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Harvey Lembeck

January 29, 2023

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 (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.

Harvey Lembeck
as "Eric von Zipper"
Born(1923-04-15)April 15, 1923
Brooklyn, New York City, US
DiedJanuary 5, 1982(1982-01-05) (aged 58)
Los Angeles, California, US
Years active1947–1982
SpouseCaroline Dubs
ChildrenMichael Lembeck
Helaine Lembeck

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, 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.[1]

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 at the end of World War II in 1945, he attended New York University, 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.[2]

Lembeck was Jewish.[3]

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: You're in the Navy Now, Fourteen Hours, and The Frogmen, all released in the first half of 1951.[4] He went back to Broadway as Sgt. Harry Shapiro in Stalag 17,[5] subsequently playing the same role in the film version directed by Billy Wilder,[4] 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 play Wedding Breakfast.[5] That same year, he appeared with Skip Homeier in the episode "Eye for an Eye" of the NBC legal drama Justice, based on case studies of the Legal Aid Society of New York.[6] His stint with Phil Silvers' popular Sergeant Bilko series began in 1955. Lembeck played Bilko's sidekick, Corporal Rocco Barbella.[4] 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[7] and from 1959 to 1961 was the standby for the role of Fiorello LaGuardia in the musical Fiorello!.[5]

1960s and 1970s

In the 1961-1962 television season, Lembeck played a theatrical agent, Jerry Roper, in the ABC sitcom 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.[4]

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.[4] He co-starred with Steve McQueen in Love with the Proper Stranger 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.[4] (He did not appear in the second "beach" film, 1964's Muscle Beach Party.) The Von Zipper character, leader of the Rat Pack motorcycle gang, was a parody of Marlon Brando'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 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. President Lyndon Johnson chose this company to give a command performance at the White House.[citation needed]

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, Hawkins, Batman and Mork and Mindy.[4]

Lembeck also directed the road companies of Stalag 17 and Mister Roberts, along with the revues A Night at the Mark in San Francisco and Flush in Las Vegas.

Death

Lembeck continued to perform and teach acting up until his death from a heart attack 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, Phil Silvers said he was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of his friend Lembeck, and missed him terribly.[8]

Theatrical appearances

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Staff (March 28, 2013) "Harvey Lembeck Stays Liked" Classic Film and TV Café
  2. ^ "Harvey Lembeck and the Ratz and Mice Cast Music of the Beach Party Movies" BeachPartyMovieMusic.com
  3. ^ Abramovitch, Ilana and Galvin, Seán (2002) Jews of Brooklyn Boston: Brandeis University Press. Accessed January 1, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Harvey Lembeck". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Harvey Lembeck" on the Internet Broadway Database
  6. ^ "Justice". The Classic TV Archive. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  7. ^ Dietz, Dan (2014). The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-4422-3504-5.
  8. ^ Interview taken from Sgt. Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition (The Phil Silvers Show) DVD

External links

January 29, 2023
harvey, lembeck, april, 1923, january, 1982, american, comedic, actor, best, remembered, role, rocco, barbella, phil, silvers, show, bilko, never, rich, late, 1950s, stumbling, overconfident, quasi, outlaw, biker, eric, zipper, beach, party, films, during, 196. 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 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 Harvey Lembeckas Eric von Zipper Born 1923 04 15 April 15 1923Brooklyn New York City USDiedJanuary 5 1982 1982 01 05 aged 58 Los Angeles California USYears active1947 1982SpouseCaroline DubsChildrenMichael LembeckHelaine Lembeck Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 1940s and 1950s 2 2 1960s and 1970s 3 Death 4 Theatrical appearances 5 Selected filmography 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditBorn in Brooklyn 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 1 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 at the end of World War II in 1945 he attended New York University 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 2 Lembeck was Jewish 3 Career Edit1940s and 1950s Edit 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 You re in the Navy Now Fourteen Hours and The Frogmen all released in the first half of 1951 4 He went back to Broadway as Sgt Harry Shapiro in Stalag 17 5 subsequently playing the same role in the film version directed by Billy Wilder 4 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 play Wedding Breakfast 5 That same year he appeared with Skip Homeier in the episode Eye for an Eye of the NBC legal drama Justice based on case studies of the Legal Aid Society of New York 6 His stint with Phil Silvers popular Sergeant Bilko series began in 1955 Lembeck played Bilko s sidekick Corporal Rocco Barbella 4 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 7 and from 1959 to 1961 was the standby for the role of Fiorello LaGuardia in the musical Fiorello 5 1960s and 1970s Edit In the 1961 1962 television season Lembeck played a theatrical agent Jerry Roper in the ABC sitcom 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 4 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 4 He co starred with Steve McQueen in Love with the Proper Stranger 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 4 He did not appear in the second beach film 1964 s Muscle Beach Party The Von Zipper character leader of the Rat Pack motorcycle gang was a parody of Marlon Brando 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 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 President Lyndon Johnson chose this company to give a command performance at the White House citation needed 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 Hawkins Batman and Mork and Mindy 4 Lembeck also directed the road companies of Stalag 17 and Mister Roberts along with the revues A Night at the Mark in San Francisco and Flush in Las Vegas Death EditLembeck continued to perform and teach acting up until his death from a heart attack 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 Phil Silvers said he was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of his friend Lembeck and missed him terribly 8 Theatrical appearances EditMister Roberts 2 18 48 1 6 1951 1157 performances at the Alvin Theatre Insigna with Karl Lukas Tige Andrews Murray Hamilton all from The Phil Silvers Show Stalag 17 5 8 51 6 21 52 472 performances at the 48th Street Theatre Sgt Harry Shapiro with Robert Strauss Allan Melvin 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 and Tony Franciosa Phoenix 55 5 23 55 7 17 55 97 performances at the Phoenix Theatre with Nancy Walker South Pacific 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 Man of La Mancha Sancho Panza touring company performed at the White House for President Lyndon B Johnson Selected filmography EditYou 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 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 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 RoomReferences Edit Staff March 28 2013 Harvey Lembeck Stays Liked Classic Film and TV Cafe Harvey Lembeck and the Ratz and Mice Cast Music of the Beach Party Movies BeachPartyMovieMusic com Abramovitch Ilana and Galvin Sean 2002 Jews of Brooklyn Boston Brandeis University Press Accessed January 1 2016 a b c d e f g Harvey Lembeck TVGuide com TV Guide Retrieved 18 December 2020 a b c Harvey Lembeck on the Internet Broadway Database Justice The Classic TV Archive Retrieved February 8 2011 Dietz Dan 2014 The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals Rowman amp Littlefield p 279 ISBN 978 1 4422 3504 5 Interview taken from Sgt Bilko 50th Anniversary Edition The Phil Silvers Show DVDExternal links EditHarvey Lembeck at IMDb Harvey Lembeck at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harvey Lembeck amp oldid 1135108974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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