Joe Ploski

Joseph Henry Ploski (April 16, 1904 – May 17, 1993) was a Polish-American film and television actor. He was known for his appearance in the 1953 film Stalag 17, which starred William Holden, Don Taylor and Otto Preminger.^[1]

Joe Ploski
Ploski in Man with a Camera, 1958
Born	Joseph Henry Ploski (1904-04-16)April 16, 1904 Poland
Died	May 17, 1993(1993-05-17) (aged 89) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Film and television actor
Years active	1932–1970

Ploski Was born in Poland.^[2] Initially working as a baker,^[2] he saved his money to attend at a drama school.^[2] Ploski performed in vaudeville in Hollywood, California,^[2] and worked as a straight man for comedian Joe Lewis.^[3] He made his Broadway debut in 1932,^[3] and also worked in New York with Imogene Coca and Danny Kaye.^[4]

Ploski’s first screen credit was in the 1936 film Lady Be Careful. In 1938 he appeared in There Goes My Heart and Romance in the Dark.^{[citation needed]}

Ploski appeared in over 200 films including Dr. Broadway (1942), The Dark Corner (1946), The Reckless Moment (1949) and Experiment Alcatraz (1950). His final credit was in 1970 for the film Airport. Ploski’s appearances in television programs included Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Tales of Wells Fargo, Wagon Train, The Fugitive, 77 Sunset Strip, The Twilight Zone and Perry Mason.^[5]

During World War II Ploski was inducted into the Army, serving as a mess-hall cook.^[2]

Ploski died in May 1993 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 89.^[6]

References

1. Leonard, William (1981), "Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television: Volume 2", University of Michigan, Scarcrow Press, p. 1475
2. "Div. Mess Hall Rocks With Mirth At Antics of Cook". Appeal-Democrat. Marysville, California. March 17, 1943. p. 5. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
3. "Joe Ploski Makes Good". The Bismarck Tribune. Bismarck, North Dakota. December 28, 1932. p. 4. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
4. "Reunion for Kaye-Ploski On Set of 'Happy Times'". The Patriot-News. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. November 22, 1948. p. 16. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
5. Willis, John (June 1966), Screen World, 1966, Biblio-Moser, p. 70, ISBN 9780819603074
6. . British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2022.

External links

• Joe Ploski at IMDb
• at the TCM Movie Database
• Joe Ploski at AllMovie
• Rotten Tomatoes profile