Edward Platt

This article is about the American actor. For the English author, see Edward Platt (author). For the English professional footballer, see Ted Platt.
Edward Platt
Born Edward Cuthbert Platt
(1916-02-14)February 14, 1916
Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Died March 19, 1974(1974-03-19) (aged 58)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Cause of death Suicide
Alma mater Juilliard School
Years active 1949 – 1974
Spouse(s) Suzanne Belcher (m. 1954–74) (his death) (4 children)

Edward Cuthbert Platt (February 14, 1916 – March 19, 1974) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of "The Chief" in the 1965-70 NBC/CBS television series Get Smart. With his deep voice and mature countenance, he played an eclectic mix of characters over the span of his career.

Stage, film, and television career

Platt was born in Staten Island, New York, and studied at the Juilliard School.[1] He attended Princeton University, but left after his freshman year.[2] Platt served in the United States Army during World War II.

A powerful, operatically trained bass-baritone,[3] he debuted on Broadway in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Allegro. José Ferrer, who performed with Platt in the Broadway play The Shrike, helped Platt land his first film role in the 1955 film version. Also in 1955, he appeared in Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo. Platt returned to Broadway in 1958 with the musical Oh, Captain!, playing a romantic role. In 1959, he played Cary Grant's attorney in North by Northwest. In 1959, Platt starred in the movie The Rebel Set, which was "riffed" by the television show Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Platt also appeared in episodes of the original Perry Mason, State Trooper (in the episode "Who Killed Doc Robbins"), Men into Space (in the episode "From Another World"), Bonanza, The Rifleman, Rawhide, Whispering Smith, The Outer Limits (in the first-season episode "The Man with the Power"), The Dick Van Dyke Show (in "A Nice Friendly Game Of Cards"), "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea", and The Twilight Zone.

His most famous role was the regular role of Chief in the espionage parody television series Get Smart (1965–1970). After the series ended, he played a recurring role in situation comedy series The Governor & J.J. in 1970. He had guest roles in several other television series of the era, mostly comedies. These included Temperatures Rising, Bewitched, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Love, American Style, and The Odd Couple as Oscar Madison's boss in the episode "Oscar's New Life".

Platt appeared as Sotto Voce in the 1969 KCET television reading of Norman Corwin's 1938 radio play The Plot to Overthrow Christmas.

Work as producer

In 1973, Platt raised the money to produce one of the first independent color motion pictures shot entirely on videotape: Santee, starring Glenn Ford. Platt saw the advantages of using videotape over film, and his crew shot the production with electronic TV cameras and portable VTRs, then had the images transferred to film for theatrical release. The movie was not commercially successful.

Death

On March 19, 1974, Platt's body was found in his apartment.[4] It was widely reported that he died of an apparent heart attack. One of his sons later confirmed that Platt had, in fact, committed suicide after two previous attempts; he suffered from undiagnosed and untreated depression that was exacerbated by financial troubles. He left four children from two marriages and a brother living in Santa Barbara, California. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.[5]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1949 I Was a Male War Bride Lieutenant in Gates's Office Uncredited
1955 Cult of the Cobra Lamian Threatening Death Uncredited
The Shrike Harry Downs
The McConnell Story Medical Corps Instructor Uncredited
Rebel Without a Cause Ray Fremick
Illegal Ralph Ford
Sincerely Yours Dr. Eubank Uncredited
1956 The Lieutenant Wore Skirts Major Dunning
The Steel Jungle Judge Wahller
Serenade Everett Carter
Backlash Sheriff J.C. Marson Credited as Edward C. Platt
The Proud Ones Dr. Barlow
Storm Center Rev. Wilson
Reprisal! Neil Shipley
The Unguarded Moment Attorney Briggs
Rock, Pretty Baby Thomas Daley Sr. M.D.
The Great Man Dr. O'Connor
Written on the Wind Dr. Paul Cochrane
1957 The Tattered Dress Ralph Adams
Designing Woman Martin J. Daylor
Omar Khayyam Jayhan
House of Numbers The Warden
The Helen Morgan Story Johnny Haggerty
Summer Love Dr. Thomas Daley
Oregon Passage Roland Dane
Damn Citizen Joseph Kosta
1958 The Gift of Love Dr. Jim Miller
The Last of the Fast Guns Sam Grypton Credited as Edward C. Platt
The High Cost of Loving Eli Cave
Gunman's Walk Purcell Avery
1959 They Came to Cordura Col. DeRose
The Rebel Set Mr. Tucker / Mr. T
North by Northwest Victor Larrabee
Inside the Mafia Dan Regent
1960 Cash McCall Harrison Glenn
Pollyanna Ben Tarbell
1961 The Fiercest Heart Madrigo
Atlantis, the Lost Continent Azar the High Priest
Snow White and the Three Stooges Villager Uncredited
The Explosive Generation Mr. Morton
1962 Cape Fear Judge
1963 Johnny Shiloh General Thomas
Black Zoo Detective Rivers
A Ticklish Affair Captain Haven Hitchcock
1964 Bullet for a Badman Tucker
Shock Treatment District Attorney Uncredited
1965 The Man from Button Willow The Man In The Black Cape Voice, Uncredited

Television credits

Year Series Role Notes
1959 Wagon Train Matthew Sinclair Episode "The Duke LeMay Story"
1960 Men into Space Dr. Luraski Episode "From Another World"
1961 The Twilight Zone The Doctor Episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim"
1964 The Outer Limits David Hunt Episode "Keeper of the Purple Twilight"
1965-1970 Get Smart Chief of CONTROL
1969-1970 The Governor & J.J. Orrin Hacker Recurring role
1971 The Odd Couple Bill Donnelly Episode "Oscar's New Life"

References

  1. ↑ "Actor Edward Platt Is Dead Of Heart Attack". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. AP. March 21, 1974. p. 4A. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  2. ↑ "About Page". 20m.com. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  3. ↑ http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/platt.html
  4. ↑ "Edward Platt, Actor, Dies". Lincoln Evening Journal. Nebraska, Lincoln. United Press International. March 21, 1974. p. 22. Retrieved August 30, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Birkmeyer, Carl. "Edward Platt". WouldYouBelieve.com. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
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