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Roddy McDowall | |
|---|---|
 McDowall in 1988 | |
| Born | Roderick Andrew McDowall (1928-09-17)17 September 1928 Herne Hill, London, England |
| Died | 3 October 1998(1998-10-03) (aged 70) |
| Citizenship |
|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1938–1998 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Signature | |
 | |
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was a British-American actor whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across over 60 years.[1] Born in London, he began his acting career as a child in his native England, before moving to the United States at the outbreak ofWorld War II. He achieved prominence for his starring roles inHow Green Was My Valley (1941),My Friend Flicka (1943), andLassie Come Home (1943). Unlike many of his contemporaries, McDowall managed to evolve from child star into an adult performer and appeared onBroadway and in films, winning aTony Award for his performance inJean Anouilh'sThe Fighting Cock. For portrayingOctavian in the historical epicCleopatra (1963), he was nominated for aGolden Globe Award.
McDowall played Cornelius andCaesar in the originalPlanet of the Apes film series, as well as Galen in the short-livedspin-off television series. His other notable films includedOrson Welles'Macbeth (1948),The Longest Day (1962),Cleopatra(1963),The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965),That Darn Cat! (1965),Inside Daisy Clover (1965),Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971),The Poseidon Adventure (1972),Funny Lady (1975),The Black Hole (1979),Fright Night (1985) and its sequelFright Night Part 2 (1988),Overboard (1987),Shakma (1990) andA Bug's Life (1998). He was a frequent guest star on many television series, and won anEmmy Award for a 1961 episode ofNBC Sunday Showcase.
McDowall served in various positions on the board of governors for theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the selection committee for theKennedy Center Honors, contributing to various charities related to the film industry and film preservation. He was a founding member of theNational Film Preservation Board in 1989, and represented theScreen Actors Guild on that board until his death. Aside from his acting career, McDowall was active as a photographer and journalist, particularly of celebrities. For his contributions to the film and television industry, he received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.
McDowall was born at 204 Herne Hill Road,Herne Hill, London, the only son of London-born Thomas Andrew McDowall (1896–1978), amerchant seaman of distant Scottish descent, and his Irish wife Winifred (née Corcoran).[2][3][4] Both of his parents were enthusiastic about the theatre. McDowall and his elder sister, Virginia, were raised in their mother's Catholic faith. He attendedSt Joseph's College, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, a Roman Catholic secondary school in London.[5]
After appearing as a child model as a baby, McDowall appeared in several films as a boy. After winning an acting prize in a school play at age nine, he started appearing in films:Murder in the Family (1938),I See Ice (1938) withGeorge Formby,John Halifax (1938), andScruffy (1938).[6]
McDowall appeared inConvict 99 (1938) andHey! Hey! USA (1938) withWill Hay,Yellow Sands (1938),The Outsider (1939),Murder Will Out (1939),Dead Man's Shoes (1940),Just William (1940),Saloon Bar (1940),You Will Remember (1941), andThis England (1941).
McDowall's mother, a sibling, and himself moved to the United States in 1940 after the outbreak ofWorld War II. He became a naturalized United States citizen on 9 December 1949,[6] and lived in the United States for the rest of his life.
McDowall served in the U.S. Army Reserves, and after basic training, was assigned to the 67th Armored Infantry Battalion13th Armored Division of theU.S. Army'sOrganized Reserve Corps headquartered in Los Angeles. Later, he was assigned to the 63rd Infantry Division, when in 1952, the 13th Armored Division was reflagged into the 63rd Infantry Division. McDowall served from 1946 to 1954, spanning from the end of World War II to the end of theKorean War.[7] He later served in the77th Infantry Division from 1960 to 1962.[7]
McDowall's American film career began with a part in the 1941 thrillerMan Hunt, directed byFritz Lang. It was made by20th Century Fox, which also produced McDowall's next filmHow Green Was My Valley (1941), where he met and became lifelong friends with actressMaureen O'Hara. The film won theAcademy Award for Best Picture, and McDowall's role as Huw Morgan made him a household name.[6] Fox put him in another war film,Confirm or Deny (1941), then he playedTyrone Power's character as a boy inSon of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942).
Fox promoted McDowall to top billing forOn the Sunny Side (1942). He was billed second toMonty Woolley inThe Pied Piper (1942), playing a war orphan, then he had top billing again for an adaptation ofMy Friend Flicka (1942).Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer borrowed McDowall for the star role inLassie Come Home (1943), a film that introducedElizabeth Taylor, an actress who became another lifelong friend. MGM kept him on to play a leading role inThe White Cliffs of Dover (1944). Back at Fox, he playedGregory Peck's character as a young man inThe Keys of the Kingdom (1944). In 1944, exhibitors voted McDowall the number-four "Star of Tomorrow".[8] Fox gave McDowall another starring vehicle withThunderhead – Son of Flicka (1945). The studio reunited him with Woolley inMolly and Me (1945), which was made as an attempt to turnGracie Fields into a Hollywood star. McDowall returned to MGM to supportWalter Pidgeon inHoliday in Mexico (1946).
McDowall turned to the theatre, taking the title role ofYoung Woodley in asummer stock production inWestport, Connecticut, in July 1946.[9] In 1947, he playedMalcolm inOrson Welles's stage production ofMacbeth in Salt Lake City, and he played the same role in the actor-director'sfilm version in 1948.[6]
McDowall then signed a three-year contract withMonogram Pictures, a low-budget studio that welcomed established stars, to make two films a year.[10]
McDowall starred in seven films for Monogram, for which he also worked as associate producer:Rocky (1948), a boy-and-dog story directed byPhil Karlson;Kidnapped (1948), an adaptation of theRobert Louis Stevenson story, wherein he played David Balfour, directed byWilliam Beaudine;Tuna Clipper (1949), a fishing tale, again directed by Beaudine;Black Midnight (1949), a horse story directed byBudd Boetticher;Killer Shark (1950), a shark-hunting tale, again with Boetticher;Big Timber (1950), as a logger; andThe Steel Fist (1952), an anticommunist drama.[11]
McDowall left Hollywood to move to New York City. He began appearing on television, notably shows such asCelanese Theatre,Broadway Television Theatre,Medallion Theatre,Campbell Summer Soundstage,Armstrong Circle Theatre,Encounter,Robert Montgomery Presents (including an adaptation ofGreat Expectations, in which he played Pip),The Elgin Hour,Ponds Theater,General Electric Theater,The Kaiser Aluminum Hour,Lux Video Theatre,Goodyear Playhouse,The Alcoa Hour,Kraft Theatre,Matinee Theatre,Suspicion,Playhouse 90 (in an adaptation ofHeart of Darkness),The United States Steel Hour,The DuPont Show of the Month (an adaptation ofBilly Budd), andThe Twilight Zone (the episode "People Are Alike All Over").
McDowall also had significant success on the Broadway stage. He was in a production ofMisalliance (1953) that ran for 130 performances and which McDowall said "broke the mould" in how he was judged as an actor.[12]
He followed it withEscapade (1953) withCarroll Baker andBrian Aherne;Ira Levin'sNo Time for Sergeants (1955–57), which was a huge hit;[13]Diary of a Scoundrel (1956); andGood as Gold (1957).
He had a big critical success withCompulsion (1957–58) based onLeopold and Loeb – although McDowall was not cast in thefilm version. He followed it withHandful of Fire (1958),Noël Coward'sLook After Lulu! (1959), andPeter Brook'sThe Fighting Cock (1960). The latter earned him aTony Award.
McDowall was in another big Broadway hit when he played Mordred in the musicalCamelot (1960–63) withJulie Andrews andRichard Burton.[14]
He playedAriel in a TV production ofThe Tempest (1960) with Richard Burton andMaurice Evans,[15] then appeared in his first film in almost a decade,The Subterraneans (1960). He followed it withMidnight Lace (1960).
McDowall continued to work on television in shows such asSunday Showcase,Naked City, andThe Play of the Week. He was in a TV production ofThe Power and the Glory (1961) withLaurence Olivier,George C. Scott, andJulie Harris.
In 1963, McDowall appeared asOctavian in the film production ofCleopatra, which starred Elizabeth Taylor. While filming in Europe, he appeared in Fox's war filmThe Longest Day (1962). He continued to guest-star on television series such asArrest and Trial,The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,The Eleventh Hour,Kraft Suspense Theatre,Combat!,Ben Casey,Twelve O'Clock High,Run for Your Life, andThe Invaders, and appeared as a special guest villain as theBookworm onBatman.
He had supporting roles in Fox'sShock Treatment (1964) and United Artists'The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). He was third-billed inThe Third Day (1965) and received billing as a member of the ensemble cast inThe Loved One (1965). McDowall went to Disney forThat Darn Cat! (1965) and had a role inInside Daisy Clover (1965).
McDowall was given a starring role inLord Love a Duck (1966). He also appeared inThe Defector (1966) and returned briefly to Broadway forThe Astrakhan Coat (1967).[16]
Disney gave him the starring role inThe Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) and he was top-billed inThe Cool Ones (1967) andIt! (1967). He was in a TV production ofSaint Joan (1967) and provided the voice forCricket on the Hearth (1967). He guest-starred in the seriesThe Felony Squad.
In 1968, McDowall appeared in one of his most memorable roles when he was cast inPlanet of the Apes as the ape Cornelius. He appeared in three sequels and a TV spin-off from the film.
He was Prince John inThe Legend of Robin Hood (1968) for TV, and appeared in5 Card Stud (1968),Journey to the Unknown,It Takes a Thief,Midas Run (1969),Hello Down There (1969),Angel, Angel, Down We Go (1969),Night Gallery (1969),The Name of the Game, andMedical Center.
McDowall made his debut and only effort as director withThe Ballad of Tam Lin (1970).[17]
As an actor, he was inPretty Maids All in a Row (1971). McDowall was not in the firstApes sequel, but was in the second,Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971). He was in the television filmTerror in the Sky (1971),What's a Nice Girl Like You...? (1971), andA Taste of Evil (1971), and Disney'sBedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
He guest-starred onIronside,The Carol Burnett Show,Columbo (1972, "Short Fuse"),The Delphi Bureau,The Rookies,Mission: Impossible,Barnaby Jones, andMcCloud.
McDowall made his thirdApes film with 1972'sConquest of the Planet of the Apes. He had supporting roles inThe Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) andThe Poseidon Adventure (1972), and starred in a pilot that did not go to series,Topper Returns (1973) andThe Legend of Hell House (1973).[18]
His finalApes film wasBattle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). He also appeared inMcMillan & Wife,Love, American Style,Arnold (1973), a remake ofMiracle on 34th Street (1973),The Elevator (1974),The Snoop Sisters also (1974), and an uncredited appearance as a grocery-store manager in the filmDirty Mary Crazy Larry.
He starred in the short-lived TV spin-off series ofPlanet of the Apes (1974). During a guest appearance onThe Carol Burnett Show, he came onstage in hisPlanet of the Apes makeup and performed a love duet with Burnett.[19]
Asked about his career in a 1975 interview, McDowall said, "I just hope to keep working and in interesting things."[20]
For the rest of the 1970s, McDowall alternated between features, TV films, and TV series. His features includedFunny Lady (1975),Mean Johnny Barrows (1976),Embryo (1976),Sixth and Main (1977),Laserblast (1978),Rabbit Test (1978),The Cat from Outer Space (1978) for Disney,Circle of Iron (1978),Scavenger Hunt (1979),Nutcracker Fantasy (1979) (doing voice-over for the English-language edition), and Disney'sThe Black Hole (1979) in which he voiced one of the robot roles.
His TV-series appearances includedPolice Woman,Mowgli's Brothers,Harry O,The Feather and Father Gang,Wonder Woman,Flying High,The Love Boat,$weepstake$,Supertrain,Hart to Hart,A Man Called Sloane,Trapper John, M.D. (the pilot episode),Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ("Planet of the Slave Girls"), andMork & Mindy. He also had a regular role in the short-lived science-fiction seriesThe Fantastic Journey (1977).
His TV-film appearances includedFlood! (1977),The Rhinemann Exchange (1978),The Immigrants (1978), andThe Thief of Baghdad (1978).
McDowall's TV film /miniseries work in the 1980s includedThe Martian Chronicles (1980),The Memory of Eva Ryker (1980),The Return of the King (1980) (on which he did voice over work),Tales of the Gold Monkey (1980),The Million Dollar Face (1981),Judgement Day (1981),Twilight Theatre (1982),Mae West (1982),This Girl for Hire (1983),The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood (1984),London and Davis in New York (1984),Hollywood Wives (1985), andAlice in Wonderland (1985).
His TV series includedBoomer and Miss 21st Century,Fantasy Island (several times),Faerie Tale Theatre,Tales of the Gold Monkey (a series regular),Small and Frye,Hotel, andGeorge Burns Comedy Week.
McDowall's features includedCharlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981),Evil Under the Sun (1982),Class of 1984 (1984), and the cult-classic horrorFright Night (1985).
McDowall had voice-over roles inZoo Ship (1985),GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986), andThe Wind in the Willows (1987), and TV series includingBridges to Cross (1986) (in which McDowall was a regular),The Wizard,Murder, She Wrote,Matlock, andNightmare Classics; his TV films includedRemo Williams: The Prophecy andAround the World in 80 Days (1989).
In 1987, he had supporting roles inDead of Winter andOverboard, on which he also served as executive producer. His other features includedDoin' Time on Planet Earth (1988),Fright Night Part 2 (1989),The Big Picture (1989),Cutting Class (1989), andHeroes Stand Alone (1989).
In 1989, he said, "I feel asHenry Fonda did that every job I get may be my last. I'm one of those creatures born to be working. I feel better when I'm working. I don't like it when I'm not working and I've never worked as much as I want to."[21]
McDowall's 1990s work includedThe Color of Evening (1990),Shakma (1990),Going Under (1990),An Inconvenient Woman (1991),Earth Angel (1991),Deadly Game (1991),The Naked Target (1992),Double Trouble (1992),The New Lassie (1992),Quantum Leap (A Leap for Lisa) (1992),The Evil Inside Me (1993),I Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampaire (1993 audio book),Dream On,Heads (1994),Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is (1994),Mirror, Mirror 2: Raven Dance (1994),Burke's Law,Angel 4: Undercover (1994),The Alien Within (1995),The Grass Harp (1995),Last Summer in the Hamptons (1995),Bullet Hearts (1996),Star Hunter (1996),It's My Party (1996),Tracey Takes On...,Dead Man's Island,Remember WENN,Unlikely Angel (1996),The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo (1997),Something to Believe In (1998), andLoss of Faith (1998).
He voiced theMad Hatter in theDC Animated Universe. He also did voice work forThe Pirates of Dark Water (1991–92),Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas (1992),Camp Candy,The Legend of Prince Valiant (1992),Darkwing Duck (1992),2 Stupid Dogs,Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron,Red Planet,The Tick,Galaxy Beat,Gargoyles,Duckman,Pinky and the Brain,A Bug's Life, andGodzilla: The Series.
He was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1993, when he was surprised byMichael Aspel at thePacific Design Center in West Hollywood.[citation needed]
In 1997, McDowall hosted the MGM Musicals Tribute atCarnegie Hall.
McDowall served for several years in various capacities on the board of governors of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization that presents theAcademy Awards (Oscars), and on the selection committee for theKennedy Center Awards. He was chairman of the Actors' Branch for five terms. He was elected president of the Academy Foundation in 1998, the year that he died. He worked to support the Motion Pictures Retirement Home, where a rose garden named in his honour was officially dedicated on 9 October 2001; it remains a part of the campus.[22]
McDowall received recognition as a photographer, working withLook,Vogue,Collier's, andLife. His work includes a cover story onMae West forLife and the cover of the 1964Barbra Streisand album,The Third Album. He took the photograph when Streisand performed onThe Judy Garland Show in October 1963.
He published five books of photographs, each featuring photos and profile interviews of his celebrity friends interviewing each other, such asElizabeth Taylor,Judy Garland,Judy Holliday,Maureen O'Hara,Katharine Hepburn,Lauren Bacall, and others. It started withDouble Exposure in 1968.[23][24]
In 1974, theFBI raided McDowall's home and seized his collection of films and television series in the course of an investigation into film piracy and copyright infringement. His collection consisted of 160 16 mm prints and more than 1,000 video cassettes, at a time before the era of commercial videotapes, when no legal aftermarket existed for films. McDowall had purchasedErrol Flynn's home cinema films and transferred them all to tape for longer-lasting archival storage. No charges were filed.[25]
McDowall never married nor had children. InFull Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars (2012) byScotty Bowers, a famous Hollywoodprocurer, Bowers claims McDowall was one of his homosexual clients.[26]
McDowall was in a relationship with American actorMontgomery Clift for several years in the early 1950s.[27][28] McDowall was introduced to Clift by Elizabeth Taylor.[29] During the two-and-a-half years that Clift stayed away from films, McDowall's career was nonexistent.[30][31] He devoted himself entirely to Clift and moved from Los Angeles to New York to be closer to his idol.[32] Reportedly, McDowall attempted suicide after their breakup.[33] Nevertheless, he showed no bitterness and also remained one of Clift's loyal friends.[34] McDowall starred with Clift in his final picture,The Defector. Clift later stated that he could never have finished the film without McDowall's moral support.[35]
In April 1998, McDowall was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died of the disease at his home in Studio City, California, on 3 October 1998, at age 70.[36] His body wascremated and his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean on 7 October 1998, off Los Angeles County.[37] Dennis Osborne, a screenwriter, had cared for McDowall in his final months, and was quoted as saying, "It was very peaceful. It was just as he wanted it. It was exactly the way he planned."[38]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Convict 99 | N/A | |
| 1938 | Murder in the Family | Peter Osborne | |
| 1938 | John Halifax | Boy | |
| 1939 | Poison Pen | Choir Boy | Uncredited |
| 1940 | His Brother's Keeper | Boy | |
| 1940 | Dead Man's Shoes | Boy | |
| 1940 | Just William | Ginger | |
| 1940 | Saloon Bar | Boy | |
| 1941 | You Will Remember | Young Bob Slater | |
| 1941 | Man Hunt | Vaner | |
| 1941 | This England | Hugo | |
| 1941 | How Green Was My Valley | Huw Morgan | |
| 1941 | Confirm or Deny | Albert Perkins | |
| 1942 | Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake | Young Benjamin Blake | |
| 1942 | On the Sunnyside | Hugh Aylesworth | |
| 1942 | The Pied Piper | Ronnie Cavanaugh | |
| 1943 | My Friend Flicka | Ken McLaughlin | |
| 1943 | Lassie Come Home | Joe Carraclough | |
| 1944 | The White Cliffs of Dover | Young John Ashwood | |
| 1944 | The Keys of the Kingdom | Young Francis Chisholm | |
| 1945 | Thunderhead, Son of Flicka | Ken McLaughlin | |
| 1945 | Molly and Me | Jimmy Graham | |
| 1946 | Holiday in Mexico | Stanley Owen | |
| 1948 | Rocky | Chris Hammond | |
| 1948 | Macbeth | Malcolm | |
| 1948 | Kidnapped | David Balfour | |
| 1949 | Tuna Clipper | Alec MacLennan | |
| 1949 | Black Midnight | Scott Jordan | |
| 1950 | Big Timber | Jimmy | |
| 1950 | Killer Shark | Ted | |
| 1952 | The Steel Fist | Eric Kardin | |
| 1958 | The Big Country | Hannassey Watchman | Uncredited |
| 1960 | The Subterraneans | Yuri Gilgoric | |
| 1960 | Midnight Lace | Malcolm Stanley | |
| 1962 | The Longest Day | Pvt. Morris | |
| 1963 | Cleopatra | Octavian | |
| 1964 | Shock Treatment | Martin Ashley | |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Matthew | |
| 1965 | That Darn Cat! | Gregory Benson | |
| 1965 | The Third Day | Oliver Parsons | |
| 1965 | The Loved One | D.J. Jr. | |
| 1965 | Inside Daisy Clover | Walter Baines | |
| 1966 | Lord Love a Duck | Alan Musgrave | |
| 1966 | The Defector | Agent Adams | |
| 1967 | The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin | Bullwhip Griffin | |
| 1967 | The Cool Ones | Tony Krum | |
| 1967 | It! | Arthur Pimm | |
| 1968 | Planet of the Apes | Cornelius | |
| 1968 | 5 Card Stud | Nick Evers | |
| 1969 | Midas Run | Wister | |
| 1969 | Hello Down There | Nate Ashbury | |
| 1969 | Angel, Angel, Down We Go | Santoro | |
| 1971 | Pretty Maids All in a Row | Proffer | |
| 1971 | Escape from the Planet of the Apes | Cornelius | |
| 1971 | Terror in the Sky | Ralph Baird | |
| 1971 | Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Rowan Jelk | |
| 1972 | Conquest of the Planet of the Apes | Caesar | |
| 1972 | The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean | Frank Gass | |
| 1972 | The Poseidon Adventure | Acres | |
| 1973 | Arnold | Robert | |
| 1973 | The Legend of Hell House | Benjamin Franklin Fischer | |
| 1973 | Battle for the Planet of the Apes | Caesar | |
| 1974 | Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry | Grocery Store Manager | |
| 1975 | Funny Lady | Bobby | |
| 1976 | Mean Johnny Barrows | Tony Da Vince | |
| 1976 | Embryo | Frank Riley | |
| 1977 | Sixth and Main | Skateboard | |
| 1978 | Laserblast | Dr. Mellon | |
| 1978 | The Cat from Outer Space | Mr. Stallwood | |
| 1978 | Circle of Iron | White Robe | |
| 1978 | The Thief of Baghdad | Hasan | |
| 1979 | Scavenger Hunt | Jenkins | |
| 1979 | Nutcracker Fantasy | Franz/Fritz | [39] |
| 1979 | The Black Hole | V.I.N.CENT. (voice) | |
| 1981 | Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen | Gillespie | |
| 1982 | Evil Under the Sun | Rex Brewster | |
| 1982 | Class of 1984 | Terry Corrigan | |
| 1985 | Fright Night | Peter Vincent | |
| 1986 | GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords | Nuggit (voice) | |
| 1986 | Friends Are Forever: Tales of the Little Princess | Zak the Cat (voice) | |
| 1987 | Dead of Winter | Mr. Murray | |
| 1987 | Overboard | Andrew | |
| 1988 | Doin' Time on Planet Earth | Minister | |
| 1988 | Fright Night Part 2 | Peter Vincent | |
| 1989 | The Big Picture | Judge | |
| 1989 | Cutting Class | Mr. Dante | |
| 1990 | Shakma | Sorenson | |
| 1991 | Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1991 | Going Under | Secretary Neighbor | |
| 1992 | Double Trouble | Philip Chamberlain | |
| 1993 | The Evil Inside Me | Pauly | |
| 1993 | The Return of Captain Sinbad | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1994 | Mirror, Mirror II: Raven Dance | Dr. Lasky | |
| 1995 | The Grass Harp | Amos Legrand | |
| 1995 | The Alien Within | Dr. Henry Lazarus | |
| 1995 | Last Summer in the Hamptons | Thomas | |
| 1995 | Star Hunter | Riecher | |
| 1996 | It's My Party | Damian Knowles | |
| 1997 | The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo | King Murphy | |
| 1998 | Something to Believe In | Gambler | |
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Mr. Soil (voice) | Posthumous release[39] |
| 1998 | Star Power: The Creation of United Artists | Narrator (voice) | Posthumous release (final film role) |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Family Theatre | Private Huntington (The Professor) | Episode: "Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspiration" |
| 1960 | The Twilight Zone | Sam Conrad | Episode: "People Are Alike All Over" |
| 1960 | The Tempest | Ariel | Television film |
| 1961 | Naked City | Donnie Benton | Episode: "The Fault in Our Stars" |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial | Paul LeDoux | Episode: "Journey into Darkness" |
| 1964 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | George, Gerald Musgrove | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | Combat! | Murfree | Episode: "The Long Walk" |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Robert "Professor" Benson | Episode: "The Wine-Dark Sea" |
| 1965 | Ben Casey | Dwight Franklin | Episode: "When I am grown to Man's Estate" |
| 1966 | 12 O'Clock High | Technical Sergeant Willets | Episode: "Angel Babe" |
| 1966 | Batman | Bookworm | 2 episodes |
| 1966 | Run for Your Life | Gyula Bognar | Episode: "Don't Count on Tomorrow" |
| 1967 | The Cricket on the Hearth | Cricket Crocket (voice) | Television film[39] |
| 1967 | The Invaders | Lloyd Lindstrom | Episode: "The Experiment" |
| 1968 | The Legend of Robin Hood | Prince John | Episode dated 18 February 1968 |
| 1969 | Journey to the Unknown | Rollo Verdew | Episode: "The Killing Bottle" |
| 1969 | It Takes a Thief | Roger | Episode: "Boom at the Top" |
| 1969 | Night Gallery | Jeremy Evans | Segment: "The Cemetery" |
| 1969 | The Name of the Game | Philip Saxon | Episode: "The White Birch" |
| 1970 | The Name of the Game | Early McCorley | Episode: "Why I Blew Up Dakota" |
| 1971 | Terror in the Sky | Dr. Ralph Baird | Television film |
| 1971 | A Taste of Evil | Dr. Michael Lomas | Television film |
| 1971 | What's a Nice Girl Like You...? | Albert Soames | Television film |
| 1972 | Columbo | Roger Stanford | Episode: "Short Fuse" |
| 1972 | The Rookies: Dirge for Sunday | Fenner | Episode: "Dirge for Sunday" |
| 1972 | Mission: Impossible | Leo Ostro | Episode: "The Puppet" |
| 1973–1974 | The Carol Burnett Show | Himself – Guest | |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones | Stanley Lambert | Episode: "See Some Evil... Do Some Evil" |
| 1973 | Miracle on 34th Street | Dr. Sawyer | 1973 remake, television film |
| 1973 | McMillan & Wife | Jamie McMillan | Episode: "Death of a Monster... Birth of a Legend" |
| 1974 | Planet of the Apes | Galen | 14 episodes |
| 1974 | The Elevator | Marvin Ellis | Television film |
| 1976 | Ellery Queen | The Amazing Armitage | Episode: "The Adventure of the Black Falcon" |
| 1976 | Flood! | Mr. Franklin | Television film |
| 1976 | Mowgli's Brothers | Narrator,Mowgli,Shere Khan,Baloo,Bagheera, Tabaqui (voice) | Television short |
| 1977 | The Feather and Father Gang | Vincent Stoddard | Episode: "The Mayan Connection" |
| 1977 | The Rhinemann Exchange | Bobby Ballard | 3 episodes |
| 1977 | The Fantastic Journey | Dr. Jonathan Willoway | 8 episodes |
| 1977 | Wonder Woman | Henry Roberts, Professor Arthur Chapman | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | The Immigrants | Mark Levy | Television film |
| 1978 | The Thief of Baghdad | Hasan | Television film |
| 1979 | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Governor Saroyan | Episode: "Planet of the Slave Girls" |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Theodore | Episode: "Billy, Wally and Ludmilla, and Theodore" |
| 1979 | Supertrain | Talcott | Episode: "The Green Lady" |
| 1979 | Fantasy Island | Gary Pointer | 1 episode |
| 1979 | Hart to Hart | Dr. Peterson | Episode: "Hart to Hart" |
| 1979 | The Love Boat | Fred Beery | Episode: "Second Chance/Don't Push Me/Like Father, Like Son" S2 E16 |
| 1979 | Mork & Mindy | Chuck the Robot (voice) | Episode: "Dr. Morkenstein" |
| 1980 | The Martian Chronicles | Father Stone | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | The Memory of Eva Ryker | MacFarland | Television film |
| 1980 | The Return of the King | Samwise Gamgee (voice) | Television film |
| 1980–1981 | Fantasy Island | Mephistopheles | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | The Million Dollar Face | Derek Kenyon | Television film |
| 1982–1983 | Tales of the Gold Monkey | Bon Chance Louie | 20 episodes |
| 1984 | The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood | Prince John | Television film |
| 1985 | Hollywood Wives | Jason Swankle | 3 episodes |
| 1985 | Alice in Wonderland | March Hare | Television film |
| 1985–1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Gordon Fairchild, Dr. Alger Kenyon | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Bridges to Cross | Norman Parks | Episode: "Memories of Molly" |
| 1987–1989 | Matlock | Don Mosher, Christopher Hoyt | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | The Wind in the Willows | Ratty (voice) | Television film |
| 1988 | Remo Williams: The Prophecy | Chuin | Television film |
| 1989 | Around the World in 80 Days | McBaines | 3 episodes |
| 1991 | The Pirates of Dark Water | Niddler (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 1991 | An Inconvenient Woman | Cyril Rathbone | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1992 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | King Frederick (voice) | Episode: "The Battle of Greystone" |
| 1992 | Quantum Leap | Edward St. John V | Episode: "A Leap for Lisa" |
| 1992 | Darkwing Duck | Sir Quackmire Mallard (voice) | Episode: "Inherit the Wimp" |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter (voice) | 4 episodes[39] |
| 1993 | 2 Stupid Dogs | Chameleon (voice) | Episode: "Chameleon" |
| 1993 | SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron | Lenny Ringtail, Madkat (voice) | Episode: "Enter the Madkat" |
| 1994 | Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is | Jeremy Sennet | Television film |
| 1994 | Red Planet | Headmaster Marcus Howe (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | The Tick | Breadmaster (voice) | Episode: "The Tick vs. The Breadmaster" |
| 1996 | Tracey Takes On... | Rex Gaydon | Episode: "Nostalgia" |
| 1996 | Gargoyles | Proteus (voice) | Episode: "The New Olympians"[39] |
| 1996 | Duckman | Akers (voice) | Episode: "Apocalypse Not" |
| 1996 | Pinky and the Brain | Snowball (voice) | 6 episodes[39] |
| 1996 | Dead Man's Island | Trevor Dunnaway | Television film |
| 1996 | Unlikely Angel | Saint Peter | Television film |
| 1998 | The New Batman Adventures | Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter (voice) | 2 episodes[39] |
| 1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Episode: "Knight Time"; posthumous role[39] | |
| 1998 | Behind the Planet of the Apes | Narrator | Television documentary |
| 1999 | Godzilla: The Series | Hugh Trevor (voice) | Episode: "DeadLoch"; posthumous role |
|
|
|
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Lux Radio Theatre | My Friend Flicka[41] |
| 1947 | Suspense | One Way Street[42] |
| 1948 | The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen | Rocky Iii and the Dead Mans Chest[43] |
| 1952 | Family Theater | A Lullaby for Christmas[44] |
Roddy was a private man who kept his private life separate, but I could tell by the way he spoke about him [Clift] that Roddy felt a deep love for the man he could not save.
