoffy in Stalag 17, and the garrulous, tedious barfly McNulty in the Twilight Zone episode "A Kind of a Stopwatch". He also appeared in The Men (1950) with Marlon Brando and the film noir Cry Danger (1951) with Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming. In Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) he played Colonel Edward F. French, the officer who responded to the failure to transmit the warning to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In the CBS TV series Perry Mason he played murder victim Arthur Binney in the 1958 episode "The Case of the Gilded Lily". He later played the role of murderer three times in "The Case of the Absent Artist" (1962), "The Case of the Antic Angel" (1964), and "The Case of the Vanishing Victim" (1966).
He guest-starred in a wide variety of shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents; The Dick Van Dyke Show; Mayberry R.F.D.; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; I Dream of Jeannie; The Beverly Hillbillies; Here's Lucy; That Girl; The Six Million Dollar Man; The Bionic Woman; One Day at a Time; Lou Grant; Quincy, M.E.; Cheers; and Murder, She Wrote.
He was also known as a voice artist, contributing to the animated shows, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, The Amazing Spider-Man, Jonny Quest, DuckTales, Snorks, Paddington Bear, and Batman: The Animated Series.
He directed the 1971 TV film Mooch Goes to Hollywood. From 2009 to 2015, Erdman had a recurring role as the antagonistic and elderly community college student Leonard on Community. His last role was in 2017 in the sitcom Dr. Ken.
Personal life Erdman married actress Leza Holland in 1948, but they divorced two years later. He was married to his second wife, Sharon Randall, from 1953 until her death in 2016. They had one daughter, Erica, who was born in 1954 and died on February 18, 2010, of an accidental overdose of prescription medicine.
Death Erdman died on March 16, 2019, aged 93, in an assisted-living facility in Los Angeles, California. He had been suffering "from age-related dementia" and had recently had a fall.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1944 Mr. Skeffington Western Union Boy uncredited1944 Janie Scooper Nolan 1944 Musical Movieland Sailor with Tour uncredited1944 The Very Thought of You Soda Jerk 1944 Hollywood Canteen Soldier on Deck uncredited1945 Objective, Burma! Private Nebraska Hooper 1945 The Horn Blows at Midnight Joe Smith scenes deleted1945 Star in the Night Cowboy 1945 Danger Signal Bunkie Taylor 1945 Too Young to Know Tommy 1946 Janie Gets Married Lieutenant 'Scooper' Nolan 1946 Night and Day Music Store Customer uncredited1946 Shadow of a Woman Joe 1946 So You Want to Play the Horses Eddie uncredited1946 Deception Jerry Spencer uncredited1946 Nobody Lives Forever Bellboy, The Marwood Arms 1947 That Way with Women Eddie 1947 Wild Harvest Mark Lewis 1948 The Time of Your Life Willie (the pinball machine maniac) 1949 Easy Living Buddy Morgan 1950 Swiss Tour Eddy 1950 The Men Leo 1950 The Admiral Was a Lady Oliver 'Ollie' Bonelli 1951 Cry Danger Delong 1951 You're in the Navy Now Ensign Chuck Dorrance 1951 The Stooge Ben Bailey 1951 The Wild Blue Yonder Corporal Frenchy 1952 Aladdin and His Lamp Mirza 1952 The San Francisco Story Shorty 1952 Jumping Jacks Private Dogface Dolan 1952 The Happy Time Alfred Grattin 1953 The Blue Gardenia Al 1953 Stalag 17 Sergeant 'Hoffy' Hoffman 1953 Mission Over Korea Private Swenson 1953 The Steel Lady Jim Evans 1955 Francis in the Navy Murph 1955 Bengazi Selby 1956 Anything Goes Ed Brent 1956 The Power and the Prize Lester Everett 1958 The Rawhide Trail Rupe Pardee 1958 Saddle the Wind Dallas Hanson 1959 Face of Fire Al Williams 1961 Marines, Let's Go Military Policeman uncredited1964 The Brass Bottle Seymour Jenks 1966 Namu, the Killer Whale Deke 1969 Rascal Walt Dabbett 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Colonel Edward F. French 1973 The Brothers O'Toole Judge Quincey P. Trumbell Also directed the film1974 Mr. Majestyk Dick Richard uncredited1982 Heidi's Song Herr Sessman voice1984 Trancers Drunken Wise Man 1985 Tomboy Chester 1986 Stewardess School Attorney 1987 Beverly Hills Car Park Waiter 1994 The Pagemaster Pirate voice1999 The Learning Curve Ralph 2008 Empire State Building Murders Eddie Walker 2010 The Bag John Harper
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1952 Rebound Mason Episode: The Girl1953 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Various Roles 3 episodes1953–55 Where's Raymond? Pete Morrisey 35 episodes1955 Cavalcade of America Harry Jordan Episode: The Gift of Dr. Minot 1955 Medic Dick Hopper Episode: Glass of Fear1955 Schlitz Playhouse Eddie McGuire Episode: The Last Out1955–57 NBC Matinee Theater Performer 3 episodes 1955 Science Fiction Theatre Seth Turner Episode: Are We Invaded?1956 The Ford Theatre Pepper Episode: Double Trouble1956 Star Stage Performer Episode: Career 1956 Crossroads Performer Episode: Man on the Totem Pole1957 West Point Captain Don Prickette Episode: Jet Flight 1958–66 Perry Mason Various Roles 6 episodes 1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Charlie Brown Season 4 Episode 4: "The Crooked Road" 1959 The Swamp Fox Sergeant Jasper 2 episodes1959 The David Niven Show Bobo Episode: Life Line1960 The Danny Thomas Show Joe Forbes Episode: Danny, The Handyman 1960 Alcoa Theatre Matt Brent Episode: Forced Landing1960–61 The Tab Hunter Show Richard Fairfield III 32 episodes1962 Mister Ed Ralph Episode: Unemployment Show1962–63 Saints and Sinners Klugie 18 episodes1963 The Twilight Zone McNulty Episode: A Kind of a Stopwatch1964 Perry Mason Harry Niles The Case of the Antic Angel1965 The Dick Van Dyke Show Buck Brown Episode: Baby Fat 1966 Green Acres Dillwell Pinkley Episode: A Home Isn't Build for a Day1967 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. P.T. Barkley Episode: The Suburbia Affair1967 Gomer Pyle USMC Sergeant Gilroy Episode: Go Blow Your Horn1968 Premiere Murphy Episode: Out of the Blue1968 Hogan's Heroes Walter Hobson Episode: No Names Please1969 I Dream of Jeannie Store Manager Episode: Ride 'Em Astronaut 1969 The Wild Wild West Mordecai Krone Episode: The Night of the Bleak Island1970 The Beverly Hillbillies Whitehouse Guard Episode: The Clampetts in Washington1970 Nancy Pruitt Episode: Going, Going, Going1970 Here's Lucy Supermarket Clerk Episode: Lucy Loses Here Cool1971 That Girl Milton Episode: The Russians Are Staying 1975 Police Story Detective Eddie Samuels Episode: The Witness 1975 Kate McShane Frederick De Fernando Episode: Kate McShane1975–76 The Six Million Dollar Man Vernon/Slayton 2 episodes1977 The Bionic Woman Terrence Quinn Episode: Over the Hill Spy1978 Alice Gene Crowley Episode: The Reporter 1978–82 Lou Grant Various Roles 4 episodes1979 Time Express Horace Hilling Episode: Rodep/Cop1979 Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Additional Voices Television Series 1979 The Amazing Spider-Man Mr. Zeider 2 episodes1980 One Day at a Time Charlie Episode: The Amarillo Connection1981 Space Stars Additional Voices 11 episodes1982 Quincy, M.E. Miles' Attorney Episode: Expert in Murder1983 The Dukes Additional voices 20 episodes1986 Jonny Quest Additional Voices Television Series 1986 Cheers Duncan Fitzgerald Episode: Money Dearest1986 Pound Puppies Angry Neighbor Episode: The Fairy Dogmother 1987 She's the Sheriff Performer Episode: A Little Romance 1987 DuckTales Mayor Rufus B. Pinfeathers King Arty (voice) 2 episodes1987 Popeye and Son Additional Voices 13 episodes1987 It's a Living Ernie Episode: A Pen Pal for Your Thoughts1988 Jessie Dr. Adams Television Movie 1988 The New Yogi Bear Show Additional Voices 4 episodes1988 Snorks Additional Voices 3 episodes1984–89 Murder, She Wrote Jonathan / Eggman 2 episodes1988–89 Fantastic Max Additional Voices 3 episodes 1989 The Further Adventures of SuperTed Additional Voices 13 episodes1989–90 Paddington Bear Additional Voices 2 episodes1990 Wings Howard Banks Episode: Around the World in 80 Days1990 Timeless Tales from Hallmark voice Episode: The Emperor's New Clothes 1990 Out of This World Judge Episode: Forget Your Troubles 1991 The New Adam-12 Man with Dementia Episode: Dementia 1991–93 The Pirates of Dark Water Additional Voices 9 episodes1993 Batman: The Animated Series Elliot Episode: See No Evil1994 Picket Fences Justice Stevens Episode: May it Please the Court1995 Hudson Street Judge Broadnax Episode: Contempt 1995 Capitol Critters Voice Episode: The Bug House1997 Beverly Hills, 90210 Mr. Perl Episode: Pride and Prejudice 2000 Felicity Howie Episode: A Good Egg2002 Boomtown Kevin's Dad Episode: Reelin' in the Years2002 Judging Amy Mr. Callahan Episode: Cause for Alarm 2002 The Bernie Mac Show Frank Episode: The Sweet Life 2004 Joan of Arcadia Mr. Hanson Episode: No Bad Guy 2006 Viagra Falls Pete Television Movie 2008 Empire State Building Murders Eddie Walker Television Movie2009 Operating Instructions Henry Television Movie2009–15 Community Leonard Rodriguez/Briggs 53 episodes2015 Weird Loners Carl's Grandfather Episode: Weird Knight2017 Dr. Ken Richard Erdman Episode: Ken's Big Audition
As a director YearTitleNotes Ref.1966 The Dick Van Dyke Show 2 episodes 1971 Teenage Tease Feature Film 1971 Mooch Goes to Hollywood Television Film 1973 The Brothers O'Toole Feature Film
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