Full name, John Forkum Dehner; born November 23, 1915, in Staten Island, NY;died of emphysema and diabetes, February 4, 1992, in Santa Barbara, CA. Performer, animator, and broadcaster. Dehner, whose prolific career in the entertainment industry spanned six decades, is best known for playing villainous film characters. He began acting on the New York stage in the 1930s, debuting inBridal Crown and later directing Alien Summer. Relocating to California when he became an animator for Walt Disney Studios, he worked on such films as Fantasia and The Reluctant Dragon, as well as numerous cartoon shorts. After serving in the army during World War II, Dehner began working in radio--first as an announcer, and later appearing on serials such as Gunsmoke, Lone Ranger, Suspense, Sam Spade, and Have Gun, Will Travel. His first film part was in 1944's Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, and he went on to play roles in more than one hundred films, such as State Fair, Lorna Doone, Scaramouche, The Sign of Zorro, Support Your Local Gunfighter, Slaughterhouse-Five, Fun with Dick and Jane, The Right Stuff,and The Jagged Edge. He also made numerous television appearances, inboth series such as Twilight Zone, Andy Griffith Show, The Doris Day Show, and Young Maverick, as well as in movies and mini-series including Bare Essence, Winds of War, and War and Remembrance.
Periodicals
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: