Marvin Kaplan
Encyclopedia
Marvin Kaplan is an American character actor
and voice artist
. Kaplan is probably best known for his recurring role on the sitcom Alice
where he portrayed a phone company employee named Henry Beesmeyer who frequented Mel's diner
. He was a part of the cast from 1977 to the series end in 1985. His oft-referred to wife on the show, Chloe, was only seen once, and was played by Ruth Buzzi.
Earlier, Kaplan had a regular role in the TV sitcom Meet Millie
as Alfred Prinzmetal, an aspiring poet-composer. That program ran from 1952 to 1956. In addition, Kaplan was the voice of Choo-Choo on the 1960s cartoon series Top Cat
and had a bit role in the 1963 film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
playing a gas station attendant opposite Jonathan Winters
; in both roles he was featured alongside actor Arnold Stang
(Top Cat's voice actor), with whom he shared a somewhat similar physical appearance. Years later, Kaplan and Stang talked about working together on Top Cat. The interview is available on Youtube.
Among other roles, Kaplan costarred in the 1965 Blake Edwards
comedy The Great Race
alongside Jack Lemmon
, Tony Curtis
, Natalie Wood
and Peter Falk
. He also made a brief appearance as a carpet cleaner in the 1976 film Freaky Friday
. His earlier roles include the court reporter in Adam's Rib
with Spencer Tracy
and Katharine Hepburn
, where in his trademark deadpan style he asks Tracy how to spell "Pinky", a private pet name for Hepburn's character that Tracy had accidentally used while in court.
Kaplan also had a recurring role as Mr. Gordon on the television sitcom Becker
.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
and voice artist
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
. Kaplan is probably best known for his recurring role on the sitcom Alice
Alice (TV series)
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job...
where he portrayed a phone company employee named Henry Beesmeyer who frequented Mel's diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
. He was a part of the cast from 1977 to the series end in 1985. His oft-referred to wife on the show, Chloe, was only seen once, and was played by Ruth Buzzi.
Earlier, Kaplan had a regular role in the TV sitcom Meet Millie
Meet Millie
Meet Millie, a situation comedy about a wisecracking Manhattan secretary from Brooklyn, made a transition from radio to television in the early 1950s. In the live television version, Mom and Millie were living in Jackson Heights, Queens...
as Alfred Prinzmetal, an aspiring poet-composer. That program ran from 1952 to 1956. In addition, Kaplan was the voice of Choo-Choo on the 1960s cartoon series Top Cat
Top Cat
Top Cat is a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series which ran from September 27, 1961 to April 18, 1962 for a run of 30 episodes on the ABC network. Reruns are played on Cartoon Network's classic animation network Boomerang.-History:...
and had a bit role in the 1963 film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 in stolen cash by a diverse and colorful group of strangers...
playing a gas station attendant opposite Jonathan Winters
Jonathan Winters
-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
; in both roles he was featured alongside actor Arnold Stang
Arnold Stang
Arnold Stang was an American comic actor who played a small and bespectacled, yet brash and knowing big-city type.-Career:...
(Top Cat's voice actor), with whom he shared a somewhat similar physical appearance. Years later, Kaplan and Stang talked about working together on Top Cat. The interview is available on Youtube.
Among other roles, Kaplan costarred in the 1965 Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards was an American film director, screenwriter and producer.Edwards' career began in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon turned to writing radio scripts at Columbia Pictures...
comedy The Great Race
The Great Race
The Great Race is a 1965 slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, and with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn,...
alongside Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
, Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
, Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
and Peter Falk
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
. He also made a brief appearance as a carpet cleaner in the 1976 film Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday is a classic comedic children’s novel written by Mary Rodgers first published in the USA in 1972, and adapted for film several times.-Plot:...
. His earlier roles include the court reporter in Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib is a 1949 American film written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin and directed by George Cukor. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who come to oppose each other in court. Judy Holliday co-stars in her first substantial film role...
with Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
and Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
, where in his trademark deadpan style he asks Tracy how to spell "Pinky", a private pet name for Hepburn's character that Tracy had accidentally used while in court.
Kaplan also had a recurring role as Mr. Gordon on the television sitcom Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
.