Zimbalist said in an interview in 2004, that fans of the show occasionally approached him to say they had joined the FBI or had become police officers because of his portrayal of the calm and authoritative government agent on the series. "[25], In the late 1970s, he was drawn to the Charismatic Christianity movement. Zimbalist is survived by his three children son Efren, daughters Stephanie an actress and our girl Nancy Zimbalist. (Lewis Erskine), voice of Alfred the butler on Batman:The Animated Series, Died: May 2, 2014, at age 95 of natural causes. The men remained mutual admirers for the rest of Hoover's life. [24] Zimbalist said his faith gave him comfort when Emily died. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. produced several of Menotti's operas on Broadway and was a lifelong supporter of the Metropolitan Opera where his mother had performed. In 2007, Loranda also died from cancer. [28], In later life, Zimbalist joined the congregation of an Episcopal parish near to his home. Zimbalist described the Maharishi Yogi as a "fascinating character", but found the meditation method "was a total waste of energy for me. SOLVANG, Calif., May 3 (UPI) -- Efrem Zimbalist Jr., the star of two popular crime television series, The F.B.I. In 1949, he was cast as one of the four sons (the cruellest) of a ruthless businessman (Edward G Robinson) in Joseph L Mankiewicz's film noir House of Strangers. Efrem Zimbalist Junior was a charismatic, clever and handsome actor who dominated American television in the nineteen fifties and nineteen . (that we know of). He appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network[20] and as himself in the 1998 Smithsonian Institution production of Gemstones of America. Zimbalist, who has died aged 95, had been acting professionally since 1945, and had already appeared in eight feature films, without having made much impact, when he was cast as the private eye Stu Bailey in 77 Sunset Strip in 1958. The year 1970 witnessed him in various roles in the religious-themed anthology series 'Insight. ), His own compositions include a violin concerto, a piano concerto (1959), the American Rhapsody, a tone poem called Daphnis and Chloe, a Fantasy on themes from The Golden Cockerel by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a Fantasy on Bizet's Carmen (1936), and a piece called Sarasateana, for viola and piano. In October 1956 their daughter Stephanie was born. It has never been out of print. An awesome thought hear from you. Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and FBI director Robert Mueller show off the badge that was presented to the actor as an honorary special agent, the highest civilian honor awarded by the FBI, June 8, 2009 in Los Angeles. During summer breaks between his two hit series, Warner Bros. cast Zimbalist in several feature films, including "Too Much Too Soon," ''Home Before Dark," ''The Crowded Sky," ''The Chapman Report" and "Wait Until Dark." He was one of those Hollywood stars you never heard a scandal about. I had no idea he was still alive until this month and that Stephanie was his daughter! He briefly attended Yale University but was expelled, reinstated and expelled a second time on account of low grades. Each generation remembers him in a different way - series television, stage plays, movies, the opera. Thanks for reading and commenting. Family film directed and written by Margaret Raphael. Efrem Jr. kept the tradition going and learned the violin. Efrem Zimbalist Jr.'s half-sister - Marcia Davenport, born in 1903 as Abigail Marcia Glick from Alma's first marriage to Bernard Glick. "We are heartbroken to announce the passing into peace of our beloved father, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., today at his Solvang ranch," the actor's daughter Stephanie Zimbalist and son Efrem Zimbalist III said in a statement. He let music fall to the sidelines for a time, but never far out of sight. His character, "Stu Bailey," as a former OSS officer and language expert, along with Roger Smith's Ivy League PhD character "Jeff Spence," ran a private eye office at the famed address in Hollywood. Zimbalist died on May 2, 2014, at the age of 95. I think Troy Donahue was also an actor in the show. Zimbalist married the famous American soprano Alma Gluck and they toured together for a time. [14], In 1959, he was awarded the Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer Male". Born in New York City on November 30, 1918 , surrounded by people of wealth and privilege throughout his childhood, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. The 77 Sunset Strip show was considered to be one of the most swinging on television in the late 1950s and early 60s. Also in the 1990s, Zimbalist played Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series as well as in Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, Static Shock, and the animated films Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman & Mr. On February 12, 1956, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. married Loranda Stephanie Spaulding. Jun 17, 2018 - Efrem Zimbalist Jr. with his daughter, Stephanie, circa 1978. Emily died from cancer in 1950. #DDE Thank you for reading and commenting. 1946 was a busy year for the actor, simultaneously appearing in three plays, two at the same theater. That doesn't mean his life didn't have any hiccups, they just weren't front page news. [15], Zimbalist maintained a strong personal relationship with F.B.I. He returned to Hollywood five years later, marrying Loranda Stephanie Spalding in 1956, and she gave birth to their daughter Stephanie. Two years later, he had his first recurring role, that of a gambler named Dandy Jim Buckley, on the dramatic series Maverick. Some of them led to arrests, which helped give the show the complete seal of approval of the agency's real-life director, J. Edgar Hoover. Bureau. Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on May 21, 2014: Thank you for the facts on the handsome, accomplished Efrem Zimbalist. The Twilight Zone was Rod Sterling, who also wrote most of the episodes. Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and daughter, actress Stephanie Zimbalist attend the City of Hope's National Convention closing night gala on July 19, 2004. It would be Alma's last residence. Zimbalist was preceded in death by his second wife and by his daughter Nancy. Returning to the United States, Efrem Jr. was fortunate enough that his parents could well afford two stints at Yale University. Warner Bros. signed him to a contract and cast him in minor film roles. Hoover took him on a tour of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Then "77 Sunset Strip" debuted, starring Zimbalist as a cultured former O.S.S. Michael Tylo left the show because he did not like having to be away from his family. In the early '90s, he played Don Alejandro de la Vega in "Zorro" on the Family Channel. That age might not seem extraordinary to some readers, but it does to me. Her father had a recurring role in that show, again playing a con man. With Angela Lansbury, Donna Bullock, Len Cariou, James Handy. Four years later, the actor played Captain Stacy in Jack Smight's air disaster film and the sequel to the 1970 movie Airport, Airport 1975. As the sly, silver-haired mentor of Pierce Brosnans title character on Remington Steele, he appeared on the 1982-87 NBC series with his daughter on a handful of episodes. Comedian Leslie Jones to be the first guest host of The Daily Show on Tuesday, Pamela Anderson on surviving paparazzi, tabloids, and the stolen sex tape, Golden Globes 2023 highlights and winners, Golden Globes 2023: List of winners and nominees, "S.W.A.T." . He was healthy, playing golf three days a week, and always in his garden, Zimbalists son said. He often brought many guests back to their homes and it was one of the reasons why Alma wanted her children to attend boarding school, fearing the exposure to so many different kinds of people was a bad influence. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was cast as Inspector Lewis Erskine in the police drama The F.B.I. The show that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 241 episodes chronicles a group of FBI officials trying to defend the American Government from mysterious threats. As had his father and grandfather before him, the family traveled to the Ukraine in the former Soviet Union so Alma and Efrem Sr. could tour western Europe. In addition to his son and other daughter, Stephanie, he is survived by four grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. I agree, #travmaj Thank you for reading and commenting :), #Flourish Anyway - I am always in awe of people who live well and live into their 90's or older. Efrem starred next to Spencer Tracy. A prolific actor who also appeared in numerous films and stage productions, Zimbalist became a household name in 1958 as Stu Bailey, the wisecracking private investigator who was a co-partner in a swinging Hollywood detective agency located at the exclusive address of "77 Sunset Strip.". In 1956, he married his second wife, Loranda Stephanie Spalding. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. dating history Relationships. Thanks for such an interesting article! In 1917, he was elected as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha Chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. They had two children, Efrem "Skip" Zimbalist III (b. If something has been repeated often enough, people figure it must be the truth. Due to his portrayal Lewis Erskine on The F.B.I., there was a surge of applicants to the F.B.I. For Love of Ivy Ossie Davis Ossie Davis I use to get her mixed up with Stephanie Powers; some shots they look so much alike. Finally, in Love Among the Steele the agency acquires a 1936 Auburn Speedster. Pinterest. [29], In 1963 and 1964, Zimbalist joined fellow actors William Lundigan, Chill Wills and Walter Brennan in making appearances on behalf of U.S. Stephanie Zimbalist was born in New York City, the daughter of Loranda Stephanie (ne Spalding) and actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who helmed the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The FBI as well as theatrical films. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. discusses his book in Part Two which follows Part One in this article. I don't know why they only give shows a 5 year run and other shows (sometimes terrible shows) get to run for so much longer. More shows were planned, but since there was no money left, the production had to cease. He was back on Broadway in Noel Coward's "Fallen Angels. employees' personal appearance. Kookie's character, played by Edd Byrnes, helped draw young viewers to the show, and his constant hair combing created the national catchphrase, "Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb.". The repair work failed, and the series ended the following year. and she gave birth to their daughter Stephanie. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Their daughter, also named Stephanie ( Stephanie Zimbalist ), is the well-known actress who appeared with Pierce Brosnan in the Remington Steele (1982) television series, in which Zimbalist had a recurring role. He furthered his acting training at Neighborhood Playhouse[6] before serving in the United States Army during World War II, where he became friends with writer and director Garson Kanin. Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. was born Nov. 30, 1918, in New York with what some might call a silver spoon in his mouth. Watch. Efrem Jr. enjoyed a personal friendship with J Edgar Hoover as technical adviser to the show. The son of violin virtuoso Efrem Zimbalist and acclaimed opera singer Alma Gluck, young Efrem initially appeared headed for a musical career himself. going to the movies over 20 years ago. which was written in 1954, was optioned for a movie for many years, but never filmed, possibly because of controversy after the real life connection to the story was learned. Zimbalist died peacefully at his Solvang home of natural causes at the age of 95 on May 2, 2014; he had been outside watering his lawn at his Solvang, Calif., ranch when a handyman found him lying dead in the grass. #Ms. Dora, I'm sure she looked down from heaven and celebrated every one of his successes. A charming man, extremely Virginia formal and an extraordinary command of the language," Zimbalist said Hoover opened the bureau's files to the show's producers and even allowed background shots to be filmed at real FBI offices. Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on June 01, 2014: Outstanding tribute to an awesome actor!! [17] Efrem Jr. portrayed Dandy Jim Buckley in Maverick opposite James Garner, and the lead characters in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The FBI. Marcia died 1996 in Monterey, CA just before her 93rd birthday. Zimbalist was born in 1918 in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants Efrem Zimbalist Sr. (18891985), a famous Russian-born violinist [1] and symphony conductor, and Alma Gluck (18841938), an equally famous Romanian-born operatic soprano. Gian Carlo Menotti's interesting story appears in the sidebar. Zimbalist was born in 1918 in New York City to Jewish immigrants Efrem Zimbalist Sr. (18891985), a famous Russian-born violinist, and Alma Gluck (18841938), an equally famous Romanian-born operatic soprano. I stopped His father was an internationally famous violinist and composer; his mother was a famous Metropolitan opera concertist (pronounced con-chair-tist), who still holds the world's record of being the only operatic star whose 174 recordings have sold one million records. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? He studied violin for seven years under the tutelage of Jascha Heifetz's father, but eventually developed more interest in theater. [23] Moreover, Efrem Zimbalist stated, "As far as I am concerned, there has been no Jew in the family for sixty-five years. I have them on auto publish until we get unpacked in our new home. His parents left him very little money because the Russian government confiscated it from travelers. His charismatic good looks made him memorable as an accomplished actor, appearing first on stage and in several movies, but becoming more widely known for his work on television. His mother, reasoning that living amid the musical elite was not the best upbringing for a boy, sent him to boarding schools where he could be toughened by others his age. [30], Zimbalist died at the age of 95, the same age his father had died at, on May 2, 2014, from natural causes. : Outstanding tribute to an awesome actor! musical career himself and acclaimed opera singer Alma Gluck and they together! Down from heaven and celebrated every one of the episodes Jr. enjoyed personal! 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