Henry Beckman
Encyclopedia
Henry Beckman was a Canadian stage, film and television actor. He appeared in well over 100 productions in the United States and Canada, including recurring roles as Commander Paul Richards in the 1954 Flash Gordon space opera
television series, Bob Mulligan in the ABC
sitcom I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
, George Anderson
in the television adaptation of Peyton Place
, Captain Clancey in the Western comedy-drama Here Come the Brides
, and conniving U.S. Army Colonel
Douglas Harrigan in McHale's Navy
. In the 1980s Beckman played security guard Alf on the Don Adams
sitcom Check It Out! and was also a non-celebrity contestant on the TV game show Scrabble
.
He also co-starred as Sandy Duncan's landlord in the series Funny Face
. He continued to act through his late 70s on shows like The X-Files
and many others. He also won two Canadian Etrog
Awards, now known as the Genie Award
, his last one in 1978 for Blood and Guts.
With his wife and fellow actor Cheryl Maxwell, Beckman founded the Dukes Oak Theater in Cooperstown, New York
, and served as the theater company's producer.
Beckman was the author of How to Sell your Film Project, a how-to guide on getting independent films produced, and Hollywood With its Pants Down, a witty look at some of actors he worked with over the years.
Henry is the father of respected astrophysicist and software engineer, Dr. Brian Beckman, who currently works at Microsoft as well as several online projects.
He died in Barcelona
, Spain
on 17 June 2008 with his beloved Hillary at his side.
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
television series, Bob Mulligan in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster
I'm Dickens, He's Fenster is an American sitcom that ran on ABC during the 1962-1963 season , and was created and produced by Leonard Stern, filmed at Desilu.-Synopsis:...
, George Anderson
George Anderson (Peyton Place)
George Anderson is a fictional character on the television drama Peyton Place. He was portrayed by Henry Beckman.-Character history:George is married to Julie Anderson and the father of Betty Anderson. He is a salesman for Leslie Harrington. George was an aggressive man and took his frustrations...
in the television adaptation of Peyton Place
Peyton Place (TV series)
Peyton Place is an American prime-time soap opera which aired on ABC in half-hour episodes from September 15, 1964 to June 2, 1969.Based upon the 1956 novel of the same name by Grace Metalious, the series was preceded by a 1957 film adaptation. A total of 514 episodes were broadcast, in...
, Captain Clancey in the Western comedy-drama Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970...
, and conniving U.S. Army Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Douglas Harrigan in McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
. In the 1980s Beckman played security guard Alf on the Don Adams
Don Adams
Don Adams was an American actor, comedian and director. In his five decades on television, he was best known as Maxwell Smart in the television situation comedy Get Smart , which he also sometimes directed and wrote. Adams won three consecutive Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Smart...
sitcom Check It Out! and was also a non-celebrity contestant on the TV game show Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
.
He also co-starred as Sandy Duncan's landlord in the series Funny Face
The Sandy Duncan Show
Funny Face and The Sandy Duncan Show are two sitcoms aired by CBS starring Sandy Duncan as part of its 1971 and 1972 fall lineups, respectively...
. He continued to act through his late 70s on shows like The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
and many others. He also won two Canadian Etrog
Etrog
Etrog refers to the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jews on the week-long holiday of Sukkot.While in modern Hebrew this is the name for any variety of citron, its English usage applies to those varieties and specimens used as one of the Four Species...
Awards, now known as the Genie Award
Genie Award
Genie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
, his last one in 1978 for Blood and Guts.
With his wife and fellow actor Cheryl Maxwell, Beckman founded the Dukes Oak Theater in Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, and served as the theater company's producer.
Beckman was the author of How to Sell your Film Project, a how-to guide on getting independent films produced, and Hollywood With its Pants Down, a witty look at some of actors he worked with over the years.
Henry is the father of respected astrophysicist and software engineer, Dr. Brian Beckman, who currently works at Microsoft as well as several online projects.
He died in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 17 June 2008 with his beloved Hillary at his side.
External links
- Henry Beckman at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- How to Sell your Film Project at Google Books
- Brian Beckman: On Analog Computing, Some Beckman History, and Life in the Universe at Channel 9
- Clip of Henry Beckman on Scrabble