Anthony Zerbe

Last updated
Anthony Zerbe
Anthony-zerbe-trailer.jpg
Anthony Zerbe in trailer for The Laughing Policeman (1973)
Born
Anthony Jared Zerbe

(1936-05-20) May 20, 1936 (age 89)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
Alma mater Pomona College
OccupationActor
Years active1963–present
Spouse
Arnette Jens
​
(m. 1962)​
Children2

Anthony Jared Zerbe (born May 20, 1936) is an American actor. After pursuing an interest in theater in his early years, including a stint at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City, he enlisted in the Air Force and later embarked upon a career in television and film.

Contents

On television, he appeared in many series, making multiple appearances in series such as Mission: Impossible , Gunsmoke , Kung Fu , Mannix , How the West Was Won and The Equalizer . He had recurring roles in the series Harry O and The Young Riders , garnering an Emmy Award in 1976 for his work on the former. His film credits include Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Omega Man (1971), Papillon (1973), The Dead Zone (1983), Licence to Kill (1989), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and American Hustle (2013).

Life and career

Zerbe was born in Long Beach, California, the son of Arthur LeVan Zerbe and Catherine (née Scurlock). [1] He attended Newport Harbor High School. He attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, graduating in 1958. [2] His parents were also alumni of Pomona College. [3] He served in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1961. [4]

Stage

Zerbe's interest in acting started with stage productions when he was 17. [5] He studied at the Stella Adler Studio in New York City. He made his New York City stage debut at the Greenwich Mews Theatre on October 15, 1961 with The Cave Dwellers. [6]

Zerbe is the former artistic director of Reflections, A New Plays Festival at the Geva Theatre in Rochester, New York, and toured the United States in 1981 with Behind the Broken Words, a performance of contemporary poetry, comedy, and dramatic works with fellow actor Roscoe Lee Browne. [7] That same year, he played eldest brother Benjamin Hubbard in a Broadway revival of The Little Foxes . [8]

Television

On television, Zerbe played guest roles on such series as Naked City , The Virginian , Kung Fu (2 episodes), The Big Valley , Route 66 , The Wild Wild West , Twelve O'Clock High , Bonanza , Mission: Impossible (5 episodes), Gunsmoke (3 episodes, with one a double role), Hawaii Five-O , Mannix (4 episodes), It Takes a Thief , The Chisholms , Ironside , The F.B.I. , The Rookies , The Rockford Files , Dynasty , and Columbo , among others.

Zerbe appeared as the stentorian Lieutenant Trench, employing a distinctive sonorous baritone which bore no resemblance to his own voice, in the television series Harry O from the second half of the first season through the series' conclusion at the end of the second season. At the 28th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1976, Zerbe won an Emmy for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role. [9] He appeared in several miniseries, including Centennial , as Mervin Wendell, A.D. , in which he portrayed Pontius Pilate, and North and South: Book II , as General Ulysses S. Grant. Zerbe later had a principal role as Teaspoon Hunter on the television series The Young Riders (1989–1992). [10] [ better source needed ]

Film

Zerbe's film roles include an Irish Catholic coal miner and one of the titular characters in The Molly Maguires (1970); the post-apocalyptic cult commander Matthias in The Omega Man , a 1971 movie adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend ; the leper colony chief Toussaint in the 1973 historical drama prison movie Papillon ; a corrupt gambler in Farewell, My Lovely (1975); Rosie in The Turning Point (1977); Abner Devereaux in the television film Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978); villain Milton Krest in the James Bond movie Licence to Kill (1989); Roger Stuart in The Dead Zone (1983); Admiral Dougherty in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); and Councillor Hamann in the 2003 films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions . [11] [ better source needed ]

In 2013, he played Senator Horton Mitchell in the dark comedy/crime movie American Hustle . [11] [ better source needed ] Zerbe played Mr. Crumwald in the 2014 Hungarian-American movie, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks . [12]

Personal life

Zerbe has been married to Arnette Jens (sister of actress Salome Jens), since October 7, 1962; the couple have two children. [13]

Selected filmography

Film

Television

References

  1. ↑ "Anthony Zerbe profile". Film Reference. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ "1958". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. November 7, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  3. ↑ Pomona College Alumni Directory, 2000, p. 278.
  4. ↑ "Overview For Anthony Zerbe". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ Hubbard, Ann (February 2, 1998). "Live theater was actor's inspiration". Kokomo Tribune . pp. A1-2. Retrieved October 25, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Gelb, Arthur (October 16, 1961). "The Cave Dwellers Revived in 'Village'" . The New York Times .
  7. ↑ Gussow, Mel (December 11, 1981). "Stage - Broken Words, Verse In Performance" . The New York Times . Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Supporting Cast Named For The Little Foxes" . The New York Times . January 22, 1981. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Outstanding Continuing Performance By A Supporting Actor In A Drama Series 1976 - Nominees & Winners". Emmy Awards . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  10. ↑ Anthony Zerbe at IMDb
  11. 1 2 Anthony Zerbe at IMDb
  12. ↑ "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ Profile, thelegit.org. Accessed September 27, 2025.

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