Ron Foster (actor)
Encyclopedia
Ronald R. Foster, known as Ron Foster (born February 19, 1930), is an American
actor
, whose longest-running role was as Dr. Charles Grant from 1991-1995 in the defunct CBS
soap opera
The Guiding Light.
His early work included twenty-four appearances from 1957–1959, mostly in the role of Officer Garvey in the Broderick Crawford
syndicated
television series, Highway Patrol
. Foster also made five appearances between 1959 and 1960 on CBS's short-lived adventure series, Men into Space
, in the role of Lieutenant Neil Templeton. He appeared three times in different roles from 1959-1964 on CBS's Rawhide
, starring Eric Fleming
and Clint Eastwood
. From 1964-1971, he appeared five times in different roles on another western, NBC
's Bonanza
. He appeared twice in 1957 on separate episodes in the first season of the NBC western Wagon Train
.
One of Foster's most memorable half-hour appearances was as Master Sergeant
William Connors on CBS's The Twilight Zone
in the 1963 episode "The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms
", a story of a modern military patrol which encounters shocking evidence from the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana
. His co-stars in the segment are Randy Boone
and Warren Oates
.
In 1957, Foster played Kenny Hedges in the episode entitled "Jet Flight" of the military series The West Point Story
. He appeared at this time on Death Valley Days
as Siles Begg in "Rough and Ready". In 1959, he was cast as Steve in the film Diary of a High School Bride.
and Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, whose longest-running role was as Dr. Charles Grant from 1991-1995 in the defunct CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Guiding Light.
His early work included twenty-four appearances from 1957–1959, mostly in the role of Officer Garvey in the Broderick Crawford
Broderick Crawford
Broderick Crawford was an Academy Award-winning American stage, film, radio and TV actor, often cast in tough-guy roles and best known for his starring role in the television series "Highway Patrol."-Early life:...
syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
television series, Highway Patrol
Highway Patrol (TV series)
Highway Patrol is a syndicated action crime drama series produced 1955-1959.-Overview:Highway Patrol stars Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews, the gruff and dedicated head of a police force in an unidentified Western state...
. Foster also made five appearances between 1959 and 1960 on CBS's short-lived adventure series, Men into Space
Men Into Space
Men Into Space is an American sci-fi television series broadcast from September 30, 1959 to September 7, 1960 by CBS which depicted future efforts by the United States Air Force to explore and develop outer space. The black-and-white filmed show starred William Lundigan as Col...
, in the role of Lieutenant Neil Templeton. He appeared three times in different roles from 1959-1964 on CBS's Rawhide
Rawhide (TV series)
Rawhide is an American Western series that aired for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to September 3, 1965, before moving to Tuesday nights from September 14, 1965 until January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 black-and-white episodes...
, starring Eric Fleming
Eric Fleming
Eric Fleming was an American actor, known primarily for his role as Gil Favor in the long running CBS television series Rawhide.-Early life:...
and Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. From 1964-1971, he appeared five times in different roles on another western, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
. He appeared twice in 1957 on separate episodes in the first season of the NBC western Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
.
One of Foster's most memorable half-hour appearances was as Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
William Connors on CBS's The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
in the 1963 episode "The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms
The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms
"The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms" is an episode of the CBS American television anthology series The Twilight Zone, created by Rod Serling.-Summary:Three United States Army National Guard soldiers "The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms" is an episode of the CBS American television anthology series The...
", a story of a modern military patrol which encounters shocking evidence from the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. His co-stars in the segment are Randy Boone
Randy Boone
Clyde Wilson Randall Boone, Jr., known as Randy Boone , is a former actor who co-starred in two of the three 90-minute westerns telecast during the 1960s on the national television networks, NBC's The Virginian and CBS's Cimarron Strip...
and Warren Oates
Warren Oates
Warren Mercer Oates was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia...
.
In 1957, Foster played Kenny Hedges in the episode entitled "Jet Flight" of the military series The West Point Story
The West Point Story (TV series)
The West Point Story is a dramatic anthology television series shown in the United States by Columbia Broadcasting System during the 1956-57 season and by ABC during the 1957-58 season....
. He appeared at this time on Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days is an American radio and television anthology series featuring true stories of the old American West, particularly the Death Valley area. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was broadcast on radio until 1945. It continued from 1952 to 1975 as a syndicated television series...
as Siles Begg in "Rough and Ready". In 1959, he was cast as Steve in the film Diary of a High School Bride.
Other television roles
- Perry MasonPerry Mason (TV series)Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner...
as Fred Pike in "The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor" (1960) - The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpThe Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpThe Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp is a Western television series loosely based on the adventures of frontier marshal Wyatt Earp. The half-hour black and white series ran on ABC-TV from 1955 to 1961 and featured Hugh O'Brian as Earp. An off-camera barbershop quartet sang the theme song and hummed...
as Johnny in "Arizona Lottery" (1960) - Sea HuntSea HuntSea Hunt was an American adventure television series that was aired in syndication by Ziv Television Programs from 1958 to 1961 and was popular in syndication for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced...
, twice (1959–1960) - Colt .45Colt .45 (TV series)Colt .45 is an American Western television series shown on ABC between 1957 and 1960. The half-hour show derives from the 1950 Warner Brothers film of the same name starring Randolph Scott and formed part of the William T...
as Tommy Potts in "Bounty List" (1960) - CheckmateCheckmate (TV series)Checkmate is an American detective television series starring Anthony George, Sebastian Cabot, and Doug McClure. The show aired on CBS Television from 1960 to 1962 for a total of 70 episodes and was produced by Jack Benny's production company, "JaMco Productions" in co-operation with Revue...
as Bill in "The Mask of Vengeance" (1960) - Bat MastersonBat Masterson (TV series)Bat Masterson is an American Western television series which showed a fictionalized account of the life of real-life marshal/gambler/dandy Bat Masterson. The title character was played by Gene Barry and the half-hour black and white shows ran on NBC from 1958 to 1961...
, twice as Toby Dawson in "Six Feet of Gold" (1960) and as Sheriff Buck Simpson in "Jeopardy at Jackson Hole" (1961) - GunsmokeGunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
, twice (1961) - Tales of Wells FargoTales of Wells FargoTales of Wells Fargo is an American Western television series that ran from March 18, 1957 to June 2, 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season when it expanded to an hour.-Synopsis:...
as Ken Logan in "Royal Maroon" (1962) - LaramieLaramie (TV series)Laramie is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from 1959 to 1963. Laramie was a Revue Studios production which originally starred John Smith as Slim Sherman, Robert Fuller as Jess Harper, Hoagy Carmichael as Jonesy and Robert Crawford, Jr...
as Lee Taylor in "The Wedding Party" (1963) - The VirginianThe Virginian (TV series)The Virginian is an American Western television series starring James Drury and Doug McClure, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1971 for a total of 249 episodes. Filmed in color, The Virginian became television's first 90-minute western series...
as Charlie Dorsey in "The Money Cage" (1963) - G.E. True as Captain James Dunlop in "Black Market" (1963)
- The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1963 TV series)The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
as Dr. Robert Richardson in "The Mice" (1964) - Kraft Suspense TheatreKraft Suspense TheatreKraft Suspense Theatre, an anthology series, was telecast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall specials once monthly...
as Reverend Larson in "Portrait of an Unknown Man" (1964) - Combat! as Private Marshall in "Crossfire" (1965)
- Twelve O'Clock HighTwelve O'Clock High (TV series)Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcasted on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High...
as Captain Borega in "Gauntlet of Fire" (1966) - Run for Your LifeRun for Your Life (TV series)Run for Your Life is an American television drama series starring Ben Gazzara as a man with only a short time to live. It ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968. The series was created by Roy Huggins, who had previously explored the "man on the move" concept with The Fugitive.-Synopsis:Gazzara plays lawyer...
as Major Conway in "Rendezvous in Tokyo" (1967) - The High ChaparralThe High ChaparralThe High Chaparral is a Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The show was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network...
as Lieutenant Corey in "The Peacemaker" (1968) - The Bill Cosby ShowThe Bill Cosby ShowThe Bill Cosby Show is an American situation comedy that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Cosby's first solo foray in television, after his co-starring role with...
as Dr. Madeo in "Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend" (1969) - O'Hara, U.S. TreasuryO'Hara, U.S. TreasuryO'Hara, U.S. Treasury is an American television crime drama broadcast by CBS during the 1971-72 television season. Jack Webb's Mark VII Limited packaged the program for Universal Television. Webb and longtime colleague James E. Moser created the show; Leonard B. Kaufman was the...
as Al Ellis in "Operation Crystal Springs" (1970) - PetrocelliPetrocelliPetrocelli is an American legal drama which ran for two seasons on NBC from September 11, 1974 to March 31, 1976.-Plot:Tony Petrocelli was an Italian-American Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up in South Boston and gave up the big money and frenetic pace of major-metropolitan life to practice in a...
, twice (1974 and 1976) - DynastyDynasty (TV series)Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
, as a sheriff in "Colorado Roulette" (1988) - The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, twice (1987 and 1991)
Most recent work
Foster's last regular role was in segments of NBC's Law and Order as William Jefferson in the 1990 episode "Everybody's Favorite Bagman" and as Councilman Clayton in "Haven" in 1999. He performed voice work between 1995 and 2004 on such video games as Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
and Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is a third-person shooter video game developed by Remedy Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Rockstar Vienna for the Xbox & PlayStation 2 and published by Rockstar Games. The game is a direct sequel to Max Payne and is followed by Max Payne 3...
.