Harold Gould facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harold Gould
Gould in 2010
Born	Harold Vernon Goldstein (1923-12-10)December 10, 1923 Schenectady, New York, U.S.
Died	September 11, 2010(2010-09-11) (aged 86) Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1961–2010
Spouse(s)	Lea (Shampanier) Vernon ​ (m. 1950)​
Children	3
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War II

Harold Gould (born Harold Vernon Goldstein; December 10, 1923 – September 11, 2010) was a famous American actor. He was known for playing kind, well-dressed, and often grandfather-like characters. Harold Gould appeared in over 300 TV shows, 20 major movies, and more than 100 stage plays. He was nominated for an Emmy Award five times.

He is best remembered for his roles as Martin Morgenstern on the TV show Rhoda (1974–78) and Miles Webber on The Golden Girls (1989–92). His acting career lasted for almost 50 years.

Harold Gould's Early Life and Education

Harold Gould was born into a Jewish family in Schenectady, New York. His father, Louis Goldstein, worked for the postal service. His mother, Lillian, was a homemaker who also worked part-time for the state health department. Harold grew up in Colonie, New York. He was the top student in his high school class.

After high school, he went to Albany Teachers College (now University at Albany, SUNY). He planned to become a social studies or English teacher.

Serving in World War II

After two years of college, Harold joined the United States Army during World War II. He fought in France with a special mortar unit. He got a foot problem and was sent to England to get better. After recovering, he served in a train transport unit in France.

Returning to College and Starting Acting

After the war, Harold went back to Albany Teachers College. He decided to study drama and earned his bachelor's degree in 1947. He performed in plays during the summer on Cape Cod. This made him want to study acting more.

He then went to Cornell University to study drama and speech. He earned his master's degree in 1948 and his doctorate in theater in 1953. While at Cornell, he met his future wife, Lea Vernon.

Harold Gould's Acting Career

After finishing college, Harold Gould taught drama at Randolph College in Virginia for three years. He also performed in plays there. His first professional play was in 1955, where he played Thomas Jefferson in The Common Glory.

In 1956, he became a professor in the drama department at the University of California, Riverside. He taught there until 1960, when he decided to become a full-time actor. It was hard to find acting jobs at first. He worked as a security guard and a part-time acting teacher at UCLA.

Early Film and TV Roles

Harold Gould's first movie role was a small, uncredited part in Two for the Seesaw (1962). His first credited role was in The Coach (1962). That same year, he appeared on the TV western The Virginian. He also had small roles in famous films like Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie (1964). He slowly started getting more credited roles in movies like The Yellow Canary (1964) and Harper (1966) with Paul Newman.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Harold Gould appeared on many popular TV shows. These included Dennis the Menace, The Twilight Zone, Get Smart, Hogan's Heroes, and Mission: Impossible. He also played a memorable villain named Honore Vashon on Hawaii Five-O.

The Happy Days Story

Harold Gould was first chosen to play Marlo Thomas's father in the 1965 pilot for That Girl. Later, he was also cast as Howard Cunningham in a 1972 episode of Love, American Style. This episode later became the TV series Happy Days.

Harold agreed to play Howard Cunningham in Happy Days. However, the show's start was delayed, and he went to perform in a play. When Happy Days was ready to film, he chose to finish his commitment to the play. This led to another actor, Tom Bosley, taking the role. Harold also mentioned that he didn't want to shave his beard for the role.

Breakthrough Roles and Later Career

Harold Gould's career really took off after he played Kid Twist in The Sting (1973). This movie won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He also appeared in the Woody Allen film Love and Death (1975). He played the bad guy "Engulf" in Silent Movie (1976), directed by Mel Brooks. He also made guest appearances on shows like The Love Boat and Soap.

Gould as Martin Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1973.

In 1972, Harold Gould was cast as Martin Morgenstern, the father of Rhoda, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He became a regular cast member when Rhoda became a spin-off show in 1974. He also starred in the short-lived series The Feather and Father Gang (1977) with Stefanie Powers.

Harold Gould received Emmy nominations for his roles in Rhoda, Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry, and Moviola. He played Miles Webber, the kind boyfriend of Rose Nylund (Betty White), on the popular NBC series The Golden Girls. He appeared in 12 episodes and also played another of Rose's boyfriends earlier in the show. He returned as Miles in the spin-off show The Golden Palace.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Harold Gould continued to act in films and TV shows. His film roles included Stuart Little, Patch Adams, The Master of Disguise, and the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday. He also made guest appearances on TV series like Felicity, The King of Queens, and Touched by an Angel.

Stage Work

Harold Gould also had a successful career in theater. He performed in many Broadway theatre plays, including Grown Ups by Jules Feiffer and Fools by Neil Simon. He won an Obie Award in 1969 for his work in The Increased Difficulty of Concentration. He was a longtime member of Theatre West, an acting company in Los Angeles.

Harold Gould's Death

Harold Gould passed away on September 11, 2010, from prostate cancer. He was married to Lea for 60 years. They had two sons, Joshua and Lowell, and a daughter, Deborah.

Filmography

Films

Television

Theatre

• The House of Blue Leaves (1970) - Artie Shaughnessy - Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, NY
• The Skin of Our Teeth (1983) - Mr. Antrobus - Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA
• The Substance of Fire (1996) - Isaac Geldhart - Old Globe Theater, San Diego, CA
• Visiting Mr. Green (1999) - Mr. Green - Pasadena Playhouse
• Old Wicked Songs (2002) - Professor Josef Mashkan - Rubicon Theatre Company
• Tuesdays With Morrie (2005) - Morrie Schwartz - Rubicon Theatre Company

Images for kids

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  Harold Gould in 2010

See also

In Spanish: Harold Gould para niños