Art Balinger Explained

Art Balinger
Birth Name:Arthur Bent Balinger
Birth Date:1 February 1915
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Death Place:Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Children:1

Arthur Bent Balinger (February 1, 1915 – June 10, 2011) was an American actor known for television roles throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Specifically, Balinger was cast in numerous productions created by Jack Webb and his production company, Mark VII Limited.

Balinger was born to parents Sheldon and Ellen Bent Balinger in Los Angeles, California.[1] [2] He was raised in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Balinger began his career as a radio announcer, before transitioning to television as an actor.[1] His credits included Dragnet and Emergency! (as "Battalion Chief Conrad").[3] He largely retired from television after the 1970s. One of his last memorable parts in film was that of the dedication ceremony announcer in the blockbuster hit The Towering Inferno.[2] Balinger also worked for the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft company in the 1970s performing several on-camera appearances as well as voice-only narration of multiple McDonnell Douglas promotional films (See Periscope Films available on YouTube.)

Balinger died at the Terwilliger Plaza Nursing Home in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 96.[1]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1956Time Table Jail Officer Uncredited
1961The Last Time I Saw Archie Soldier Uncredited
1974The Towering Inferno Announcer
1977The Domino Principle Newscaster on TV in Club Uncredited
1978The Swarm Radio Announcer
1972-1976Emergency! Battalion Chief

Notes and References

  1. News: Art Balinger, 96, Actor who had recurring roles on "Adam-12", "Dragnet" and "Emergency". Digital Memorial. June 11, 2011. June 30, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20131113231415/http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Arthur-Balinger&lc=4868&pid=151992268&mid=4710982&locale=en_US. November 13, 2013. live. Wayback Machine.
  2. News: Art Balinger, Actor on Dragnet, Emergency! and More. Television Academy. June 10, 2011. October 30, 2011.
  3. Book: Emergency!: Behind the Scene. 38. Yokley. Richard. Sutherland. Rozane. May 2007. Jones and Bartlett Learning. 9780763748968. Google Books.