Harvey Lembeck

Harvey Lembeck
as "Eric von Zipper"
Born	(1923-04-15)April 15, 1923 Brooklyn,New York City,US
Died	January 5, 1982(1982-01-05)(aged 58) Los Angeles,California,US
Years active	1947–1982
Spouse	Caroline Dubs
Children	Michael Lembeck Helaine Lembeck

Harvey Lembeck(April 15, 1923 – January 5, 1982) was an American comedic actor best remembered for his role as Cpl. Rocco Barbella onThe Phil Silvers Show(a.k.a.Sgt. Bilko,a.k.a.You'll Never Get Rich) in the late 1950s, and as the stumbling, overconfident quasi-outlaw bikerEric Von Zipper inbeach party filmsduring the 1960s. He also turned in noteworthy performances in both the stage and screen versions ofStalag 17.He was the father of actor and directorMichael Lembeckand actress Helaine Lembeck.

Early life

Lembeck was born inBrooklynto a Jewish family.Lembeck started his career right out ofNew Utrecht High School,as a dancer at the 1939-40New 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 theU.S. Armyat the end ofWorld War IIin 1945, he attendedNew York University,obtaining a degree in radio arts in 1947. However, he chose thestageas a career upon the advice of one of his instructors, Prof. Robert Emerson, who had seen him perform in college plays.

Career

1940s and 1950s

Two weeks after graduation, Lembeck won the role of Sam Insigna inMister Roberts,which he played onBroadwayfor nearly three years.

Lembeck made three films for20th Century Fox:You're in the Navy Now,Fourteen Hours,andThe Frogmen,all released in the first half of 1951.He went back to Broadway as Sgt. Harry Shapiro inStalag 17,subsequently playing the same role in the film version directed byBilly Wilder,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, 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 playWedding Breakfast.That same year, he appeared withSkip Homeierin the episode "Eye for an Eye" of theNBClegal dramaJustice,based on case studies of the Legal Aid Society ofNew York.His stint withPhil Silvers' popularSergeant Bilkoseries 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 musicalrevuePhoenix '55,played Luther Billis in the 1957 production ofSouth Pacificand from 1959 to 1961 was the standby for the role ofFiorello LaGuardiain the musicalFiorello!.

1960s and 1970s

In the 1961-1962televisionseason, Lembeck played a theatrical agent, Jerry Roper, in theABCsitcomThe Hathaways,starringPeggy CassandJack Westonas "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 withDean Jonesin theNBCsitcomEnsign O'Toole.He co-starred withSteve McQueeninLove with the Proper Strangerand then spent part of the early 1960s playing the lovable bad guymalapropEric Von Zipper in sixAmerican Internationalbeach party films, withFrankie AvalonandAnnette Funicello.(He did not appear in the second "beach" film, 1964'sMuscle Beach Party.) The Von Zipper character, leader of the Rat Pack motorcycle gang, was a parody ofMarlon Brando's role inThe Wild One(Von Zipper reveals inBeach Blanket Bingothat 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 donotlike ". In 1964 he also co-starred withDebbie ReynoldsinThe 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 thatimprovwas 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 asSancho Panzain the first national company ofMan of La Mancha.PresidentLyndon Johnsonchose this company to give a command performance atthe White House.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, Lembeck became a mainstay on television, making over 200 guest appearances, includingBen 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,Hawkins,BatmanandMork and Mindy.

Lembeck also directed the road companies ofStalag 17andMister Roberts,along with the revuesA Night at the MarkinSan FranciscoandFlushinLas Vegas.

Death

Lembeck was guest starring in an episode ofMork and Mindywhen he suffered aheart attack,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,Phil Silverssaid he was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of his friend Lembeck, and missed him terribly.

Theatrical appearances

• Mister Roberts(February 18, 1948-January 6, 1951, 1157 performances, at theAlvin Theatre) – Insigna (with Karl Lukas,Tige Andrews,Murray Hamilton,all fromThe Phil Silvers Show)
• Stalag 17(May 8, 1951-June 21, 1952, 472 performances, at the48th Street Theatre) – Sgt. Harry Shapiro (withRobert Strauss,Allan Melvin,Bob Shawley, all fromThe Phil Silvers Show;Strauss and Lembeck appeared in the filmed version)
• Wedding Breakfast(November 20, 1954-February 26, 1955, 113 performances, at the 48th Street Theatre) – Norman (withLee Grant,andTony Franciosa)
• Phoenix '55(May 23, 1955-July 17, 1955, 97 performances, at thePhoenix Theatre;withNancy Walker)
• South Pacific(April 24, 1955 -December 5, 1955, 23 performances, at theNew York City Center– Luther Billis)
• Oklahoma!(March 19, 1958-March 30, 1958, 16 performances, atNew York City Center) – Ali Hakim
• Man of La Mancha– Sancho Panza (touring company, performed at the White House for PresidentLyndon B. Johnson)

Selected filmography

• You're in the Navy Now(1951) - Norelli
• Fourteen Hours(1951) - Cab Driver (uncredited)
• The Frogmen(1951) - Marvin W. 'Canarsie' Mikowsky
• Finders Keepers(1952) - Undetermined Role
• Just Across the Street(1952) - Al
• Back at the Front,also known asWillie 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(1962) - Mike
• Beach Party(1963) - Eric Von Zipper
• Love with the Proper Stranger(1963) - Julio Rossini
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown(1964) - Polak
• Bikini Beach(1964) - Eric Von Zipper
• Pajama Party(1964) - Eric Von Zipper
• Beach Blanket Bingo(1965) - Eric Von Zipper
• How to Stuff a Wild Bikini(1965) - Eric Von Zipper
• Sergeant Deadhead(1965) - Airman McEvoy
• Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine(1965) - Motorcycle Thug in Dungeon
• The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini(1966) - Eric Von Zipper
• Fireball 500(1966) - Charlie Bigg
• The Spirit Is Willing(1967) - Capt. Pederson (uncredited)
• Hello Down There(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(1980) - Man in Steam Room

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1955-59	The Phil Silvers Show	Cpl. Rocco Barbella, Indian Chief, Self	142 episodes
1962-63	Ensign O'Toole	Seaman Gabby Di Julio	31 episodes
1965	My Favorite Martian	Rembrandt Jones	S2:E38, "Portrait in Brown"
1966	The Monkees	Fuselli	S1:E11, "Monkees à la Carte"
1973-78	All In The Family	Sam, Wally	2 episodes
1978	CHiPs	Champagne truck driver	S1:E15, "Surf's Up"
1979	The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo	Hank	S1:E8, "Buttercup, Birdie, and Buried Bucks"
1981-82	Mork & Mindy	Ovits	2 episodes

External links

• Harvey LembeckatIMDb
• Harvey Lembeckat theInternet Broadway Database