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Harold Gould
HaroldGould.jpg
Gould in 2010
Born
Harold Vernon Goldstein

(1923-12-10)December 10, 1923
Died September 11, 2010(2010-09-11) (aged 86)
Occupation Actor
Years active 1961–2010
Spouse(s)
Lea (Shampanier) Vernon
(m. 1950)
Children 3
Military career
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch Flag of the United States Army.svg United States Army
Battles/wars World War II

Harold Vernon Goldstein (December 10, 1923 – September 11, 2010), better known as Harold Gould, was an American character actor. He appeared as Martin Morgenstern on the sitcom Rhoda (1974–78) and Miles Webber on the sitcom The Golden Girls (1989–92). A five-time Emmy Award nominee, Gould acted in film and television for nearly 50 years, appearing in more than 300 television shows, 20 major motion pictures, and over 100 stage plays. He was known for playing elegant, well-dressed men (as in The Sting), and he regularly played Jewish characters and grandfather-type figures on television and in film.

Early life

Gould was born to a Jewish family in Schenectady, New York. He was the son of Louis Goldstein, a postal worker, and Lillian, a homemaker who did part-time work for the state health department. Gould was raised in Colonie, New York, and was valedictorian of his high school class. He enrolled at Albany Teachers College upon graduation (now known as University at Albany, SUNY) and studied to become a social studies or English teacher.

After two years in college, Gould enlisted in the United States Army during World War II and saw combat in France in a mortar battalion. He developed trench foot and was sent to England to recover. After convalescence, Gould served in a rail transport unit in France.

After the war Gould returned to Albany Teachers College to study drama and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1947. He performed in summer stock theatre on Cape Cod and then decided to enroll at Cornell University to study drama and speech. Gould earned an M.A. degree in 1948 and a Ph.D. in theatre in 1953 from Cornell and also met his future wife, Lea Vernon.

Career

Upon graduation, Gould accepted a position at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he spent three years teaching and doing stage work. He made his professional theatre debut in 1955 as Thomas Jefferson in The Common Glory in Williamsburg.

In 1956, Gould was offered a professorship in the drama department at the University of California, Riverside, which he accepted. He taught there until 1960 when he decided to try professional acting himself. He had difficulty finding acting jobs at first and had to take work as a security guard and as a part-time acting teacher at UCLA.

Gould made his film debut in an uncredited role in Two for the Seesaw (1962). His first credited role was a small part in The Coach (also 1962). That same year he appeared as Prosecutor Tom Finney on the TV western The Virginian in the episode titled "The Accomplice." After uncredited appearances in Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie (1964) and The Satan Bug (1965), Gould gradually found more work with credited roles in The Yellow Canary (1964), a Rod Serling film starring Pat Boone, Jack Klugman, and Barbara Eden, Inside Daisy Clover (1965), and Harper (1966) starring Paul Newman.

Gould appeared regularly in television in the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in Dennis the Menace, Dr. Kildare, Hazel, The Twilight Zone, The Donna Reed Show, Get Smart, Hogan's Heroes, Gunsmoke, I Dream Of Jeannie, The F.B.I., The Big Valley, Mission: Impossible, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Cannon, and Hawaii Five-O where he made multiple appearances as Honore Vashon, one of that series' most memorable villains. Gould originated the role of Marlo Thomas's father in the 1965 pilot for That Girl, but the series role was recast with Lew Parker. Gould appeared in The Long, Hot Summer and He & She, two short-lived television series. He also appeared in a pilot later broadcast as a 1972 episode of Love, American Style titled "Love and the Happy Days" as Howard Cunningham, the frustrated father of a young man named Richie Cunningham (played by Ron Howard).

When ABC turned that episode into a series called Happy Days, Gould agreed to reprise the role of Howard Cunningham; however, when production of Happy Days was delayed, he went abroad to perform in a play. Midway through the play's run, after learning the series was ready to begin shooting, he decided to honor his commitment to the stage production and passed on Happy Days, which led to the role of Howard Cunningham being recast with Tom Bosley. Gould would later state that a requirement to shave the beard he wore at the time was another factor in his decision to decline the role.

Gould had worked steadily in television and film for nearly fifteen years before his career began to gain momentum with his portrayal of Kid Twist in The Sting (1973), winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He appeared in the Woody Allen film Love and Death (1975). He was "Engulf", the villainous head of a conglomerate, in Silent Movie (1976), directed by Mel Brooks, and made guest appearances on television shows such as Petrocelli, The Love Boat and Soap where he played the hospital roommate of Jody Dallas (Billy Crystal).

Harold Gould Martin Morgenstern Mary Tyler Moore 1973
Gould as Martin Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1973.

In 1972, Gould was cast as Martin Morgenstern, the father of Mary's best friend Rhoda, in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He reprised the role the following year and was hired as a regular when Rhoda became a spin-off in 1974. Gould appeared in the short-lived 1977 series The Feather and Father Gang, starring as Harry Danton, a smooth-talking ex-con man, with Stefanie Powers as Toni "Feather" Danton, his daughter and a hard-working, successful lawyer. The show was canceled after 13 episodes, and Gould returned to Rhoda for the remainder of its run.

Gould also appeared in the miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. In the 1980 NBC miniseries The Scarlett O'Hara War, he portrayed MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer which gained him an Emmy nomination. He appeared as Chad Lowe's grandfather in Spencer and played a Jewish widower wooing the Christian Katharine Hepburn in Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry. Other roles included a member of a Yiddish-speaking club in an episode of the PBS series The Sunset Years and as the owner of a deli grooming two African-American men to inherit his business in Singer & Sons. Gould received Emmy nominations for his roles in Rhoda, Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry, and Moviola.

Gould played Miles Webber, the steadfast suitor of Rose Nylund (Betty White), on the NBC series The Golden Girls in 12 episodes across three seasons (he also played another of Rose's boyfriends, Arnie, in one episode of the show's first season). He reprised the role of Miles in two episodes of the spin-off, The Golden Palace, where he became the character's ex-boyfriend and married someone else.

He portrayed the father of a villain called The Prankster on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and made guest appearances on television series such as Felicity, The King of Queens, Touched by an Angel, and Judging Amy. Gould's film roles in the 1990s and 2000s include appearances in Stuart Little, Patch Adams, The Master of Disguise, the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday, Nobody's Perfect, and Whisper of the Heart.

His stage credits include Broadway theatre plays such as Jules Feiffer's Grown Ups, Neil Simon's Fools, Richard Baer's Mixed Emotions, and Tom Stoppard's Artist Descending a Staircase. Gould won an Obie Award in 1969 for his work in The Increased Difficulty of Concentration, written by Václav Havel, and reprised the role for a 1988 PBS version of the play. Gould was an early and longtime (48 years) member of Theatre West, the oldest membership theatre company in Los Angeles. He played Mr. Green in Jeff Baron's Visiting Mr. Green at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Death

Gould died from prostate cancer on September 11, 2010. He had two sons, Joshua and Lowell, and a daughter, Deborah. He and Lea were married for 60 years.

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1951 The Man from Planet X Frightened Villager Uncredited
1962 The Couch Hollingsworth Uncredited
Two for the Seesaw Bit Uncredited
1963 The Yellow Canary Ponelli
1964 Marnie Mr. Garrett - Manager of Farm Uncredited
1965 The Satan Bug Dr. Ostrer Uncredited
The Spy with My Face Doctor
Inside Daisy Clover Cop on Pier
1966 Harper Sheriff
An American Dream Ganucci's Attorney
1968 Project X Col. Holt
1969 The Arrangement Dr. Leibman
1970 The Lawyer Eric P. Scott
1971 Mrs. Pollifax-Spy Nexdhet
1972 Where Does It Hurt? Dr. Zerny
1973 The Sting Kid Twist
1974 The Front Page The Mayor
1975 The Strongest Man in the World Regent Dietz
Love and Death Anton
1976 Silent Movie Engulf
The Big Bus Professor Baxter
Gus Charles Gwynn
1978 The One and Only Hector Moses
1980 Seems Like Old Times Judge John Channing
1984 The Dream Chasers Telford Stampley
1986 Playing for Keeps Rockefeller
1989 Romero Francisco Galedo
1991 Birch Street Gym Jack Short
1995 Killer: A Journal of Murder Old Henry Lesser
Lover's Knot Alan Smithee
1998 My Giant Milt Kaminski
Beloved Barber Shop Man #4 Uncredited
Patch Adams Arthur Mendelson
Brown's Requiem Solly K
1999 Stuart Little Grandpa Spencer
2001 Dying on the Edge Arthur
2002 The Master of Disguise Grandfather Disguisey
2003 Freaky Friday Grandpa
Brother Bear Old Denahi Voice
Nobody's Perfect Short
2005 Whisper of the Heart Shiro Nishi English version, Voice
English as a Second Language Wayne

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1961–1963 Dennis the Menace Mr. Sparks / Tramp 2 episodes
1961–1965 Dr. Kildare Earl McCloskey / Dr. Peter Duey / Frank the Cop 3 episodes
1962 National Velvet Episode: "The Rumor"
1962 The Donna Reed Show Cal Winslow Episode: "Rebel with a Cause"
1962–1963 The Eleventh Hour Judge / Eric Stanger / Paul Brauner 3 episodes
1962–1965 Hazel Judge Winston / Mr. Wheeler / TV Announcer / Mr. Prior 4 episodes
1962–1965 The Virginian Lacey / John Marshall Harrison / John Anderson / Adam Pendleton / Prosecutor Black / Prosecutor Tom Finney 6 episodes
1963 Empire Judge Will Episode: "Stopover on the Way to the Moon"
1963 The Twilight Zone General Larrabee Episode: "Probe 7, Over and Out"
1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour District Attorney Episode: "How to Get Rid of Your Wife"
1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Doctor Episode: "The Double Affair"
1964 Perry Mason Lawrence West Episode: "The Case of the Latent Lover"
1964–1965 The Jack Benny Show Director / Mr. Hunter, First IRS Man / DMV Clerk - Corrects Exam 5 episodes
1964–1967 The Fugitive Tom Crailer / Dr. Willis / Eller - Interviewer 3 episodes
1964–1974 Gunsmoke Lucius Shindrow / Hadley Boake 3 episodes
1965 That Girl Lew Marie Episode: "What's in a Name?"
1965 Mister Ed Psychiatrist Episode: "Ed the Pilot"
1965–1972 The F.B.I. George Hale / Vincent Millard / Israel Jacobs / Martin Eldon / Doctor / Arnold Bruzzi / Dave Rice / Hans Hunter 7 episodes
1966 The Green Hornet Calvin Ryland Episode: "May the Best Man Lose"
1966 Get Smart Hans Hunter Episode: "The Island of the Darned"
1966–1970 Hogan's Heroes General von Schlomm / General von Scheider / General Von Lintzer 4 episodes
1967 The Invaders Allen Slater / Dr. Paul Mailer 2 episodes
1967–1968 The Flying Nun Rabbi Mendez / Father Sweeney 2 episodes
1967–1968 The Wild Wild West John Taney / Victor Freemantle 2 episodes
1967–1969 The Big Valley Captain Crawford / Harry Davis / Judge William Daggett / Major Wilson 3 episodes
1967–1980 Insight God (Old Man) / Beggar / God / Jonathan / Morris Gertz / Eddie 7 episodes
1969 The Debbie Reynolds Show Whitaker Episode: "That's Debbie"
1969 Mission: Impossible Vincente Bravo Episode: "The Code"
1969 I Dream of Jeannie General Whetherby / Mr. Winkler 2 episodes
1971 Columbo Agent Carlson Episode: "Ransom for a Dead Man"
1971 The Mod Squad Lester Chennery Episode: "Real Loser"
1971 A Death of Innocence Alexander Weisberg TV movie
1971–1975 Cannon Colonel Mirza / Robert L. Jardine / Nicholas Troas 3 episodes
1972 Love, American Style Howard Cunningham Season 3, Episode 22: "Love and the Happy Days"/"Love and the Newscasters" (segment "Love and the Television Set")
1972–1973 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Martin Morgenstern 2 episodes
1972–1974 The Streets of San Francisco Joseph Francis / Arthur Lavery 2 episodes
1972–1975 Hawaii Five-O Honore Vashon 4 episodes
1973 The Partridge Family Walter Yost Episode: "Beethoven, Brahms and Partridge"
1973 Ironside Martin Geller Episode: "The Armageddon Gang"
1973 Needles and Pins Joe Episode: "Union Trouble"
1974–1976 Petrocelli Haskell Fox 3 episodes
1974–1977 Police Story Emmett Parnell / Sam Grossman / Andrea Basic 3 episodes
1974–1978 Rhoda Martin Morgenstern 17 episodes
1976–1977 The Feather and Father Gang TV Series (co-starring Stefanie Powers) as Harry Danton 14 episodes
1977 Soap Barney Gerber 4 episodes
1977 Family Paul Schiller 2-part episode
1979 The Rockford Files Mr. Brockelman 2-part episode
1979 11th Victim Benny Benito TV movie
1979 The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Dickie Dayton TV movie
1980 Kenny Rogers as The Gambler Stowbridge TV movie
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War Louis B. Mayer TV movie
1980 King Crab Mr. Campana
1984 St. Elsewhere Melvin Millstein 2 episodes
1985, 1989–1992 The Golden Girls Rose's boyfriend, Miles Webber (season 5–7, 12 episodes) / Rose's boyfriend, Arnie Peterson (season 1, 1 episode) 13 episodes
1986 Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry Dr. Marvin Elias TV movie
1986 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Andrei Zernov Episode: "One Bear Dances, One Bear Doesn't"
1986 L.A. Law Harry Finneman Episode: "Simian Chanted Evening"
1986 Night Court Walter Wise Episode: "New Year's Leave"
1989 Empty Nest Dr. Stanfield Weston Episode: "Man of the Year"
1989 Midnight Caller Charlie Drexol Episode: "Blues for Mr. Charlie"
1989–1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Colonel Stonesteel / Old Man 2 episodes
1990 Dallas Dr. Wexler 2 episodes
1990 Singer & Sons Nathan Singer 4 episodes
1992–1993 The Golden Palace Miles Webber, Rose's ex-boyfriend 2 episodes
1994–1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Edwin Griffin 2 episodes
1996 The Outer Limits Gerry Episode: "Paradise"
1996 For Hope David 'Dave' Altman TV movie
1996–2001 Touched by an Angel Albert Einstein / Sam Moskowitz 2 episodes
1997 The Love Bug Dr. Gustav Stumpfel TV movie
1998 Felicity Dr. William Garibay Episode: "Hot Objects"
1999 Pacific Blue Episode: "Hostile Witness"
2000 The King of Queens Irv Glassman Episode: "Surprise Artie"
2003 Judging Amy Arthur Episode: "Maxine Interrupted"
2008 Cold Case Episode: "Pin Up Girl"
2010 Nip/Tuck Walter Krieger Episode: "Walter and Edith Krieger"
(final appearance)

Theatre

  • The House of Blue Leaves (1970) - Artie Shaughnessy - Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, NY
  • The Skin of Our Teeth (1983) - Mr. Antrobus - Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA
  • The Substance of Fire (1996) - Isaac Geldhart - Old Globe Theater, San Diego, CA
  • Visiting Mr. Green (1999) - Mr. Green - Pasadena Playhouse
  • Old Wicked Songs (2002) - Professor Josef Mashkan - Rubicon Theatre Company
  • Tuesdays With Morrie (2005) - Morrie Schwartz - Rubicon Theatre Company

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Harold Gould para niños

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