Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (born November 30, 1918, died May 2, 2014) was an American actor known for his starring roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. He was also known as the voice behind the character Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series and its numerous spin-offs.

Early years
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was born in New York, New York, the son of famed violinist Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. (1890–1985), born in the southwestern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and operatic soprano Alma Gluck (1884–1938), who had been born as Reba Feinsohn in Iaşi, Romania.

In 1963 and 1964, Zimbalist joined fellow actors William Lundigan, Chill Wills, and Walter Brennan, in making appearances on behalf of U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater, the Republican nominee in the campaign against U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Career
A 1940 graduate of Yale University, Zimbalist had a stage career as both actor and producer. Zimbalist's first recurring role in a television series was as roguish gambler "Dandy Jim Buckley" on Maverick opposite James Garner in 1957; after five appearances, Zimbalist left in 1958 to play the lead, Stuart "Stu" Bailey, in 77 Sunset Strip, a popular detective series running until 1964. In 1959 he was awarded the Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer - Male". After 77 Sunset Strip, he appeared in other series, including CBS's short-lived The Reporter starring Harry Guardino as a journalist, Danny Taylor of the fictitious New York Globe. He also appeared in leading and supporting roles in several feature films, including Harlow, A Fever in the Blood (a film about a ruthless politician), Wait Until Dark, and Airport 1975.

Zimbalist had a recurring role on his daughter's 1980s television detective series, Remington Steele.

In 1990, he played the father of Zorro in the (then Christian Broadcasting Network's- aka CBN) Family Channel's remake The New Zorro. Zimbalist relinquished the role after the program's first season due to the filming at studios outside Madrid, Spain, and the role subsequently went to Henry Darrow. He had a small recurring role in the 1990s science fiction TV series Babylon 5 as William Edgars.

Also in the 1990s, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. 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. Freeze: SubZero, and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman and villain Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He has appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Zimbalist wrote an autobiography, My Dinner of Herbs, published by Limelight Editions, New York.

In 2008, Efrem appeared in the short film THE DELIVERY, where he plays the professor who helps a young girl in her struggles for literacy. The film won First Place in Fantasy at Dragon*Con Film Festival and was an Official Selection of the Los Angeles International Children's Festival and the Reel Women International Film Festival in 2009.

The F.B.I. television series
Zimbalist was arguably most widely known for his starring role as Inspector Lewis Erskine in the Quinn Martin television production, The F.B.I., premiering on September 19, 1965 and closing with the last episode on September 8, 1974. Zimbalist was generous in his praise of producer Quinn Martin and of his own experience starring in the show. Those who worked with Zimbalist on the show were equally admiring of the star's professionalism and likeable personality.

Star Zimbalist maintained a strong personal relationship with J. Edgar Hoover, who requested technical accuracy for the show, and that agents be portrayed in the best possible light. Actors who played F.B.I. employees were required by Hoover to undergo a background check. Zimbalist passed his background check with ease. He subsequently spent a week in Washington, D.C., where he was interviewed by Hoover, and at the F.B.I. academy in Quantico, Virginia. Hoover and Zimbalist remained mutual admirers for the rest of Hoover's life. Hoover would later hold Zimbalist up as an image role model for F.B.I. employees to emulate in their personal appearance.

The Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Inc. honored the character of Lewis Erskine in 1985 with a set of retired credentials. On June 8, 2009 FBI Director Robert Mueller presented Zimbalist with a plaque of an honorary special agent for his work on the TV series The F.B.I., which he worked on in collaboration with the FBI itself and his friend J. Edgar Hoover.

Personal life and religion
His first wife was Emily McNair who died of cancer in 1950. Zimbalist married for the second time to Stephanie Spaulding in 1956. She died of lung cancer on February 5, 2007, at the age of 73. Zimbalist was the father of actress Stephanie Zimbalist (by Stephanie Spaulding) and of Efrem Zimbalist, III, and Nancy Zimbalist (by Emily McNair).

Zimbalist considered himself a man of abiding faith, and has been involved in a number of Christian media productions. His parents Alma Gluck and Efrem Zimbalist Sr. were assimilated non-practicing Jews. Efrem Sr. himself was raised in a non-practicing household and would later state, "As far as I am concerned, there has been no Jew in the family for sixty-five years." Alma and Efrem Sr. had their children baptized in the Episcopal Church and raised them in that faith. Efrem Jr. stated that he was taken to church every Sunday and attended an Episcopal boarding school in New Hampshire. He also attended church every Sunday with his first wife, and it was his faith which allowed him peace that she ascended to heaven when she succumbed to cancer. A spiritual pilgrim, Zimbalist was an early practitioner and proponent of Transcendental Meditation, as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He described the Maharishi Yogi as a "fascinating character", but found that his nine-year association with the meditation method, "...was a total waste of energy for me." He returned to the Episcopal faith for a time. In the late 1970's, Zimbalist was drawn to the Charismatic Christianity he found on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Eventually, he returned to the Episcopal faith, feeling more comfortable with that particular faith's style.

Death
Zimbalist died at the age of 95 on May 2, 2014, from natural causes. His father also died at age 95 in 1985.

Filmography

 * 1946
 * Mr. and Mrs. North
 * 1949
 * House of Strangers
 * Tony Monetti
 * 1954-1955
 * Concerning Miss Marlowe
 * Jim Gavin
 * Unknown episodes
 * rowspan=2|1956
 * Star Tonight
 * The Long View
 * The United States Steel Hour
 * Sean O'Neill
 * Stopover at Sublimity
 * rowspan=5|1957
 * rowspan=2|Conflict
 * Execution Night
 * Stuart Bailey
 * Anything for Money
 * Band of Angels
 * Lt. Ethan Sears
 * Bombers B-52
 * Colonel Jim Herlihy
 * Maverick
 * Dandy Jim Buckley
 * Stampede
 * rowspan=10|1958
 * rowspan=4|Maverick
 * rowspan=4|Dandy Jim Buckley
 * Trail West to Fury
 * High Card Hangs
 * The Jail at Junction Flats
 * Shady Deal at Sunny Acres
 * The Deep Six
 * Lt. Blanchard
 * Too Much, Too Soon
 * Vincent Bryant
 * Violent Road
 * George Lawrence
 * Girl on the Run
 * Stuart Bailey
 * Pilot for 77 Sunset Strip
 * Sugarfoot
 * Kerrigan the Great
 * The Wizard
 * Home Before Dark
 * Jacob 'Jake' Diamond
 * 1958-1964
 * 77 Sunset Strip
 * Stu Bailey
 * 163 episodes
 * rowspan=2|1959
 * rowspan=2|Hawaiian Eye
 * rowspan=2| Stu Bailey
 * Malahini Holiday
 * Three Tickets to Lani
 * rowspan=3|1960
 * Hawaiian Eye
 * Stu Bailey
 * I Wed Three Wives
 * The Alaskans
 * John Conrad
 * The Trial of Reno McKee
 * The Crowded Sky
 * Dale Heath
 * rowspan=4|1961
 * What About Linda?
 * Self
 * March of Dimes fund raising program
 * By Love Possessed
 * Arthur Winner
 * A Fever in the Blood
 * Judge Leland Hoffman
 * Bronco
 * Edwin Booth
 * The Prince of Darkness
 * rowspan=2|1962
 * Here's Hollywood
 * Self
 * Nov 2, 1962
 * The Chapman Report
 * Paul Radford
 * 1963
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * The Phony
 * rowspan=4|1964
 * Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
 * Paul Radford
 * The Sojourner
 * The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
 * Stranger
 * See the Monkey Dance
 * The Reporter
 * Charles Durwood
 * Super-Star
 * Insight
 * Charles de Foucauld
 * The Hermit
 * rowspan=5|1965
 * Password All-Stars
 * Self
 * Angie Dickenson v Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
 * Rawhide
 * Jeff McKeever
 * The Diehard
 * Harlow
 * William Mansfield
 * The Reward
 * Frank Bryant
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * Stranger in My Shoes
 * 1965-1974
 * The F.B.I.
 * Inspector Lewis Erskine
 * 240 episodes
 * 1966
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * The Coffee House
 * rowspan=2|1967
 * Cosa Nostra, Arch Enemy of the F.B.I.
 * Inspector Lewis Erskine
 * Wait Until Dark
 * Sam Hendrix
 * 1968
 * Insight
 * Don Ford
 * He Lived With Us, Ate With Us, What Else, Dear?
 * 1970
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * The Day God Died
 * 1972
 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
 * Self
 * Feb 16, 1972
 * rowspan=2|1974
 * Airport 1975
 * Captain Stacy
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * When You See Arcturus
 * 1975
 * Who Is the Black Dahlia?
 * Sgt. Harry Hansen
 * rowspan=3|1978
 * A Family Upside Down
 * Mike Long
 * Terror Out of the Sky
 * David Martin
 * 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
 * Self
 * rowspan=4|1979
 * The Best Place to Be
 * Bill Reardan
 * The Gathering, Part II
 * Victor Wainwright
 * rowspan=2|Insight
 * God
 * Checkmate
 * Actor
 * A Family of Winners
 * rowspan=2|1980
 * The Anita Bryant Spectacular
 * Self
 * Scruples
 * Ellis Ikehorn
 * rowspan=3|1982
 * The Avenging
 * Jacob Anderson
 * Beyond Witch Mountain
 * Aristotle
 * Family in Blue
 * Marty Malone
 * rowspan=7|1983
 * Insight
 * Actor
 * The Hit Man
 * The Tempest
 * Prospero
 * Charley's Aunt
 * Col. Francis Chesney
 * Baby Sister
 * Tom Burroughs
 * Shooting Stars
 * Robert Cluso
 * Fantasy Island
 * Mr. Baldwin
 * The Butler's Affair/Roarke's Sacrifice
 * Remington Steele
 * Daniel Chalmers
 * Sting of Steele
 * rowspan=7|1984
 * The Love Boat
 * Dan Whitman
 * Polly's Poker Palace, Parts 1 and 2
 * Hardcastle and McCormick
 * Emmett Parnell
 * The Georgia Street Motors
 * Partners in Crime
 * Grant Latham
 * Murder in the Museum
 * Cover Up
 * E.G. Dawson
 * Writer's Block
 * Remington Steele
 * Daniel Chalmers
 * Blue Blooded Steele
 * Hotel
 * Alexander Heath
 * Flesh and Blood
 * You Are the Jury
 * Narrator
 * The Case of the People of Florida v Joseph Lamdrum
 * rowspan=2|1985
 * Finder of Lost Loves
 * Judge Alex Hale
 * Mister Wonderful
 * Remington Steele
 * Daniel Chalmers
 * Steele Searching, Part 2
 * rowspan=9|1986
 * You Are the Jury
 * Narrator
 * The State of Arizona v Dr. Evan Blake
 * 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
 * Self
 * rowspan=7|Hotel
 * rowspan=7| Charles Cabot
 * Opening Moves
 * Queen's Gambit
 * Enemies Within
 * Double Jeopardy
 * Hornet's Nest
 * Undercurrents
 * Forsaking All Others
 * 1987
 * Remington Steele
 * Daniel Chalmers
 * Steeled With a Kiss, Parts 1 and 2
 * rowspan=4|1988
 * Hotel
 * Charles Cabot
 * Power Play
 * Hunter
 * Clarence Hyland
 * Murder He Wrote
 * Streets
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Gen. Havermeyer
 * The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel
 * rowspan=3|1990
 * Zorro
 * Don Alejandro de la Vega
 * 25 episodes
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Richard Thompson Grant
 * Hannigan's Wake
 * Who's the Boss?
 * Robert Robinson
 * Operation Mona
 * rowspan=2|1991
 * Hot Shots: The Making of an Important Movie
 * Self
 * Hot Shots!
 * Wilson
 * 1992
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Adam Quatrain
 * Sugar, Spice, Malice and Vice
 * 1992-1993
 * The Legend of Prince Valiant
 * King Arthur
 * 9 episodes
 * 1992-1995
 * Batman: The Animated Series
 * Alfred
 * 57 episodes
 * rowspan=4|1993
 * Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
 * Narrator
 * Trade Winds
 * Christof Philips
 * Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
 * Wolfgang
 * VG
 * Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * rowspan=3|1994
 * Vicki!
 * Self
 * Burke's Law
 * Sam Gallagher
 * Who Killed the Legal Eagle?
 * The Nanny
 * Theodore Timmons
 * Material Fran
 * rowspan=5|1995
 * The Street Corner Kids: The Sequel
 * Marty
 * Biker Mice from Mars
 * King Arthur
 * Biker Knights of the Round Table, Parts 1 and 2
 * One West Waikiki
 * Walter Mansfield
 * Flowers of Evil
 * Gargoyles
 * Mace Malone
 * Iron Man
 * Justin Hammer
 * 3 episodes
 * 1995-1997
 * Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus Dr. Otto Octavius
 * 11 episodes
 * rowspan=2|1996
 * Picket Fences
 * Hal Klosterman
 * Forget Selma
 * Mighty Ducks
 * Dr. Denton P. Hookerman
 * Zap Attack
 * rowspan=2|1997
 * Babylon 5
 * William Edgars
 * 5 episodes
 * The Visitor
 * Wayland Scott
 * Miracles
 * 1997-1998
 * The New Batman Adventures
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 12 episodes
 * 1997-1999
 * Superman: The Animated Series
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 4 episodes
 * rowspan=2|1998
 * SubZero
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * rowspan=2|1999
 * A Year To Remember
 * Host
 * The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * 2000
 * Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * VG
 * rowspan=3|2001
 * Batman Vengeance
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * VG
 * The First Day
 * Benjamin Hart
 * The Making of Midway
 * Self
 * Archive footage
 * 2003-2004
 * The Justice League
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 3 episodes
 * rowspan=3|2003
 * Batman: Behind the Mystery
 * Self
 * Static Shock
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 2004
 * TVLand Moguls
 * Self
 * The 50's
 * rowspan=2|2008
 * The Brothers Warner
 * Self
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Gen. Havermeyer
 * The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel
 * rowspan=3|1990
 * Zorro
 * Don Alejandro de la Vega
 * 25 episodes
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Richard Thompson Grant
 * Hannigan's Wake
 * Who's the Boss?
 * Robert Robinson
 * Operation Mona
 * rowspan=2|1991
 * Hot Shots: The Making of an Important Movie
 * Self
 * Hot Shots!
 * Wilson
 * 1992
 * Murder, She Wrote
 * Adam Quatrain
 * Sugar, Spice, Malice and Vice
 * 1992-1993
 * The Legend of Prince Valiant
 * King Arthur
 * 9 episodes
 * 1992-1995
 * Batman: The Animated Series
 * Alfred
 * 57 episodes
 * rowspan=4|1993
 * Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
 * Narrator
 * Trade Winds
 * Christof Philips
 * Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
 * Wolfgang
 * VG
 * Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * rowspan=3|1994
 * Vicki!
 * Self
 * Burke's Law
 * Sam Gallagher
 * Who Killed the Legal Eagle?
 * The Nanny
 * Theodore Timmons
 * Material Fran
 * rowspan=5|1995
 * The Street Corner Kids: The Sequel
 * Marty
 * Biker Mice from Mars
 * King Arthur
 * Biker Knights of the Round Table, Parts 1 and 2
 * One West Waikiki
 * Walter Mansfield
 * Flowers of Evil
 * Gargoyles
 * Mace Malone
 * Iron Man
 * Justin Hammer
 * 3 episodes
 * 1995-1997
 * Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus Dr. Otto Octavius
 * 11 episodes
 * rowspan=2|1996
 * Picket Fences
 * Hal Klosterman
 * Forget Selma
 * Mighty Ducks
 * Dr. Denton P. Hookerman
 * Zap Attack
 * rowspan=2|1997
 * Babylon 5
 * William Edgars
 * 5 episodes
 * The Visitor
 * Wayland Scott
 * Miracles
 * 1997-1998
 * The New Batman Adventures
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 12 episodes
 * 1997-1999
 * Superman: The Animated Series
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 4 episodes
 * rowspan=2|1998
 * SubZero
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * rowspan=2|1999
 * A Year To Remember
 * Host
 * The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * 2000
 * Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * VG
 * rowspan=3|2001
 * Batman Vengeance
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * VG
 * The First Day
 * Benjamin Hart
 * The Making of Midway
 * Self
 * Archive footage
 * 2003-2004
 * The Justice League
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 3 episodes
 * rowspan=3|2003
 * Batman: Behind the Mystery
 * Self
 * Static Shock
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 2004
 * TVLand Moguls
 * Self
 * The 50's
 * rowspan=2|2008
 * The Brothers Warner
 * Self
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * rowspan=2|1999
 * A Year To Remember
 * Host
 * The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * 2000
 * Spider-Man
 * Dr. Octopus
 * VG
 * rowspan=3|2001
 * Batman Vengeance
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * VG
 * The First Day
 * Benjamin Hart
 * The Making of Midway
 * Self
 * Archive footage
 * 2003-2004
 * The Justice League
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 3 episodes
 * rowspan=3|2003
 * Batman: Behind the Mystery
 * Self
 * Static Shock
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 2004
 * TVLand Moguls
 * Self
 * The 50's
 * rowspan=2|2008
 * The Brothers Warner
 * Self
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * Static Shock
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * 2004
 * TVLand Moguls
 * Self
 * The 50's
 * rowspan=2|2008
 * The Brothers Warner
 * Self
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * rowspan=2|2008
 * The Brothers Warner
 * Self
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * The Delivery
 * Dr. Engel
 * Dr. Engel