Harvey Lembeck (April 15, 1923 – January 5, 1982) was an American comedic actor best remembered for his role as Cpl. Rocco Barbella on ''

The Phil Silvers Show ''The Phil Silvers Show'', originally titled ''You'll Never Get Rich'', is a sitcom which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959. A pilot titled "Audition Show" was made in 1955, but it was never broadcast. 143 other episodes were broadcast – all half-a ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Sgt. Bilko'', a.k.a. ''You'll Never Get Rich'') in the late 1950s, and as the stumbling, overconfident quasi- outlaw biker Eric Von Zipper in beach party films during the 1960s. He also turned in noteworthy performances in both the stage and screen versions of '' Stalag 17''. He was the father of actor and director Michael Lembeck and actress Helaine Lembeck.

Early life

Born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, Lembeck started his career right out of New Utrecht High School, as a dancer at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. He was half of an exhibition dance team known as The Dancing Carrolls. His partner, Caroline Dubs, became his wife. The son of a Brooklyn button manufacturer, Lembeck yearned for a career as a radio sports announcer. Following his discharge from the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

in 1945, he attended

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

, obtaining a degree in radio arts in 1947. However, he chose the stage as a career upon the advice of one of his instructors, Prof. Robert Emerson, who had seen him perform in college plays. Lembeck was

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

Career

1940s and 1950s

Two weeks after graduation, Lembeck won the role of Sam Insigna in '' Mister Roberts'', which he played on Broadway for nearly three years. Lembeck made three films for

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

: '' You're in the Navy Now'', ''

Fourteen Hours ''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel. The film won critical accla ...

'', and '' The Frogmen'', all released in the first half of 1951. He went back to Broadway as Sgt. Harry Shapiro in '' Stalag 17'', subsequently playing the same role in the film version directed by

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holly ...

, earning the Theater Owners of America's Laurel Award for outstanding comedy performance and best possibility for stardom. From 1952 to 1954 Lembeck also made nine other films, mostly playing military stereotypes. However, the role of Harry Shapiro as portrayed by Lembeck was significant in as it demonstrated the resiliency of the average American under the extreme duress as a prisoner of war during WWII. In 1954, he returned to Broadway, appearing in the play ''Wedding Breakfast''. That same year, he appeared with Skip Homeier in the episode "Eye for an Eye" of the NBC legal drama ''

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

'', based on case studies of the Legal Aid Society of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. His stint with

Phil Silvers Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911 – November 1, 1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah". His career as a professional entertainer spanned nearly sixty years. Silvers achieved major popu ...

' popular ''

Sergeant Bilko ''The Phil Silvers Show'', originally titled ''You'll Never Get Rich'', is a sitcom which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959. A pilot titled "Audition Show" was made in 1955, but it was never broadcast. 143 other episodes were broadcast – all half- ...

'' series began in 1955. Lembeck played Bilko's sidekick, Corporal Rocco Barbella. The show ran for four years. Lembeck also performed onstage in 1955 in the musical revue ''Phoenix '55'', played Luther Billis in the 1957 production of ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

'' and from 1959 to 1961 was the standby for the role of Fiorello LaGuardia in the musical ''

Fiorello! ''Fiorello!'' is a musical about New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia, a reform Republican, which debuted on Broadway in 1959, and tells the story of how La Guardia took on the Tammany Hall political machine. The book is by Jerome Weidman an ...

''."Harvey Lembeck"
on the

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade asso ...

1960s and 1970s

In the 1961-1962

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

season, Lembeck played a theatrical agent, Jerry Roper, in the ABC

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

'' The Hathaways'', starring Peggy Cass and Jack Weston as "parents" to the performing Marquis Chimps. He appeared twice as "Al" in "Variations on a Theme" and "Music Hath Charms" (both 1961) on another ABC sitcom, '' The Donna Reed Show''. Having spent a great deal of his adult life in uniform, Lembeck once again donned Navy togs in the 1962–1963 season to co-star with Dean Jones in the NBC sitcom ''

Ensign O'Toole ''Ensign O'Toole'' is an American situation comedy that stars Dean Jones in the title role as an officer aboard the United States Navy destroyer USS ''Appleby'' in the early 1960s. It aired from 1962 to 1963. Synopsis Ensign O'Toole is a junior ...

''. He co-starred with

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and ...

in ''

Love with the Proper Stranger ''Love with the Proper Stranger'' is a 1963 American romantic comedy-drama film made by Pakula- Mulligan Productions and Boardwalk Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and produced by Alan J. Pakula ...

'' and then spent part of the early 1960s playing the lovable bad guy malaprop Eric Von Zipper in six American International beach party films, with Frankie Avalon and

Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She was one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the orig ...

. (He did not appear in the second "beach" film, 1964's ''

Muscle Beach Party ''Muscle Beach Party'' is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series. D ...

''.) The Von Zipper character, leader of the Rat Pack motorcycle gang, was a parody of

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

's role in '' The Wild One'' (Von Zipper reveals in ''Beach Blanket Bingo'' that one of his idols was "Marlo Brandon".) Among other things, Von Zipper pronounced his judgments on others by saying "Him, I like", or "Him, I do ''not'' like". In 1964 he also co-starred with

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

in '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown''. In 1964, Jack Kosslyn of the Mercury Theatre asked Lembeck to take over his actors' workshop. Lembeck took this opportunity to create his comedy workshop. Initially working with comedy scripts, he soon ran out of good comedy material and found that improv was a wonderful tool to teach and exercise comedy. He realized that the improv method, new in the early 1960s, was one of the best ways to develop actors' comedy instincts. Lembeck returned to the theatre to star as Sancho Panza in the first national company of ''

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay '' I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cerva ...

''. President

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

chose this company to give a command performance at

the White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 180 ...

. During the late 1960s and 1970s, Lembeck became a mainstay on television, making over 200 guest appearances, including '' Ben Casey'', '' Mr. Novak'', '' The Munsters'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' Route 66'', '' The Monkees'', '' Night Gallery'', '' It Takes a Thief'', '' The Partridge Family'', '' Chico and the Man'', '' Vega$'', ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

'', '' Hawkins'', ''

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...

'' and '' Mork and Mindy''. Lembeck also directed the road companies of '' Stalag 17'' and '' Mister Roberts'', along with the revues ''A Night at the Mark'' in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

and ''Flush'' in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...

Death

Lembeck continued to perform and teach acting up until his death from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

on January 5, 1982. He was performing in an episode of '' Mork and Mindy'' when he took ill, collapsed as he was leaving the set and died. He was 58 years old. In an interview taped shortly before his own death in 1985,

said he was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of his friend Lembeck, and missed him terribly.Interview taken from ''Sgt. Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition (The Phil Silvers Show) '' DVD

Theatrical appearances

* '' Mister Roberts'' (2/18/48-1/6/1951, 1157 performances, at the Alvin Theatre) – Insigna (with Karl Lukas, Tige Andrews,

Murray Hamilton Murray Hamilton (March 24, 1923 – September 1, 1986) was an American stage, screen, and television character actor who appeared in such films as '' Anatomy of a Murder'', '' The Hustler'', '' The Graduate'', ''Jaws'' and '' The Amityvill ...

, all from ''

'') * '' Stalag 17'' (5/8/51-6/21/52, 472 performances, at the 48th Street Theatre) – Sgt. Harry Shapiro (with Robert Strauss,

Allan Melvin Allan John Melvin (February 18, 1923 – January 17, 2008) was an American actor and impressionist, who was cast in hundreds of television episodes from the 1950s to the early 1990s, often appearing in recurring roles on various series. Some of th ...

, Bob Shawley, all from ''The Phil Silvers Show''; Strauss and Lembeck appeared in the filmed version) * ''Wedding Breakfast'' (11/20/54-2/26/55, 113 performances, at the 48th Street Theatre) – Norman (with

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's '' Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Doug ...

, and

Tony Franciosa Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed as Tony Franciosa at the height of his career. He began his career on stage and made a breakthrough portraying the brother of t ...

) * ''Phoenix '55'' (5/23/55-7/17/55, 97 performances, at the Phoenix Theatre; with Nancy Walker) * ''

'' (4/24/57-12/5/55, 23 performances, at the New York City Center – Luther Billis) * '' Oklahoma!'' (3/19/58-3/30/58, 16 performances, at New York City Center) – Ali Hakim * ''

'' – Sancho Panza (touring company, performed at the White House for President Lyndon B. Johnson)

Selected filmography

* '' You're in the Navy Now'' (1951) - Norelli * ''

'' (1951) - Cab Driver (uncredited) * '' The Frogmen'' (1951) - Marvin W. 'Canarsie' Mikowsky * '' Finders Keepers'' (1952) - Undetermined Role * ''

Just Across the Street ''Just Across the Street'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Ann Sheridan and John Lund.Bubbeo p.206 Plot Henrietta applies for a job as a social secretary for the wealthy Medford family, and while at their ...

'' (1952) - Al * '' Back at the Front'', also known as ''Willie and Joe Back at the Front'' (1952) - Joe * '' Girls in the Night'' (1953) - Chuck Haynes * '' Stalag 17'' (1953) - Sgt. Harry Shapiro * '' Mission Over Korea'' (1953) - Sgt. Maxie Steiner * '' The Command'' (1954) - Pvt. Gottschalk * '' Between Heaven and Hell'' (1956) - Pvt. Bernard 'Bernie' Meleski - Co. G * '' The Last Time I Saw Archie'' (1961) - Duty Sgt. Malcolm Greenbriar * '' Sail a Crooked Ship'' (1961) - Nickels * ''

A View from the Bridge ''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...

'' (1962) - Mike * '' Beach Party'' (1963) - Eric Von Zipper * ''

'' (1963) - Julio Rossini * '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (1964) - Polak * '' Bikini Beach'' (1964) - Eric Von Zipper * '' Pajama Party'' (1964) - Eric Von Zipper * ''

Beach Blanket Bingo ''Beach Blanket Bingo'' is a 1965 American beach party film directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the Beach Party film series. The film stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickl ...

'' (1965) - Eric Von Zipper * '' How to Stuff a Wild Bikini'' (1965) - Eric Von Zipper * ''

Sergeant Deadhead ''Sergeant Deadhead'' is a 1965 musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Frankie Avalon. It features many cast members who appeared in the ''Beach Party'' movies. Plot Sergeant Deadhead is a bumbling soldier who is sent to the g ...

'' (1965) - Airman McEvoy * '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' (1965) - Motorcycle Thug in Dungeon * ''

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini ''Ghost in the Invisible Bikini'' is the seventh and last of American International Pictures' beach party films. Released in 1966, the film features the cast cavorting in and around a haunted house and the adjacent swimming pool. No beach appe ...

'' (1966) - Eric Von Zipper * '' Fireball 500'' (1966) - Charlie Bigg * '' The Spirit Is Willing'' (1967) - Capt. Pederson (uncredited) * ''

Hello Down There ''Hello Down There'' (rereleased in 1974 as ''Sub-A-Dub-Dub'') is a 1969 American comedy-adventure film starring Tony Randall and Janet Leigh that was released by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by George Sherman and Ivan Tors and directed ...

'' (1969) - Sonarman * ''A Likely Story'' (1973) * '' There Is No 13'' (1974) - Older George * '' Raid on Entebbe'' (1976, TV Movie) - Mr. Harvey * ''

The Gong Show Movie ''The Gong Show Movie'' is a 1980 American slapstick film starring, co-written and directed by Chuck Barris, the host and creator of the popular game show with the same name. Plot The film shows a fictional week in the life of Chuck Barris as th ...

'' (1980) - Man in Steam Room

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lembeck, Harvey 1923 births 1982 deaths American male film actors Jewish American male actors American male stage actors American male television actors Burials at Eden Memorial Park Cemetery Tisch School of the Arts alumni Jewish American comedians Male actors from New York City United States Army personnel of World War II People from Brooklyn 20th-century American male actors New Utrecht High School alumni United States Army soldiers