Raised in Bedford, Indiana

Served as master sergeant in US Army Signal Corps

Worked as salesman in Indiana

Made stage debut with Barter Theatre, Abingdon Virginia where he appeared in "The Hasty Heart", "The Heiress" and "The Show Off"

Broadway debut as a salesman in "The Rose Tatoo" (also toured with show 1951-52)

Performed for several seasons with touring companies and in dinner theater; worked in Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville and L,A.

TV debut, "Suspense"

Film debut, "From Here to Eternity"

Starred in "Sam Hill", a memorable busted Western pilot, directed by Robert Altman and broadcast as an episode of "Bonanza" on NBC

TV series debut, "Movin' On"

Appeared as a regular, Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo, on the trucking adventure series "B.J. And the Bear"

Starred in the spinoff, "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"

Starred in "Lobo", a somewhat darker urban crime drama spinoff from "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"

Worked as a TV and radio spokesman for Aamco transmissions

Final TV movie credit, playing Teddy Roosevelt in the syndicated miniseries, "Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls"

Final TV guest shot, as the ghost of a Western bank robber on "Eerie, Indiana", directed by Joe Dante

Final feature credit, "Falling From Grace", the directing bow of John Mellencamp