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Ed Kemmer

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Edward Kemmer
Kemmer in Space Patrol (1952)
Born
Edward William Kemmerer

(1921-10-29)October 29, 1921
DiedNovember 9, 2004(2004-11-09) (aged 83)
Years active1954–1983
Spouses
  • Elaine Edwards (divorced)
  • Fran Sharon
    (m. 1969⁠–⁠2004)
Children3

Ed Kemmer (October 29, 1921 – November 9, 2004) was an American motion picture and television actor.

Life

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Kemmer was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, as Edward William Kemmerer, and served as a fighter pilot with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He was shot down over France and spent 11 months in a POW camp.[1] He briefly escaped from the camp for two weeks before being recaptured.

Kemmer made his television debut in 1951 and starred as Buzz Corry in the live television science fiction action-drama Space Patrol (1951-1956).[2] Kemmer made his film debut in 1956 (Behind the High Wall). He had a starring role as a pilot in the film The Hot Angel (1958), but his big-screen work was mostly small roles in low-budget B movies such as Giant from the Unknown (1958). The bulk of Kemmer's work was for the small screen.

After Space Patrol, Kemmer was a guest star in various prime-time television series, including the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", in which former space hero Kemmer co-starred with future space hero William Shatner. He also made two guest appearances on Perry Mason. In 1960 he played Roger Porter in "The Case of the Frantic Flyer," and in 1961 he played murder victim Leslie Hall in "The Case of the Pathetic Patient." In 1964 he played a major part in ”The Impostor”, a tense Sutton Roley-directed episode of Combat! (S3, E10).

Kemmer starred for two years as an American astronaut in the soap opera The Clear Horizon,[3] leading to the later phase of his career as a leading player in various daytime drama series, including The Edge of Night (on which he met his wife, actress Fran Sharon) as Malcolm Thomas, The Secret Storm as Paul Britton #2, As the World Turns as attorney Dick Martin, and Somerset as attorney Ben Grant. He also made appearances as a doctor on All My Children.

In 1962, Kemmer was cast as the historical investigative journalist Henry Morton Stanley in the episode, "The Truth Teller," on the syndicated television Anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. The episode is a study of the Medicine Lodge Indian Peace Treaty. Stanley arrives at Fort Larned, Kansas, to assess Hancock's effort to avoid war on the frontier. Charles Carlson filled the role of Wild Bill Hickok, long after Guy Madison played Hickok in a weekly syndicated series.[4]

Kemmer was twice married and had three children, Jonathan, Todd, and Kimberly.

On November 5, 2004, Kemmer had a stroke in New York City; he died four days later.[5]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Ben Verber Season 1 Episode 11: "Guilty Witness"
1956 Behind the High Wall Charlie Rains
1957 Sierra Stranger Sonny Grover
1957 Maverick Clete Overton
1957 Calypso Joe Lee Darling
1957 Panama Sal Dennis P. Dennis
1958 Giant from the Unknown Wayne Brooks
1958 Too Much, Too Soon Robert Wilcox
1958 Earth vs. the Spider Professor Art Kingman
1958 Hong Kong Confidential Frank Paige
1958 The Hot Angel Chuck Lawson
1958 Official Detective Joe Esposito Episode: "Loan Companies"[6]
1959 Wanted: Dead or Alive Aben Starr Episode: Reunion for Revenge
1959 Sleeping Beauty Prince Philip Performance Model
1960 Wanted: Dead or Alive Adam Smith / William Davis Episode: The Inheritance
1960 The Crowded Sky Caesar
1960 Requiem to Massacre Soldier #2 Two episodes of Cheyenne entitled Gold, Glory and Custer - Requiem
1961 Perry Mason Leslie Hall Episode: The Case of The Pathetic Patient
1963 A Gathering of Eagles Pilot Uncredited
1964 Combat! Lt. Tracey Episode: The impostor
1965 Mara of the Wilderness First Pilot
1973 Executive Action Reporter Uncredited

References

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  1. ^ Bassior, Jean-Noel (2012). Space Patrol: Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television. McFarland. pp. 63–75. ISBN 9780786491711. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 999. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  3. ^ "Phyllis Sees Third Hubby On 'Horizon'". Independent Press-Telegram. California, Long Beach. United Press International. August 21, 1960. p. 70. Retrieved August 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "The Truth Teller on Death Valley Days". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Hero of TV's 'Space Patrol'". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. The Los Angeles Times. November 14, 2004. p. Section 4–9. Retrieved August 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ CTVA "The Classic TV Archive"

Edward Kemmer acted in S4 E22 of the TV western Rawhide.

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