Jesse Kenneth Tobey (March 23, 1917 – December 22, 2002) was an American actor active from the early 1940s into the 1990s, with over 200 credits in film, theatre, and television. He is best known for his role as a captain who takes charge of an Arctic military base when it is attacked by a plant-based alien in '' The Thing from Another World'' (1951), and a starring role in the 1957-1960

Desilu Productions Desilu Productions, Inc. () was an American television production company founded and co-owned by husband and wife Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. The company is best known for shows such as ''I Love Lucy'', '' The Lucy Show'', '' Mannix'', '' The ...

TV series '' Whirlybirds''.

Early years

Tobey was born in 1917 in

Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...

. Following his graduation from high school in 1935, he entered the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

, with intentions to pursue a career in law, until he began to dabble in acting at the school's theater. His stage experience there led to a drama scholarship, a year-and-a-half of study at New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse, where his classmates included fellow actors

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...

Eli Wallach Eli Herschel Wallach ( ; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. Known for his character actor roles, his entertainment career spanned over six decades. He received a British Aca ...

, and Tony Randall."Kenneth Tobey Probably Has Reddest Hair in the World".
Retrieved May 24, 2017. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Tobey joined the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, serving in the

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 the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...

as a rear gunner aboard a B-25

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...

Career

Throughout the 1940s, with the exception of his time in military service, Tobey acted on Broadway and in

summer stock In American theater, summer stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock ...

Film

After appearing in a 1943 film short, ''The Man of the Ferry'', he made his Hollywood film debut in the 1947 Hopalong Cassidy Western '' Dangerous Venture''. He then went on to appear in scores of features and on numerous television series. In the 1949 film '' Twelve O' Clock High'', he is the negligent airbase sentry who is dressed down by General Frank Savage (played by

). That same year, Tobey performed in a brief comedy bit in another film, '' I Was a Male War Bride'' starring

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

. His performance in that minor part caught the attention of director

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...

, who promised to use the 32-year-old actor in something more substantial. In 1951, Tobey was cast in

' production '' The Thing from Another World''. In this classic

sci-fi Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

film he portrays Captain Patrick Hendry, a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

pilot, who at the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

leads a scientific outpost's dogged defense against an alien portrayed by James Arness, later the star of the television series ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

''. Tobey's performance in Hawks' film garnered the actor other parts in science-fiction movies in the 1950s, usually reprising his role as a military officer, such as in ''

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' is a 1953 American independent monster film directed by Eugène Lourié, with stop motion animation by Ray Harryhausen. It is partly based on Ray Bradbury's 1951 short story of the same name, which was later ...

'' (1953) and '' It Came from Beneath the Sea'' (1955). In 1957, Tobey portrayed a sheriff in '' The Vampire'' (a film that some sources today often confuse with the 1935 production '' Mark of the Vampire''). That year, he also appeared in a more prestigious film, serving as a featured supporting character with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

and Maureen O'Hara, the co-stars of

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

's '' The Wings of Eagles''. In that film, Tobey, with his naturally red hair on display in vibrant Metrocolor, portrays a highly competitive

United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...

officer. In one memorable scene, he has the distinction of shoving a piece of gooey cake into John Wayne's face, whose character is a rival United States Navy aviation officer. Not surprisingly, a room-wrecking brawl ensues. Tobey's work over the next several decades was increasingly involved in television productions. He did, though, continue to perform in a range of feature films, such as '' Stark Fear'', '' Marlowe'' starring James Garner as Raymond Chandler's detective Philip Marlowe, '' Billy Jack'' starring Tom Laughlin, '' Walking Tall'' starring Joe Don Baker, '' The Howling'', the war movie '' MacArthur'' (in which he portrays Admiral William "Bull" Halsey), ''

Airplane! ''Airplane!'' (alternatively titled ''Flying High!'') is a 1980 American disaster film, disaster comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams and brothers David Zucker, David and Jerry Zucker in their List of directorial debuts, directoria ...

'', '' Gremlins'', '' Big Top Pee-wee'' starring Paul Reubens, and '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch''.

Television

Tobey appeared in the 1952 episode "Counterfeit Plates" on the CBS series '' Biff Baker, U.S.A.'', an espionage drama starring

Alan Hale Jr. Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; March 8, 1921 – January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead ro ...

He portrayed a plainclothes policeman in a 1953 episode of the

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

'' Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars'' starring Angela Lansbury and Morris Ankrum, including a lengthy fistfight between Tobey's and Ankrum's characters. He was cast in the 1954-1955 CBS

legal drama Legal drama, also called courtroom drama, is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in wh ...

'' The Public Defender'' starring Reed Hadley. He guest-starred in three episodes of NBC's

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

''Frontier''. His ''Frontier'' roles were as Wade Trippe in "In Nebraska" (1955) and then as Gabe Sharp in "Out from Texas" and "The Hostage" (1956). In 1955, he also portrayed legendary frontiersman Jim Bowie on ABC's ''

Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...

'', a

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

production, with Fess Parker in the title role. After Bowie's death in the series at the

Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution. Following a siege of the Alamo, 13-day siege, Mexico, Mexican troops under president of Mexico, President Antonio L� ...

, Tobey played a second character, Jocko, in the two final episodes of ''Davy Crockett''. Tobey then, in 1957, appeared in the syndicated religion

'' Crossroads'' in the role of Mr. Alston in the episode "Call for Help", and as Jim Callahan in "Bandit Chief" in the syndicated Western series '' The Sheriff of Cochise''. Later that same year, Tobey starred in the television series '' Whirlybirds'', a successful CBS and then-syndicated

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

produced by Desilu Studios. In it, he played the co-owner of a

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

charter service, along with Craig Hill. ''Whirlybirds'' was a major hit in the United States and abroad, with 111 episodes filmed through 1960. It remained in syndication worldwide for many years. In 1958, Tobey also appeared as John Wallach in the episode "$50 for a Dead Man" in Jeff Richards's NBC Western series '' Jefferson Drum''. In 1960, he guest-starred in the episode "West of Boston" of another NBC Western series, '' Overland Trail'', starring William Bendix and Doug McClure. Also in 1960, he appeared as Colonel Lake on ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

'' and on ABC's Western '' The Rebel'', starring Nick Adams. Tobey made three guest appearances on '' Perry Mason'', twice in 1960 and once in 1962 as Jack Alvin, a deputy district attorney. On the long-running Western series ''Gunsmoke,'' he portrayed a cruel, knife-wielding buffalo hunter in the 1960 episode titled "The Worm". Tobey in 1962 also guest-starred on another Western series, '' Lawman'', playing the character Duncan Clooney, an engineer who seeks to move a shipment of

nitroglycerin Nitroglycerin (NG) (alternative spelling nitroglycerine), also known as trinitroglycerol (TNG), nitro, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), or 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, is a dense, colorless or pale yellow, oily, explosive liquid most commonly produced by ...

through

Laramie, Wyoming Laramie () is a List of municipalities in Wyoming, city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States, known for its high elevation at , for its railroad history, and as the home of the University of Wyoming. The population wa ...

. When the town is evacuated to allow passage of the explosives, two of Clooney's employees decide they will take advantage of the situation to rob the bank. Tobey also guest-starred in Jack Lord's 1962-1963 ABC adventure series about a rodeo circuit rider, '' Stoney Burke''. In 1967, he performed on the series '' Lassie'', in the episode "Lure of the Wild", playing a retired forest ranger who tames a local coyote. He also appeared as a slave owner named Taggart in "The Wolf Man", a 1967 episode of ''Daniel Boone'', starring Fess Parker. A few of the many other series in which Tobey later performed include '' Adam-12'' (1969), '' S.W.A.T.'' (1975) as a desk sergeant who disapproves of Officer Luca's disheveled looks, '' Gibbsville'' (1976), MV ''Klickitat'' (1978), '' Emergency!'' (1975), and '' Night Court'' (1985). He became a semiregular on the NBC drama series '' I Spy'' as the field boss of agents Robinson and Scott, played by

Robert Culp Robert Martin Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was an American actor and screenwriter widely known for his work in television. Culp earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'' ( ...

and comedian

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...

. Christian Nyby, director of ''The Thing From Another World'', often directed those episodes. Tobey also portrayed a ship's captain on the '' Rockford Files'' starring James Garner in an episode titled "There's One in Every Port".

Theatre

Although Tobey had a busy acting career in films and on television, he also periodically returned to the stage. In 1964, he began a long run on Broadway opposite Sammy Davis Jr., in the musical version of Clifford Odets' play '' Golden Boy''. Some of his other Broadway credits are ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wil ...

'', ''Sunny River'', ''Janie'', ''Sons and Soldiers'', ''A New Life'', ''Suds in Your Eye'', ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' () is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition later that year in Saint Petersburg, via A.F. Marks Pu ...

'', and ''

Truckline Cafe ''Truckline Cafe'' was the title of a 1946 Broadway play written by Maxwell Anderson, directed by Harold Clurman, produced by Elia Kazan, and starring Marlon Brando and Karl Malden. The short-lived play ran only 10 performances and is best ...

''.

Later work

As his long career drew to a close, Tobey still received acting jobs from people who had grown up watching his performances in sci-fi films of the 1950s, particularly

Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director. His films—notably ''Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, ''Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix the 1950s-style B movie genre with Counterculture of th ...

, who included the veteran actor in his stock company of reliable players. Two appearances on the

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

'' Night Court'' came the same way, through fans of his work. Along with other character actors who had been in 1950s sci-fi and horror films (John Agar, Robert O. Cornthwaite, Gloria Talbott, etc.), Tobey starred in a spoof originally titled ''Attack of the B Movie Monster''. In 2005, Anthem Pictures released the completed feature version of this spoof on DVD under the new title '' The Naked Monster''. Tobey's scenes in that release were actually shot in 1985, so ''The Naked Monster'' is technically his final film credit, being released three years after his death. He had, however, continued to act throughout most of the 1990s. One of those notable roles is his performance in the 1994 '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' episode " Shadowplay" as Rurigan, an alien who recreates his dead friends as holograms. Among other examples of Tobey's final decade of work are his two appearances as Judge Kent Watson on the series ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and List of L.A. Law episodes, 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. The series cente ...

''.

Personal life

In 1968, Tobey married June Hutton. Tobey was an active member of the Republican party in southern California. He campaigned for Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election and again in 1956. He said he voted for Richard Nixon in 1960, Barry Goldwater in 1964 and Richard Nixon again in 1968. Many of his close friends, including John Charles Moffitt, Lela Rogers, Robert Montgomery and Ronald Reagan, were "friendly witnesses" for HUAC during the days of the Hollywood blacklist. Tobey died at age 85 on December 22, 2002, at the Eisenhower Memorial Hospital in

Rancho Mirage, California Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is a low-density desert community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. Nestled along the foothil ...

, after an unspecified but extended illness.Wilson, Scott (2016).
Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.
'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 750. . See also: * His remains were cremated by the Neptune Society, and his ashes taken by his daughter Tina.

Partial filmography

* ''The Man of the Ferry'' (1943, short) * '' Dangerous Venture'' (1947) – Red * '' This Time for Keeps'' (1948) – Redheaded Soldier at Pool (uncredited) * '' Beyond Glory'' (1948) – Bit Role (uncredited) * '' He Walked by Night'' (1948) – Detective Questioning Pete (uncredited) * '' The Stratton Story'' (1949) – Detroit Player (uncredited) * '' Illegal Entry'' (1949) – Dave (uncredited) * '' The Great Sinner'' (1949) – Cabbie (uncredited) * '' I Was a Male War Bride'' (1949) – Red, Seaman (uncredited) * '' The Stratton Story'' (1949) * ''

Task Force A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many ...

'' (1949) – Captain Ken Williamson (uncredited) * '' The Doctor and the Girl'' (1949) – Surgeon at Bellevue (uncredited) * '' Free for All'' (1949) – Pilot * '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949) – Sergeant Keller, Guard at Gate (uncredited) * '' The File on Thelma Jordon'' (1950) – Police Photographer (uncredited) * '' When Willie Comes Marching Home'' (1950) – Lieutenant K. Geiger (uncredited) * '' One Way Street'' (1950) – Cop at Second Accident (uncredited) * '' Love That Brute'' (1950) – Henchman #1 in Cigar Store (uncredited) * '' The Gunfighter'' (1950) – Swede (uncredited) * '' My Friend Irma Goes West'' (1950) – Pilot * '' Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye'' (1950) – Detective Fowler * '' Right Cross'' (1950) – Ken, the Third Reporter * '' Three Secrets'' (1950) – Officer (uncredited) * '' The Flying Missile'' (1950) – Crewman Pete McEvoy * '' The Company She Keeps'' (1951) – Rex Fisher (uncredited) * '' Up Front'' (1951) – Cooper (uncredited) * '' Rawhide'' (1951) – Lieutenant Wingate (uncredited) * '' The Thing from Another World'' (1951) – Captain Patrick Hendry * '' Angel Face'' (1952) – Bill Crompton * ''

'' (1953) – Colonel Jack Evans * '' Fighter Attack'' (1953) – George * '' The Bigamist'' (1953) – Tom Morgan, Defense Attorney * '' Ring of Fear'' (1954) – Shreveport * '' Down Three Dark Streets'' (1954) – FBI Agent Zack Stewart * '' The Steel Cage'' (1954) – Steinberg, Convict Painter (segment "The Face") * '' Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'' (1955) – Colonel Jim Bowie * '' Rage at Dawn'' (1955) – Monk Claxton * '' It Came from Beneath the Sea'' (1955) – Commander Pete Mathews * '' Davy Crockett and the River Pirates'' (1956) – Jocko * '' The Steel Jungle'' (1956) – Dr. Lewy * '' The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit'' (1956) – Lieutenant Hank Mahoney (uncredited) * '' The Great Locomotive Chase'' (1956) – Anthony Murphy * '' The Search for Bridey Murphy'' (1956) – Rex Simmons * '' The Wings of Eagles'' (1957) – Captain Herbert Allen Hazard * '' Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957) – Bat Masterson * '' The Vampire'' (1957) – Sheriff Buck Donnelly * '' Jet Pilot'' (1957) – Sergeant (uncredited) * '' Cry Terror!'' (1958) – Agent Frank Cole (uncredited) * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1959) (Season 5 Episode 13: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge") – Jeff, Confederate Colonel * ''

Bat Masterson (TV series) Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bor ...

'' (1960) – Reed Amherst (diamond con man) * '' Seven Ways from Sundown'' (1960) – Texas Ranger Lieutenant Herly * '' Perry Mason'' (1960) – Deputy District Attorney Jack Alvin – S4 E3, the I'll Fated Faker * ''

X-15 The North American X-15 is a Hypersonic speed, hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft which was operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the List of X-planes, X-plane series of ...

'' (1961) – Colonel Craig Brewster * '' Sea Hunt'' (1961) (Season 4 Episode 33) - Pete Butler * '' Stark Fear'' (1962) – Cliff Kane * '' 40 Guns to Apache Pass'' (1966) – Corporal Bodine * '' A Man Called Adam'' (1966) – Club Owner * '' A Time for Killing'' (1967) – Sergeant Cleehan * '' Marlowe'' (1969) – Sergeant Fred Beifus * '' Billy Jack'' (1971) – Deputy Mike * '' Terror in the Sky'' (1971) – Captain Wilson * '' Ben'' (1972) – Engineer * '' The Candidate'' (1972) – Floyd J. Starkey * '' Rage'' (1972) – Colonel Alan A. Nickerson * '' Walking Tall'' (1973) – Augie McCullah * '' Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry'' (1974) – Sheriff Carl Donahue * '' Homebodies'' (1974) – Construction Boss * '' The Missiles of October'' (1974) – Admiral George W. Anderson Jr., Chief of Naval Operations * '' The Wild McCullochs'' (1975) – Larry Carpenter * ''

W.C. Fields and Me ''W. C. Fields and Me'' is a 1976 American biographical film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Rod Steiger and Valerie Perrine. The screenplay by Bob Merrill is based on a memoir by Carlotta Monti, mistress of actor W. C. Fields during the l ...

'' (1976) – Parker * '' Baby Blue Marine'' (1976) – Buick Driver * '' Gus'' (1976) – Assistant Warden * '' MacArthur'' (1977) – Admiral William Halsey * '' Goodbye, Franklin High'' (1978) – Police Captain * '' Hero at Large'' (1980) – Firechief * ''

'' (1980) – Air Controller Neubauer * '' The Howling'' (1981) – Older Cop * '' Strange Invaders'' (1983) – Arthur Newman * '' Gremlins'' (1984) – Mobil Gas Station Attendant (uncredited) * '' The Lost Empire'' (1984) – Captain Hendry * '' Innerspace'' (1987) – Man in Restroom * '' Big Top Pee-wee'' (1988) – Sheriff * ''

Freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...

'' (1988) – Monsignor Kavanaugh * ''Ghost Writer'' (1989) – Cop #2 * '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990) – Projectionist * '' Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel'' (1991) – Captain Holiday * '' Honey, I Blew Up the Kid'' (1992) – Smitty * '' Single White Female'' (1992) – Desk Clerk * ''Body Shot'' (1994) – Arthur Lassen * '' Hellraiser: Bloodline'' (1996) – Hologram-Priest (uncredited) * '' The Naked Monster'' (2005) – Colonel Patrick Hendry (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Kenneth Tobey at Film Buff Online.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tobey, Kenneth 1917 births 2002 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Oakland, California Military personnel from California United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers