Personal Info
Birth date
1920-11-21 (104 Years)
Day of death
1988-08-05
Gender
Male
Known for
Acting
Place of birth
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Also known as
Ralph Rathgeber
Ralph Meeker
Biography
Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber; November 21, 1920 – August 5, 1988) was an American actor. He first rose to prominence for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mister Roberts (1948–1951) and Picnic (1953), the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance. In film, Meeker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly. Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory (1957), as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild (1961), as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen (1967), and in the gangster film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967). Other credits include supporting roles in I Walk the Line (1970) and Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971). He also had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire (1959–1960), and in the television horror film The Night Stalker (1972). After suffering a stroke in 1980, Meeker was forced to retire from acting, and died eight years later of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ralph Meeker, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8
Overview:
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the CBS Sunday Night Movie, which ran only one season and was eventually replaced by other shows. In 2002, The Ed Sullivan Show was ranked #15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
5.5
Overview:
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theatre, is an American Western anthology series which ran on CBS from 1956 to 1961.The F.B.I.
5.5
Overview:
The F.B.I. is an American television series that was broadcast on ABC from 1965 to 1974. It was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, and the characters almost always drove Ford vehicles in the series. Alcoa was co-sponsor of Season One only.Studio One
5
Overview:
An American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. Studio One, presented by Westinghouse, was one of the first of the anthology TV programs. The episodes were often abridged remakes of movies from years gone by and many future well-known television and movie actors appeared in the productions.Wanted: Dead or Alive
6.894
Overview:
Wanted: Dead or Alive is an American Western television series starring Steve McQueen as the bounty hunter Josh Randall. It aired on CBS for three seasons from 1958–61. The black-and-white program was a spin-off of a March 1958 episode of Trackdown, a 1957–59 western series starring Robert Culp. Both series were produced by Four Star Television in association with CBS Television. The series launched McQueen into becoming the first television star to cross over into comparable status on the big screen.Ironside
6.8
Overview:
When an assassin's bullet confines him to a wheelchair for life ending his career as Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside becomes a consultant to the police department. Detective Sergeant Ed Brown and policewoman Eve Whitfield join with him to crack varied and fascinating cases. Ex-con Mark Sanger is employed by the chief as home help but eventually becomes a fully fledged member of the team also. Officer Whitfield leaves after 4 years service, and is replaced by Officer Fran Belding.Route 66
6.3
Overview:
After discovering that his late father has gone through most of the family fortune, Tod Stiles hits the title trans-America highway in his Corvette in search of adventure with friend Buz Murdock, a survivor of New York's mean streets. The two work odd jobs as they meet and interact with colorful characters and find themselves plunged into one situation after another, some of them romantic, some of them very dangerous. Later, Linc Case, a Vietnam war hero trying to find himself, takes over as Tod's travel companion.Cannon
6.5
Overview:
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.Climax!
3.273
Overview:
Climax! is an American anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS programs of that era to be broadcast in color. Many of the episodes were performed and broadcast live.The Outer Limits
7.8
Overview:
The Outer Limits is an anthology tv series of self-contained sci-fi-horror stories, sometimes with a plot twist at the end.The Defenders
6.2
Overview:
The Defenders is an American courtroom drama series . It starred E. G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son defense attorneys who specialized in legally complex cases, with defendants such as neo-Nazis, conscientious objectors, civil rights demonstrators, a schoolteacher fired for being an atheist, an author accused of pornography, and a physician charged in a mercy killing.Police Woman
6.2
Overview:
Sergeant “Pepper"” Anderson, an undercover cop for the Criminal Conspiracy Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department, poses undercover from mob girl to prostitute.The Name of the Game
6.8
Overview:
The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a pioneering wheel series, setting the stage for The Bold Ones and the NBC Mystery Movie in the 1970s. The show had an extremely large budget for a television series.The High Chaparral
6.5
Overview:
The High Chaparral is an American Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The series, made by Xanadu Productions in association with NBC Productions, was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network. The theme song was also written and conducted by Bonanza scorer David Rose, who also scored the two-hour pilot.Room 222
6
Overview:
Room 222 is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series aired on ABC for 112 episodes from September 17, 1969 until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 9:00 for its first two seasons before settling into its best-remembered time slot of Friday evenings at 9:00, following The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family, and preceding The Odd Couple and Love, American Style. In 1970, Room 222 earned Emmy Awards in three categories: Outstanding New Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.The Texan
5.5
Overview:
The Texan was a Western television series starring popular B movie actor Rory Calhoun, which aired on the CBS television network from 1958 to 1960.Kraft Suspense Theatre
5.3
Overview:
Kraft Suspense Theatre is an American anthology series that was telecast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall specials once monthly. Como's production company, Roncom Films, also produced Kraft Suspense Theatre. Writer, editor, critic and radio playwright Anthony Boucher served as consultant on the series. Later syndicated under the title Crisis, it was one of the few suspense series telecast in color at the time. While most of NBC's shows were in color then, all-color network line-ups did not become the norm until the 1966-67 season.Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.731
Overview:
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.Tarzan
6.7
Overview:
Tarzan is a series that aired on NBC from 1966 – 1968. The series portrayed Tarzan as a well-educated character, one who, tired of civilization, had returned to the jungle where he had been raised. The show retained many of the trappings of the classic movie series, including Cheeta, while excluding other elements, such as Jane, as part of the "new look" for the fabled apeman that producer Sy Weintraub had introduced in previous motion pictures starring Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney, and Mike Henry. CBS aired repeat episodes the program during the summer of 1969.The Rookies
6.8
Overview:
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department.The 20th Century Fox Hour
5.429
Overview:
The 20th Century Fox Hour is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title Hour of Stars. The season one episode Overnight Haul, starring Richard Conte and Lizabeth Scott, was released in Australia as a feature film.Harry O
4.6
Overview:
After being shot in the line of duty, Harry Orwell was forced to retire from the San Diego Police Department. To supplement his police pension, Harry runs a private detective agency out of his beach house... The series starred David Janssen and was executive produced by Jerry Thorpe.Police Story
6.9
Overview:
Police Story is an anthology television crime drama. The show was the brainchild of author and former policeman Joseph Wambaugh and represented a major step forward in the realistic depiction of police work and violence on network TV. Although it was an anthology, there were certain things that all episodes had in common; for instance, the main character in each episode was a police officer. The setting was always Los Angeles and the characters always worked for some branch of the LAPD. Notwithstanding the anthology format, there were recurring characters. Scott Brady appeared in more than a dozen episodes as "Vinnie," a former cop who, upon retirement, had opened a bar catering to police officers, and who acted as a sort of Greek chorus during the run of the series, commenting on the characters and plots.Lux Video Theatre
6.333
Overview:
Lux Video Theatre is an American anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1959. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays.CHiPs
6.819
Overview:
Lighthearted look at the adventures of two Highway Patrol officers in Los Angeles. The main characters are Jon Baker and Frank Poncherello, two motorcycle officers always on the street to save lives.Run, Joe, Run
6.3
Overview:
Run, Joe, Run was a Saturday morning television program that aired on NBC from 1974 to 1976. It centered around Joe, a German Shepherd in the military's K-9 Corp., and his master, Sergeant Will Corey. One day, during training, Joe was falsely accused of attacking his master, a crime for which the dog would be put to sleep as punishment. However, he escaped before being killed and a $200 bounty was put on his head. Sgt. Corey believed Joe was innocent and also pursued him, hoping to find Joe before the authorities did. While on the run, Joe helped people he encountered. During the show's second season, Sgt. Corey, having never found Joe, was called back to duty. Joe then teamed with a hiker, Josh McCoy, and continued to help others, all the while still on the run. The show was considered as a cross between Lassie and The Fugitive. Like The Fugitive, and later, The Incredible Hulk, it centered around a falsely accused person running from authorities and helping out people he meets along the way. The show was produced by William P. D'Angelo Productions, who also produced the NBC young adult drama, Westwind.Barbary Coast
5
Overview:
Barbary Coast is an American television series that aired on ABC. The pilot movie first aired on May 4, 1975 and the series itself premiered September 8, 1975; the last episode aired January 9, 1976. Barbary Coast was inspired by a similar 19th-century spy series, The Wild Wild West, and like the earlier program, Barbary Coast mixed the genres of Western and secret agent drama.Acting
2004Los Angeles Plays Itself as Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly (archive footage)
2002The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller as Lt. Driscoll (archive footage)
1980Without Warning as Dave
1979Winter Kills as Gameboy Baker
1978Kaz (1 Episode) as Unknown
1978The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1 Episode) as Unknown
1978The Alpha Incident as Charlie
1978Hi-Riders as Mike
1978My Boys Are Good Boys as Bert Morton
1977CHiPs (1 Episode) as Unknown
1976The Food of the Gods as Bensington
1975Barbary Coast (1 Episode) as Big Lou Hobart
1975Johnny Firecloud as Colby
1975Brannigan as Capt. Moretti
1975The Dead Don't Die as Lieutenant Reardon
1974Police Woman (1 Episode) as Unknown
1974Harry O (1 Episode) as Unknown
1974Run, Joe, Run (1 Episode) as Unknown
1974The Girl on the Late, Late Show as Inspector DeBiesse
1974Night Games as Dutch Armbreck
1974Cry Panic as Chuck Braswell
1973Love Comes Quietly as Ben Hoeksema
1973The Evil Touch (1 Episode) as Unknown
1973Toma (1 Episode) as Unknown
1973Police Story (2 Episodes) as Unknown
1973You'll Never See Me Again as Will Alden
1973Birds of Prey as Jim McAndrew
1972The Rookies (1 Episode) as Unknown
1972The Mind Snatchers as The Major
1972The Night Stalker as Bernie Jenks
1971The Reluctant Heroes as Capt. Luke Danvers
1971Primus (1 Episode) as Unknown
1971Cannon (1 Episode) as Unknown
1971The Anderson Tapes as Police Captain 'Iron Balls' Delaney
1970I Walk the Line as Carl McCain
1970Lost Flight as Glenn Walkup
1969Room 222 (1 Episode) as Unknown
1969The Devil's Eight as Burl
1968The Name of the Game (1 Episode) as Senator Goddard
1968The Detective as Curran
1967Gentle Giant as Fog Hanson
1967The High Chaparral (1 Episode) as Tracy Conlin
1967Custer (1 Episode) as Unknown
1967The St. Valentine's Day Massacre as George Clarence 'Bugs' Moran
1967The Dirty Dozen as Captain Stuart Kinder
1967Ironside (2 Episodes) as Unknown
1966The Green Hornet (1 Episode) as Earl Evans
1966Tarzan (1 Episode) as Unknown
1965The F.B.I. (1, 1, 1 Episode) as King Hogan, Scott Martin, Graham Newcomb
1963Kraft Suspense Theatre (1 Episode) as Harly Clay
1963The Outer Limits (1 Episode) as John Dexter
1963Wall of Noise as Matt Rubio
1962Going My Way (1 Episode) as Unknown
1961Something Wild as Mike
1961A Holster Full Of Law as Frank Clell
1961The Defenders (1 Episode) as Floyd Cooper
1961Ada as Colonel Yancey
1961Tallahassee 7000 (1 Episode) as Unknown
1960Route 66 (2 Episodes) as Unknown
1959Not for Hire (39 Episodes) as Unknown
1958The Texan (1 Episode) as Unknown
1958Wanted: Dead or Alive (1 Episode) as Martin Ash
1957Paths of Glory as Cpl. Philippe Paris
1957Run of the Arrow as Lieutenant Driscoll
1957The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown as Mike Valla
1956A Woman's Devotion as Trevor Stevenson
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1 Episode) as Steve Elkins
1955Desert Sands as Capt. David Malcolm
1955The 20th Century Fox Hour (1 Episode) as Unknown
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1, 1, 1, 1 Episode) as Carl Spann, Carl Borden, John Forbes, Mel Reeves
1955Kiss Me Deadly as Mike Hammer
1955Big House, U.S.A as Geraldo 'Jerry' Barker aka Iceman
1954Climax! (1, 1 Episode) as Alex Hill, 'Griff' Griffith
1953Letter to Loretta (1, 1, 1, 1 Episode) as Joe Martin, Ed James, Pilot Duke Cavanaugh, Willis Cooper
1953Code Two as Chuck O'Flair
1953Jeopardy as Lawson the Fugitive
1953The Naked Spur as Roy Anderson
1952Somebody Loves Me as Benny Fields
1952Shadow in the Sky as Burt
1952Glory Alley as Socks Barbarrosa
1951Hallmark Hall of Fame (1 Episode) as Wally Walters
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1, 1 Episode) as Rich Adams, Barry Brannon
1951Teresa as Sgt. Dobbs
1951Four in a Jeep as Sergeant William Long
1950Lux Video Theatre (1, 1 Episode) as Nicky Hanks, Mike
1948Studio One (1, 1 Episode) as Steve Windom, Larry Sheridan
1948The Ed Sullivan Show (3 Episodes) as Self
Production
1978My Boys Are Good Boys ... Executive Producer