PASSINGS

Russell Zink

Father in ‘Hardy Boys’

Russell Zink, 95, who under the stage name Russ Conway appeared in scores of films and television shows in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s but was perhaps best known for playing Fenton Hardy, the father of Frank and Joe Hardy on “The Hardy Boys,” which was part of Walt Disney’s “The Mickey Mouse Club” TV program, died Jan 12 in Laguna Woods, family members said.

Zink was born April 25, 1913, in Brandon, Canada. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1937 at UCLA. Years later, he earned a master’s in theater arts from UCLA and a teaching credential.

During World War II, he was in an Army special services unit. For several months, he was entertainment director at Ft. Ord before serving in the Philippines and, at the end of the war, in Japan, where he worked as a producer and announcer for Armed Forces Radio.

He started acting in Hollywood in 1947. His film appearances included “Twelve O’Clock High” (1949), “War of the Worlds” (1953), “Love Me Tender” (1956) and “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane” (1962).

His television guest spots included roles on “The Fugitive,” “Mod Squad,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Mission Impossible,” “Sea Hunt” and “The Untouchables.”

The Hardy Boys series, which ran on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in 1956 and 1957, featured Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk as the sleuthing teenage brothers and was based on the series of novels aimed at youths.

Alvin Ganzer

Director of many television series

Alvin Ganzer, 97, a prolific director of such TV series as “Police Woman,” “Route 66” and “Hawaiian Eye” from the 1950s through the ‘70s, died of natural causes Jan. 3 at his home in Poipu, Hawaii, his daughter Carolynn Finnegan said.

Born in Cold Spring, Minn., on Aug. 27, 1911, Ganzer moved with his family to Los Angeles as a child. He attended Manual Arts High School then got a job at Paramount Studios delivering the mail.

He became an assistant director of films, including 1944’s “Going My Way” starring Bing Crosby and “The Paleface,” a 1948 comedy with Bob Hope.

His first directing credit came with “Midnight Serenade” featuring Peggy Lee in 1947, and he followed with other short musical films.

Ganzer also wrote and directed “The Leather Saint,” a 1956 film that starred John Derek.

From the 1950s onward, Ganzer worked primarily in television, directing dozens of episodic series, including “The Twilight Zone,” “Men Into Space,” “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Ironside.”

He retired in the late 1970s and later moved to Hawaii with his third wife, Muriel.

-- times staff and wire reports