Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (November 30, 1918 – May 2, 2014) was an American actor best known for his starring roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. He is also known as recurring character "Dandy Jim Buckley" in the series Maverick and as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Animated Universe.
Zimbalist was born in 1918 in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants Efrem Zimbalist Sr. (1889–1985), a famous Russian-born violinist and symphony conductor, and Alma Gluck (1884–1938), an equally famous Romanian-born operatic soprano. He had an older sister, Mary (1915–2008), along with a half-sister from his mother's first marriage, author Marcia Davenport (1903–1996). His stepmother was Mary Louise Curtis Bok Zimbalist, the founder of the Curtis Institute of Music. Both parents converted to Anglican Christianity and regularly attended the Episcopal Church. Efrem Jr. attended Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts.
Zimbalist boarded at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, taking part in school plays. He briefly attended Yale University but was expelled, reinstated and expelled a second time on account of low grades. He moved back to New York City in 1936 to work as a page for NBC radio where he had small on-air roles as well as presenting shows. He furthered his acting training at Neighborhood Playhouse before serving in the United States Army during World War II, where he became friends with writer and director Garson Kanin.
Zimbalist was drafted in 1941. Inducted into the United States Army, he completed his initial training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Selected for officer candidate school, after graduation in 1943 he received his commission as a second lieutenant of Infantry. Zimbalist was assigned as a platoon leader in Company L, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division and participated in combat in Europe following the Normandy landings. He was discharged at the end of the war, and his awards and decorations included the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge, in addition to the Purple Heart he received for a shrapnel wound to his leg during the battle of Hürtgen Forest.
Following the war, Zimbalist returned to New York and made his Broadway acting debut in The Rugged Path, starring Spencer Tracy. This led to a stage career as both actor and producer. His producing successes included bringing three Gian Carlo Menotti operas to Broadway, one of which, The Consul, won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1950.
In 1954–1955, he co-starred in his first television series, Concerning Miss Marlowe.
In 1956, Zimbalist was put under contract by Warner Bros. and moved to Hollywood. Zimbalist's first recurring role in a Warner Bros. Television series was as roguish gambler "Dandy Jim Buckley" on Maverick, opposite James Garner in 1957, and making five appearances as the character. In 1958, Zimbalist played the co-lead Stuart "Stu" Bailey in 77 Sunset Strip, a popular detective series running until 1964.
During this period, he made several concurrent appearances in other Warner Bros. television shows, such as Hawaiian Eye, The Alaskans, and Bronco. He also starred as the lead in several feature films for Warners, such as Bombers B-52, The Deep Six, A Fever in the Blood and The Chapman Report. Zimbalist was in such demand during this time that he was given a vacation by Jack L. Warner, owing to exhaustion from his busy schedule.
Jack Warner lent him to Columbia Pictures for By Love Possessed in exchange for adding several years to his Warners' contract, but he refused to let Zimbalist appear in BUtterfield 8 for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
In 1959, he was awarded the Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer – Male".
1971
Apart from 77 Sunset Strip, Zimbalist was most widely known for his starring role as Inspector Lewis Erskine in the Quinn Martin television production The F.B.I., which premiered on September 19, 1965, and aired its final episode on April 28, 1974. Zimbalist was generous in his praise of producer Martin and of his own experience starring in the show. Those who worked with him were equally admiring of the star's professionalism and likable personality.
Zimbalist maintained a strong personal relationship with F.B.I. director J. Edgar Hoover, who requested that the show be technically accurate and portray his agents in the best possible light, and he insisted actors playing F.B.I. employees undergo a background check. Zimbalist subsequently spent a week in contact with Hoover in Washington, D.C., and at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The men remained mutual admirers for the rest of Hoover's life.[16] Hoover held up Zimbalist as a model for F.B.I. employees' personal appearance.
In December 1941, Zimbalist married his first wife, Emily Munroe McNair. They had two children, Efrem "Skip" Zimbalist III (b. 1947) and Nancy (1944–2012). In January 1950, Emily died from cancer.
In 1956, Zimbalist married Loranda Stephanie Spalding. Loranda's middle name was given to their daughter, actress Stephanie Zimbalist. On February 5, 2007, aged 73, Loranda died from lung cancer.
1977
Zimbalist died at the age of 95, the same age at which his father had died, on May 2, 2014, from natural causes.
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- YIELDS
- 1 dozen
- CHILL TIME
- 8 Hr
- COOK TIME
- 25 Min
These are a real Southern specialty, and if you've never had the chance to try them, you'd better get ready to eat more than one! These Tangy Pickled Eggs are an old-fashioned Southern recipe that is now easy to make at home! Just a few simple steps and simple ingredients and you'll be making Tangy Pickled Eggs in no time!
- 12 eggs
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Place eggs in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them; bring to boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 20 minutes. Drain hot water then run cold water over eggs. Let eggs cool 5 to 10 minutes, then peel. Place in a large canning jar or bowl and set aside.
- In large saucepan over high heat, combine remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Allow to cool slightly then carefully pour mixture over eggs. Cover and chill overnight before serving.
1932 – Ted Cassidy, American actor (d. 1979)
1939 – France Nuyen, French actress
1965 – J. K. Rowling, British writer
Super Food
Beauty
