Steve Franken facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Franken
Steve Franken in a 1970 TV show pilot
Born	Stephen Robert Franken (1932-05-27)May 27, 1932 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	August 24, 2012(2012-08-24) (aged 80) Canoga Park, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1958–2012
Spouse(s)	Julia E. Carter ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1986)​ Jean Garrett ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	3

Stephen Robert Franken (born May 27, 1932 – died August 24, 2012) was an American actor. He worked in movies and television for more than 50 years.

About Steve Franken's Acting Career

Steve Franken was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a press agent in Hollywood. Steve graduated from Cornell University in 1953. His first acting job on screen was in 1958. He played Willie in an episode of the TV show Playhouse 90.

One of his early roles was in 1961. He played Bully in an episode of The Rebel. He also had a main guest role in Lock Up that same year. In 1962, he appeared in Checkmate. He was also in two episodes of Mr. Novak. In 1964, he acted in the movie The Time Travelers.

A TV producer named Rod Amateau saw Steve Franken in a play. He then cast him as Chatsworth Osborne Jr. on the TV show The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Steve played this character many times from 1960 to 1963. He said the character's annoyed look came from a stomach issue he had since he was 14. In 1964, he appeared on Petticoat Junction as the son of a bad guy.

Steve Franken also played a rich, spoiled character on the show Tom, Dick and Mary. In 1963, he was in a famous episode of Perry Mason. He played a character named Christopher Barton.

After Dobie Gillis ended, Steve Franken got a role as Lieutenant Samwell "Sanpan" Panosian. This was in The Lieutenant, the first TV show made by Gene Roddenberry. He also played other military roles. For example, he was a decorated pilot who became a traitor in The Rat Patrol. He also played a prisoner of war in the movie Follow Me, Boys!. From 1966 to 1971, he appeared in several episodes of Bewitched.

Steve Franken with Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched (1968).

Steve Franken was known for his role as Levinson in the 1968 movie The Party. He acted alongside Peter Sellers. A writer once said that Steve Franken's performance was one of the best in the movie. He played a clumsy waiter who added a lot of comedy to the film. His funny actions included walking through a shallow pool and trying to save a chicken from a woman's hair.

From 1970 to 1973, he appeared five times on Love, American Style. He played Officer Albert Porter in three episodes of Adam-12. In 1972, he was Jonas Lasser on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

He appeared on Barney Miller in 1975 and again in 1981. In 1979, he starred as Tom Voorhies in Disney's The North Avenue Irregulars. He worked with Peter Sellers again in the 1980 movie The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.

Steve Franken acted and directed in episodes of Insight. He had small roles in TV shows like Murphy Brown, The King of Queens, and Seinfeld. From 2002 to 2003, he did voice work for Law & Order computer games. He also voiced Professor Eugene Atwater in the 1996 cartoon Road Rovers.

He voiced Rundle in a 1993 Batman episode. He was also Mr. Beal in Detention in 1999. The next year, he voiced Mr. Janus in Static Shock. He also provided voices for Smurfs (1981), The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (1990), and Spawn (1997).

Steve Franken's Passing

Steve Franken passed away on August 24, 2012. He was 80 years old. He died in Canoga Park, California, due to problems from cancer. He had three daughters. Two were from his first marriage to Julia Carter. One was from his second marriage to Jean Garrett.

Movies Steve Franken Was In

TV Shows Steve Franken Appeared In

See also

In Spanish: Steve Franken para niños