Edward Platt(1916-1974)
- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Forever and fondly remembered as
Don Adams' foil on the popular
Mel Brooks/Buck Henry
spy series Get Smart (1965),
character actor Ed Platt (also billed as Edward C. Platt) had been
around for two decades prior to copping that rare comedy role. Born in
Staten Island, New York, on Valentine's Day, 1916, he inherited an appreciation of music on his
mother's side. He spent a part of his childhood in Kentucky and in
upstate New York where he attended Northwood, a private school in Lake
Placid, and was a member of the ski jump team. He majored in romantic
languages at Princeton University but left a year later to study at the
Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati after his thoughts turned to a
possible operatic career. He later was accepted into Juilliard.
Instead of opera, however, Ed first became a band vocalist with
Paul Whiteman and Orchestra.
He then sang bass as part of the Mozart Opera Company in New York. With
the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company in 1942, he appeared in the
operettas "The Mikado," "The Gondoliers" and "The Pirates of Penzance".
WWII interrupted his early career. Ed served as a radio operator with
the army and would find himself on radio again in the post-war years
where his deep, resonant voice proved ideal. A number of musical comedy
roles also came his way again. In 1947, he made it to Broadway with the
musical "Allegro." Star José Ferrer
took an interest in Ed while they both were appearing in "The Shrike"
on Broadway in 1952.
Around 1953, Edward moved to Texas to be near his
brother and began anchoring the local news and kiddie birthday party
show called "Uncle Eddie's Kiddie Party." Ferrer remembered Platt and
invited him to Hollywood where Ferrer was starring in the film version
of The Shrike (1955). Ed recreated his
stage role. He also earned fine notices as
James Dean's understanding juvenile
officer in the classic film
Rebel Without a Cause (1955).
This led to a plethora of film and TV support offers where the balding
actor made fine use of his dark, rich voice, stern intensity and
pragmatic air, portraying a slew of professional and shady types in
crime yarns, soap dramas and war pictures -- everything from principals
and prosecutors to mobsters and murderers.
After years of playing it serious, which included stints on the daytime
drama
General Hospital (1963), Ed
finally was able to focus on comedy as "The Chief" to
Don Adams klutzy secret agent on
Get Smart (1965), a show that
inevitably found a cult audience. Picking up a few occasional guest
spots in its aftermath, he later tried producing.
Twice married and the father of four, Platt died on March 19, 1974. Death was attributed to a massive heart attack at the time. Years later his son revealed that his father, suffering from acute depression and undergoing severe financial pressures, committed suicide at his Santa Monica, California apartment.
Don Adams' foil on the popular
Mel Brooks/Buck Henry
spy series Get Smart (1965),
character actor Ed Platt (also billed as Edward C. Platt) had been
around for two decades prior to copping that rare comedy role. Born in
Staten Island, New York, on Valentine's Day, 1916, he inherited an appreciation of music on his
mother's side. He spent a part of his childhood in Kentucky and in
upstate New York where he attended Northwood, a private school in Lake
Placid, and was a member of the ski jump team. He majored in romantic
languages at Princeton University but left a year later to study at the
Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati after his thoughts turned to a
possible operatic career. He later was accepted into Juilliard.
Instead of opera, however, Ed first became a band vocalist with
Paul Whiteman and Orchestra.
He then sang bass as part of the Mozart Opera Company in New York. With
the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company in 1942, he appeared in the
operettas "The Mikado," "The Gondoliers" and "The Pirates of Penzance".
WWII interrupted his early career. Ed served as a radio operator with
the army and would find himself on radio again in the post-war years
where his deep, resonant voice proved ideal. A number of musical comedy
roles also came his way again. In 1947, he made it to Broadway with the
musical "Allegro." Star José Ferrer
took an interest in Ed while they both were appearing in "The Shrike"
on Broadway in 1952.
Around 1953, Edward moved to Texas to be near his
brother and began anchoring the local news and kiddie birthday party
show called "Uncle Eddie's Kiddie Party." Ferrer remembered Platt and
invited him to Hollywood where Ferrer was starring in the film version
of The Shrike (1955). Ed recreated his
stage role. He also earned fine notices as
James Dean's understanding juvenile
officer in the classic film
Rebel Without a Cause (1955).
This led to a plethora of film and TV support offers where the balding
actor made fine use of his dark, rich voice, stern intensity and
pragmatic air, portraying a slew of professional and shady types in
crime yarns, soap dramas and war pictures -- everything from principals
and prosecutors to mobsters and murderers.
After years of playing it serious, which included stints on the daytime
drama
General Hospital (1963), Ed
finally was able to focus on comedy as "The Chief" to
Don Adams klutzy secret agent on
Get Smart (1965), a show that
inevitably found a cult audience. Picking up a few occasional guest
spots in its aftermath, he later tried producing.
Twice married and the father of four, Platt died on March 19, 1974. Death was attributed to a massive heart attack at the time. Years later his son revealed that his father, suffering from acute depression and undergoing severe financial pressures, committed suicide at his Santa Monica, California apartment.