Milton Selzer Explained

Milton Selzer
Birth Date:25 October 1918
Birth Place:Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death Place:Oxnard, California, U.S.
Occupation:Film, stage, television actor
Years Active:1954–1995
Children:1

Milton Selzer (October 25, 1918 – October 21, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actor.

Early life

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Selzer and his family moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he was raised. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, he attended the University of New Hampshire before serving in World War II.[1]

Career

Selzer's acting career began with small parts on Broadway. After moving to Hollywood in 1960, he began a prolific career as a character actor making many guest appearances in film and television.[2]

Stage

Selzer's Broadway credits include Tiger at the Gates (1955), Once Upon a Tailor (1954), Arms and the Man (1950), and Julius Caesar (1950).[3]

Television

Selzer's many television roles included appearances on The Twilight Zone, where he portrayed an alien in "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby", and as the miserly son-in-law in "The Masks". He appeared as Dr. Nobel in an episode of Have Gun Will Travel, He appeared in an episode of The Asphalt Jungle in 1961. He made two memorable guest appearances on Perry Mason; in 1963 he played defendant and title character Dr. Aaron Stuart in "The Case of the Decadent Dean," and in 1964 he played murder victim Dr. Max Taylor in "The Case of the Bullied Bowler".

From 1965–67, he made seven guest appearances as Professor Parker in Get Smart followed by roles on That Girl, The Rat Patrol, Hogan's Heroes, and . In the many crime shows of the 1960s and 1970s, Selzer would often portray unsympathetic characters who would also possess sad and often pathetic qualities. He was a regular on the 1973 situation comedy Needles and Pins as Julius Singer.[1]

He made his last onscreen appearance in the 1995 television film Cagney & Lacey: Together Again.[1]

Film

Selzer's film career includes roles in The Young Savages (1961) opposite Burt Lancaster, In Enemy Country (1968), The Buddy System (1984) and Sid and Nancy (1986).[1]

Death

On October 21, 2006, four days before his 88th birthday, Selzer died of pulmonary complications.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1959The Last MilePeddie
1960North to AlaskaSalvation Army PlayerUncredited
1961The Young SavagesDr. Walsh
1963The Yellow CanaryVecchio
1964MarnieMan at Track
1965The Cincinnati KidSokal
1966A Big Hand for the Little LadyFleesonAlternative title: Big Deal at Dodge City
1968In Enemy CountryBartowski
1968The Legend of Lylah ClareBart Langner
1971Blood and LaceHarold Mullins
1972Lady Sings the BluesThe Doctor
1975Hey, I'm AliveGlen Sanders
1977Another Man, Another ChanceMillerUncredited
1978Capricorn OneDr. Roger Burroughs
1978Blue CollarSumabitch
1978The EvilThe Realtor
1980Raise the TitanicDr. VogelUncredited
1984The Buddy SystemLandlord
1986Sid and NancyGrandpa
1987WalkerJudge
1988TapeheadsMerlin Hinkle
1988Shoot to KillMr. BergerAlternative title: Deadly Pursuit

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1954–1955You Are ThereDemosthenes / General Knox / French Prisoner / Mahatma Gandhi3 episodes
1954–1957Studio One2nd Guard / Gerald / Drunk / Harold Rich / Mr. Weston6 episodes
1958–1959Playhouse 90Fernando / Second Convict3 episodes
1959–1960Sunday ShowcaseJulian Blumberg3 episodes
1960–1970GunsmokeAlbert Schiller / Pa Hack / Painter / Jezra4 episodes
1961The Asphalt JungleThe Professor - Doc Stehlmeyer / Lou Gordon2 episodes
1961The Detectives Starring Robert TaylorOzzieEpisode: "Act of God"
1961–1962The UntouchablesHarry Garden, Jason Fiddler, Maxie Schram, Alan Sitkin4 episodes
1961–1962Have Gun – Will TravelDr. Alfred Nobel / Rabbi Reb Elya2 episodes
1962Route 66GuntherEpisode: "From an Enchantress Fleeing"
1962Stoney BurkeDr. LairdEpisode: "The Wanderer"
1962–1964The Twilight ZoneAlien / Wilfred HarperEpisodes: "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" and "The Masks"
1963Combat!Col. GlinskiEpisode: "Gideon's Army"
1963Perry MasonDr. Aaron StuartEpisode: "The Case of the Decadent Dean"
1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Dr. ShtallmacherEpisode: "The Green Opal Affair"
1964Voyage to the Bottom of the SeaDr. Charles MeltonEpisode: "The Blizzard Makers"
1964Perry MasonDr. Max TaylorEpisode: "The Case of the Bullied Bowler"
1965The FugitiveLou Cartwright / Ben Willoughby2 episode
1965A Man Called ShenandoahCaptain CrowellEpisode: "The Fort"
1965–1966Get SmartProfessor Parker7 episodes
1966That GirlAl MorgenthalerEpisode: "Time for Arrest"
1966–1967The Rat PatrolTobar / Colonel Martin Schweiger2 episode
1966–1973The F.B.I.William Sampson / Lou Dubbins / Jordan James Alexander / Mr. Ragatzy / Miller5 episodes
1967The InvadersA.J. RichardsEpisode: "Quantity: Unknown"
1967–1968Hogan's HeroesOtto Von Krubner, Sgt. Franks2 episodes
1967–1972Mission: ImpossibleDr. Erich Rojak / Stanley / Inspector Koder / Jan Vornitz5 episodes
1968–1978Hawaii Five-0Ghoriades / Kellman / Sam Green / Tabernash / Ron / Lester Willighby6 episodes
1969–1973MannixAlbie / Lt. Maury Strauss / Dave Wright3 episodes
1971Green AcresDanny (Bank Robber)Episode: "Star Witness"
1971The Bill Cosby ShowSeason 2, Episode 26
1972Awake and Sing!Myron BergerPBS - TV
1973Needles and PinsJulius Singer3 episodes
1974Barnaby JonesSam BensonEpisode: "The Platinum Connection"
1974The Bob Newhart ShowPrincipal BrimskillEpisode: "A Matter of Principal"
1974KojakConsigliere Nathan Davidoff2 episodes
1975The JeffersonsMr. WexlerEpisode: "The Good Life Is Bad for Louise"
1975Barney MillerMurray Grossman (Delicatessen Owner)Episode: "Bureaucrat"
1975–1978The Rockford FilesIrving Rockfelt / Patrick Elber2 episodes
1976All in the FamilyDr. Seymour ShapiroEpisode: "Archie's Operation: Part 1"
1977The Feather and Father GangGardellaEpisode: "For the Love of Sheila"
1978The Harvey Korman ShowJake Winkleman4 episodes
1979Wonder WomanCaptain LouieEpisode: "Going, Going, Gone"
1978–1980Quincy, M.E.Mr. Avery / Mr. JacksonEpisodes: "Crib Job" and "Deadly Arena"
1980Little House on the PrairieElija PattmanEpisode: "New Beginning"
1981The People vs. Jean HarrisDr. RothTelevision film
1981The Adventures of Nellie BlyDr. WoodvilleTelevision film
1982Lou GrantClaude CunninghamEpisode: "Ghosts"
1983Hill Street BluesMurray Kaplan2 episodes
1984Trapper John, M.D.Mr. TrankisEpisode: "The Jackpot Pays Off"
1985Berrenger'sEpisode: "Maelstrom"
1986St. ElsewhereRabbi TolkienEpisode: "Once Upon a Mattress"
1987L.A. LawJudge Morris Hood3 episodes
1988A Year in the LifeMaxEpisode: "Fathers and Other Strangers"
1989–1990The Famous Teddy ZAbe Werkfinder20 episodes
1990MacGyverItzak 'Izzy' Zimmer
Otto Romburg
2 episodes
1991Doogie Howser, M.D.The JudgeEpisode: "Doogie Has Left the Building: Part 1"
1992Miss Rose WhiteUncle ShimonTelevision film
1993Down the ShoreDr. FeldmanEpisode: "Test of Strength"
1994Valley of the DollsManny Henry65 episodes
1995Walker, Texas RangerLarryEpisode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle"

Notes and References

  1. Book: Lentz. Harris M. III. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. October 24, 2008. McFarland. 978-0786452118. 335–336. April 29, 2017. en. subscription.
  2. News: Obituaries for November 3, 2006. Mitchell. Ronald M.. The Portsmouth Herald. September 15, 2020.
  3. ("Milton Selzer". Playbill Vault. April 29, 2017.