Bill Zuckert; Veteran Actor in Movies, TV

Bill Zuckert, popular character actor in radio, television, stage and film for more than half a century, has died. He was 76.

Zuckert died Jan. 23 of pneumonia, a complication of cancer, at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills.

The actor, who served with the Seabees during World War II, began his career on radio in 1941 and lent his voice to hundreds of dramatic shows in the 1940s and 1950s. As television developed, he had guest roles on many series, including “Columbo,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda,” “Lou Grant,” “Picket Fences” and “St. Elsewhere.” He also appeared in several television movies, among them “Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell,” “The Time Machine,” “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Murder in Malibu.”

Zuckert’s Broadway credits include “First Monday in October,” “Abraham Lincoln” and “A Man for All Seasons.”

He also appeared in movies and most recently worked on the independent film “Happy Together.” Among his motion pictures credits are “Ace Ventura Pet Detective,” “Naked Gun,” “Bank Robbers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “F.I.S.T.” and “How to Frame a Figg.”

Zuckert served on the boards of directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, actress Gladys Holland; their daughter, actress Kymm Zuckert; two children from a previous marriage, Richard Zuckert and Meg Faber, and a granddaughter.