> Albert is one of many, many actors who later
acquired a blander and more
> avuncular persona on TV but had done some brilliant
work in film noir
> and related flicks. Just off the top of my head, I
can think of Fred
> MacMurray, Brian Keith, Henry Morgan, William
Conrad, Raymond Burr.
Add Hugh Beaumont to the list as another one; he had some
fine roles playing tough characters throughout the 40s
(including a run as Mike Shayne in that B-movie series)
before he became the Beaver's dad. Or Robert Young, whose
noir cycle movies include "They Won't Believe Me" and
"Crossfire;" later on he became the fatherly Jim
Anderson--and then Marcus Welby M.D.
The most striking example of versatility that comes to mind,
however, is William Bendix, who played brutal thugs on film
and the bumbling Chester Riley on radio and TV. Both with
equal skill, I might add. His Babe Ruth, however ... well
...
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