Served with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II. Then, quietly and without publicity or fanfare, compiled one of the most distinguished peacetime military careers of anyone in his profession. In 1961, as his weekly TV series Hennesey (1959) was enhancing naval recruiting efforts, accepted a commission as a line officer in the Naval Reserve with duties in recruitment, training films, and public relations. Holder of a multi-engine pilot license, he later co-piloted jet planes for the Navy, which made him an Honorary Aviator authorized to wear wings of gold-at the time only the third so honored in naval aviation history. By 1976 he had attained the rank of captain, and was in uniform aboard the carrier USS Constellation for the Bicentennial celebration on July 4. In 1980, the Navy proposed a period of active duty at the Pentagon that would have resulted in a promotion to rear admiral, bringing him even with Air Force Reserve Brigadier General James Stewart. Fresh on the heels of a second directing Emmy, he felt his absence would impact achieving a long-held goal of directing motion pictures, and reluctantly declined. (The opportunity in films never materialized.) Holds Letters of Commendation from six secretaries of the Navy. Was honorary chairman of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and a charter member of VIVA, the effort to return POW-MIAs from Vietnam. Upon retirement in 1982, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit by Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr.. Other than Stewart, no performer in his industry has achieved a higher uniformed rank in the U.S. military. (Glenn Ford was also a Naval Reserve captain, and director and Captain John Ford was awarded honorary flag rank upon his 1951 retirement from the Naval Reserve).
Movies
Superman
Perry White
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Perry White
Superman II
Perry White
Ziegfeld Girl
Jerry Regan
Superman III
Perry White
The Champ
Dink Purcell
Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins
The Return of Frank James
Clem
Gangster's Boy
Larry Kelly
Skippy
Skippy Skinner
Chosen Survivors
Raymond Couzins
Broadway to Hollywood
Ted Hackett Jr. as Child
Syncopation
Johnny Schumacher
Men of Texas
Robert Houston Scott
The Navy Comes Through
Joe 'Babe' Duttson
Surrender
Ace Morgan
White Banners
Peter Trimble
Boxing Gloves
Jackie
Pups Is Pups
Jackie
Divorce In The Family
Terry Parker
Everything's Ducky
Lt. J.S. Parmell - Psychiatrist
Peck's Bad Boy
Bill Peck
The Astronaut
Kurt Anderson
Journey into Fear
Eric Hurst
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Seventeen
William Sylvanus Baxter
Tough Guy
Frederick Martindale Vincent III
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring
Ed Miller
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Joseph "Stubby" O'Shaughnessy
Where Are Your Children?
Danny Cheston
Gallant Sons
Byron Newbold
Moan & Groan, Inc.
Jackie
Bear Facts
Bear
Boy of the Streets
Chuck Brennan
When the Wind Blows
Jackie
Dinky
Dinky Daniels
Life with Henry
Henry Aldrich
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
Newsboys' Home
Rifle Edwards
The Bowery
Swipes McGurk
Shivering Shakespeare
Jackie
The First Seven Years
Jackie
Bear Shooters
Jackie
The Day the Earth Moved
Steve Barker
The Love Machine
Danton Miller
What a Life
Henry Aldrich
The Devil Is a Sissy
'Buck' Murphy
The Christmas Party
Himself
The Spirit of Culver
Tom Allen
When a Feller Needs a Friend
Edward Haverford 'Eddie' Randall
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
Sunny Side Up
Jerry McGinnis (uncredited)
Hollywood Cavalcade
Burglar
A Tough Winter
Jackie
Love Business
Jackie Cooper
Helping Grandma
Jackie
Teacher's Pet
Jackie
School's Out
Jackie Cooper
Little Daddy
Jackie
Glamour Boy
Tiny Barlow
Rodeo Dough
Jackie Cooper
Shadow on the Land
Lt. Col. Andy Davis
French Leave
Skitch Kilroy
That Certain Age
Kenneth Warren
Bouncing Babies
Kid listening to Farina (uncredited)
Scouts to the Rescue
Bruce Scott
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
Self
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
Self
The Making of 'Superman II'
Self
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (voice)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Calhoun
Everett Calhoun
Young Donovan's Kid
Midge Murray
Kilroy Was Here
John J. Kilroy
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
Self
Sooky
Skippy
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
Her First Beau
Chuck Harris
Big John Morrison
John Morrison
Bargain Day
Jackie
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Perry White
Stork Bites Man
Ernest (Ernie) C. Brown
Streets of New York
James Michael 'Jimmy' Keenan
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
Rascal Dazzle
Jackie
The Invisible Man
Walter Carlson
No Earthly Reason
J. Nash Hawkins
Two Bright Boys
Rory O'Donnell
The Big Guy
Jimmy Hutchins
Inside the Dream Factory
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
Self
Ticket to Hollywood
Narrator
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
Self
The Our Gang Story
Jackie (archive footage)
Lone Cowboy
Scooter O'Neal
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929
Little Boy in 'That's You, Baby' Number (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Self
Sports on the Silver Screen
Self (archive footage)
Mobile Two
Peter Campbell
The Ghosts
Juanito
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 2
The Making of 'Superman III'
Self
Stand Up and Be Counted
Doctor
The Little Rascals: The Complete Collection (Centennial Edition)
Soaring Stars
Pilot
Shows
Murder, She Wrote
Carl Schulman / Neil Fletcher
The Dean Martin Comedy World
Host
The F.B.I.
Harlan Slade
Hawaii Five-O
Dr. Alexander Southmore
Police Story
The Philco Television Playhouse
Bubbo
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bob Heywood
Lux Video Theatre
Orrin Dudley
The United States Steel Hour
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest
Robert Montgomery Presents
The People's Choice
Socrates 'Sock' Miller
Danger
Medallion Theatre
It Was a Very Good Year
The Motorola Television Hour
St. Elsewhere
The Dick Powell Show
Judd Rogers
Texaco Star Theater
Columbo
Nelson Hayward
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
The Great Adventure
Lt. Dickson
Kojak
Frank Mulvaney
Studio One
General Electric Theater
Jeremy Bates
Ironside
To Tell the Truth
Hec Ramsey
The Twilight Zone
Jonathan West / Caesar (voice)
Cowboy G-Men
Mobile One
Hennesey
McCloud
Your Show of Shows
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
Producers' Showcase
Tales of Tomorrow
Suspense
Williams
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
Telephone Time
Pursuit
Revlon Mirror Theatre
The Clock
Mantrap
Starlight Theatre
The Elgin Hour
Justice
The Gertrude Berg Show
The Rockford Files
Capt. Highland
The Rockford Files
Garth McGregor
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest
Ghost Story
Dumpy Doyle
MGM Parade
Dink in 'The Champ' (archive footage)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bill Harlow / Joe Toyah
Lux Video Theatre
Dave Carter
The Dick Powell Show
John Reardon
The Dick Powell Show
Self - Host
Robert Montgomery Presents
Peter Graves
Robert Montgomery Presents
Pvt. Oscar Purkey
Robert Montgomery Presents
Milton 'Mezz' Mezzrow
Robert Montgomery Presents
Maurice Gaines
Robert Montgomery Presents
Willy Benton
Studio One
Blackie Scantling
Studio One
Dave Tuttle
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer
Suspense
Murderer
Suspense
Dan Crowley
The George Gobel Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self