My Favorite Character Actor Has Died: Allan Melvin 1923-2008 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 01-19-2008, 02:15 AM

Link

Allan Melvin, a popular character actor who played Cpl. Henshaw on the classic 1950s sitcom "The Phil Silvers Show" and later portrayed Archie Bunker's neighbor and friend Barney on "All in the Family," has died. He was 84.

Melvin, who was in the original Broadway cast of "Stalag 17" in the early 1950s, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Brentwood, said his wife of 64 years, Amalia.

During his five-decade career, Melvin made guest appearances on numerous TV shows, including playing different roles on at least eight episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and playing Dick Van Dyke's old Army buddy on "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

He also played Sgt. Charlie Hacker on "Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C."; portrayed butcher Sam Franklin -- Alice the housekeeper's boyfriend -- on "The Brady Bunch"; and continued playing Barney when the hit "All in the Family" became "Archie Bunker's Place."

Melvin, who appeared in only one movie -- the 1968 Doris Day comedy "With Six You Get Eggroll" -- also did voice-over work in cartoons, including providing the voices of Magilla Gorilla and Bluto on "Popeye."

He worked on numerous TV commercials as well, including playing Al the Plumber in the Liquid-Plumr commercials for 15 years.

After launching his show business career in the sound effects department of NBC radio in New York in 1944, Melvin began acting on radio soap operas and then moved into live television.

At the same time, he did movie star impressions in Manhattan in a nightclub act written by his friend Richard Condon, who later wrote "The Manchurian Candidate."

Melvin's stand-up act led to his winning "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" radio show in the late 1940s.

He was playing Reed in "Stalag 17," the hit 1951-52 Broadway play set in a German POW camp during World War II, when he first caught Silvers' attention.

"The Phil Silvers Show," originally titled "You'll Never Get Rich," was set on an Army base in Kansas and ran from 1955 to 1959.

As Cpl. Henshaw, Melvin was the right-hand man to Silvers' con-man extraordinaire, Sgt. Ernie Bilko.

"He was brilliant" as Henshaw, Mickey Freeman, who played Pvt. Zimmerman on the show, told The Times on Friday.

In recent years, when fans would ask Freeman how many surviving cast members were left, he would reply, "Allan Melvin and me -- that's a high mortality rate for a noncombatant unit."

Noting that Melvin "was a great mimic of voices," Freeman recalled an episode in which an officer arrived at Ft. Baxter to stop the men from gambling. One of the ways the officer did that, Freeman said, was to make them listen to his wife lecture on art.

But the woman had an unusual twitch -- pulling on her skirt -- and Bilko and the other soldiers placed bets on how many times she would do that during her lecture.

Freeman recalled that Melvin, as Henshaw, was positioned outside the lecture hall with a microphone, broadcasting to the other soldiers on the base -- " 'She's up to 42 now . . . 43 . . . 44, and she's not even breathing heavy.' He made a whole racetrack thing out of it," Freeman said. "He was wonderful."

Melvin was born Feb. 18, 1923, in Kansas City, Mo. His family soon moved to New York City, where he graduated from Columbia University as a journalism major.

Melvin retired from acting about 10 years ago -- long after becoming a household face who was used to people spotting him in public and saying, "Hey, Henshaw" or "Hey, Sam the Butcher."

"I've enjoyed the stuff I've done," he told People magazine in 1996, "but the one you're getting paid for, that's what you enjoy most."

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Jennifer Hanson; and a grandson.

Services will be private.

Skywalker · 01-19-2008, 02:23 AM

R.I.P. Allan.

Dean Winchester · 01-19-2008, 02:30 AM

I liked him on Brady Bunch, RIP

bry · 01-19-2008, 02:30 AM

man.....he was a definitive treasure of what good television was...

i liked this guy everywhere i saw him....Sgt. Hacker best on Gomer Pyle...

Mr. Television · 01-19-2008, 02:31 AM

I always liked him. He really did appear to be on practically every show from the 60's through the 70's. R.I.P. Allan.

Zoneboy · 01-19-2008, 02:32 AM

I am totally devastated by this news, I've been a fan of his for as long as I can remember. He was simply great in everything he did from The Phil Silvers' Show to Gomer Pyle USMC to All In the Family/Archie Bunker's Place and of course The Brady Bunch. His voice work is also impressive and his many credits can be found here

Allan Melvin

samanddiane4eva · 01-19-2008, 02:57 AM

Whoa. RIP.

Zoneboy · 01-19-2008, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walking Tall

I always liked him. He really did appear to be on practically every show from the 60's through the 70's. R.I.P. Allan.

I'd love to have seen him on a Twilight Zone episode but that was one series he never appeared on.

snl 70s show fan · 01-19-2008, 03:53 AM

he was one of my all time faves r i p allan and thanks for being such a wonderful part of all of our lives

Zoneboy · 01-19-2008, 07:46 AM

Here's Allan in a vintage commercial for Liquid Plumr

Link

JT · 01-19-2008, 01:21 PM

RIP!

Definitely a face and voice from my childhood.

catlover79 · 01-19-2008, 01:26 PM

I always liked him.

comedyfreak · 01-19-2008, 02:01 PM

He'll surely be missed.

Jude The Obscure · 01-19-2008, 07:38 PM

Indeed another part of our television heritage is gone

I also remember him for doing Ajax Dishwashing Liquid commercials

AB · 01-19-2008, 07:50 PM

Very sad news. I also liked him on The Dick Van Dyke Show when he played Rob's old army buddy.

01-19-2008, 02:15 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,377	My Favorite Character Actor Has Died: Allan Melvin 1923-2008 Link Allan Melvin, a popular character actor who played Cpl. Henshaw on the classic 1950s sitcom "The Phil Silvers Show" and later portrayed Archie Bunker's neighbor and friend Barney on "All in the Family," has died. He was 84. Melvin, who was in the original Broadway cast of "Stalag 17" in the early 1950s, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Brentwood, said his wife of 64 years, Amalia. During his five-decade career, Melvin made guest appearances on numerous TV shows, including playing different roles on at least eight episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and playing Dick Van Dyke's old Army buddy on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." He also played Sgt. Charlie Hacker on "Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C."; portrayed butcher Sam Franklin -- Alice the housekeeper's boyfriend -- on "The Brady Bunch"; and continued playing Barney when the hit "All in the Family" became "Archie Bunker's Place." Melvin, who appeared in only one movie -- the 1968 Doris Day comedy "With Six You Get Eggroll" -- also did voice-over work in cartoons, including providing the voices of Magilla Gorilla and Bluto on "Popeye." He worked on numerous TV commercials as well, including playing Al the Plumber in the Liquid-Plumr commercials for 15 years. After launching his show business career in the sound effects department of NBC radio in New York in 1944, Melvin began acting on radio soap operas and then moved into live television. At the same time, he did movie star impressions in Manhattan in a nightclub act written by his friend Richard Condon, who later wrote "The Manchurian Candidate." Melvin's stand-up act led to his winning "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" radio show in the late 1940s. He was playing Reed in "Stalag 17," the hit 1951-52 Broadway play set in a German POW camp during World War II, when he first caught Silvers' attention. "The Phil Silvers Show," originally titled "You'll Never Get Rich," was set on an Army base in Kansas and ran from 1955 to 1959. As Cpl. Henshaw, Melvin was the right-hand man to Silvers' con-man extraordinaire, Sgt. Ernie Bilko. "He was brilliant" as Henshaw, Mickey Freeman, who played Pvt. Zimmerman on the show, told The Times on Friday. In recent years, when fans would ask Freeman how many surviving cast members were left, he would reply, "Allan Melvin and me -- that's a high mortality rate for a noncombatant unit." Noting that Melvin "was a great mimic of voices," Freeman recalled an episode in which an officer arrived at Ft. Baxter to stop the men from gambling. One of the ways the officer did that, Freeman said, was to make them listen to his wife lecture on art. But the woman had an unusual twitch -- pulling on her skirt -- and Bilko and the other soldiers placed bets on how many times she would do that during her lecture. Freeman recalled that Melvin, as Henshaw, was positioned outside the lecture hall with a microphone, broadcasting to the other soldiers on the base -- " 'She's up to 42 now . . . 43 . . . 44, and she's not even breathing heavy.' He made a whole racetrack thing out of it," Freeman said. "He was wonderful." Melvin was born Feb. 18, 1923, in Kansas City, Mo. His family soon moved to New York City, where he graduated from Columbia University as a journalism major. Melvin retired from acting about 10 years ago -- long after becoming a household face who was used to people spotting him in public and saying, "Hey, Henshaw" or "Hey, Sam the Butcher." "I've enjoyed the stuff I've done," he told People magazine in 1996, "but the one you're getting paid for, that's what you enjoy most." In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Jennifer Hanson; and a grandson. Services will be private.
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01-19-2008, 02:30 AM	#4
bry Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 21, 2003 Location: n.c. Posts: 819	man.....he was a definitive treasure of what good television was... i liked this guy everywhere i saw him....Sgt. Hacker best on Gomer Pyle...
	__________________ that's Y-A-T-E-S.

01-19-2008, 02:31 AM	#5
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	I always liked him. He really did appear to be on practically every show from the 60's through the 70's. R.I.P. Allan.
	__________________ Sonny

01-19-2008, 01:21 PM	#11
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	RIP! Definitely a face and voice from my childhood.
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01-19-2008, 01:26 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I always liked him.
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01-19-2008, 02:23 AM	#2
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,204	R.I.P. Allan.

01-19-2008, 02:30 AM	#3
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I liked him on Brady Bunch, RIP

01-19-2008, 02:32 AM	#6
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,377	I am totally devastated by this news, I've been a fan of his for as long as I can remember. He was simply great in everything he did from The Phil Silvers' Show to Gomer Pyle USMC to All In the Family/Archie Bunker's Place and of course The Brady Bunch. His voice work is also impressive and his many credits can be found here Allan Melvin

01-19-2008, 02:57 AM	#7
samanddiane4eva Icon credit: Me Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 13, 2001 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 476	Whoa. RIP.

01-19-2008, 03:53 AM	#9
snl 70s show fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 14, 2005 Location: in the forman basment Posts: 2,454	he was one of my all time faves r i p allan and thanks for being such a wonderful part of all of our lives

01-19-2008, 07:46 AM	#10
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,377	Here's Allan in a vintage commercial for Liquid Plumr Link

01-19-2008, 02:01 PM	#13
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,059	He'll surely be missed.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

01-19-2008, 07:38 PM	#14
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	Indeed another part of our television heritage is gone I also remember him for doing Ajax Dishwashing Liquid commercials

01-19-2008, 07:50 PM	#15
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	Very sad news. I also liked him on The Dick Van Dyke Show when he played Rob's old army buddy.