Ralph Tabakin (September 22, 1921 – May 13, 2001) was an American actor.
Career
In his acting career, Tabakin is most associated with the work of
Barry Levinson
Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American filmmaker, comedian and actor. Levinson's best-known works are mid-budget comedy drama and drama films such as '' Diner'' (1982); ''The Natural'' (1984); '' Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987); ...
, as he appeared in fifteen of Levinson's films from ''
Diner'' onward. His appearance in ''Diner'' began after a visit to the set where he impressed Levinson. Considered a lucky charm of Levinson,
Tabakin is perhaps best known for playing
medical examiner
The medical examiner is an appointed official in some American jurisdictions who is trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictio ...
Dr. Scheiner on the Levinson-produced TV series ''
Homicide: Life on the Street'', a recurring character from the
first episode
A series premiere is the first aired installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. In the United States, many series premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or ...
through all
seven seasons and the follow-up ''
Homicide: The Movie''.
Personal life
Born in
San Antonio, Texas
("Cradle of Freedom")
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, he was the middle child in a family of five. They would also live in
, before moving and settling in Richmond, Virginia. He was a
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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
veteran, being decorated with five
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...
s and two
Bronze Stars
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
.
He also worked as a
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
engineer for several years.
He died in 2001 due to heart disease.
He is buried in Judean Memorial Gardens in
Olney, Maryland
Olney is a U.S. census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located in the north central part of the county, north of Washington, D.C.
Olney was largely agricultural unti ...
.
Filmography
See also
*
Late bloomer
A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual.
Late bloomer or Late bloomers may also refer to:
* ''Late Bloomers'' (2006 film) (German: ''Die Herbstzeitlosen''), 2006 Swiss film direct ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabakin, Ralph
1921 births
2001 deaths
American male film actors
American male television actors
People from Silver Spring, Maryland
20th-century American male actors
United States Army personnel of World War II
United States Army soldiers