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American actor

Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber; November 21, 1920 – August 5, 1988) the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance. In film, Meeker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly. Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory (1957), as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild (1961), as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen (1967), and in the gangster film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967). Other credits include supporting roles in I Walk the Line (1970) and Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971). He also had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire (1959–1960), and in the television horror film The Night Stalker (1972). After suffering a stroke in 1980, Meeker was forced to retire from acting, and died eight years later of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.

Meeker began his career on stage, appearing in minor roles in the Broadway production of Strange Fruit (1946) directed by José Ferrer, which ran for 60 performances. He followed it with a minor part in Cyrano de Bergerac (1946), starring Ferrer and directed by Mel Ferrer which went for 163 performances. He was understudy for Henry Fonda. Meeker's big breakthrough came when he took over the role of Stanley Kowalski from Marlon Brando in the second year of the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Elia Kazan. Logan and Hayward had Meeker under personal contract but agreed to release him from Mister Roberts. He started appearing in June 1949. He played the role until the Broadway run ended in December and then toured on the road with it.

Meeker made his film debut in the Swiss made Four in a Jeep (1951), directed by Leopold Lindtberg. He played a starring role alongside Viveca Lindfors. Meeker was then signed to a term contract by MGM. which put him in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. Meeker played a support role, a sergeant, and the film was very popular. MGM then cast him in the leading role in Shadow in the Sky (1952), alongside Nancy Davis, later Nancy Reagan. The studio then tried him in Glory Alley (1952), billed above Leslie Caron and directed by Raoul Walsh. Both films flopped. Meeker also appeared on TV shows like The Revlon Mirror Theater and Lux Video Theatre.

In 1954, Meeker was cast in a Broadway production of William Inge's Picnic, directed by Logan and also starring Paul Newman and Janice Rule. The play was a critical and commercial success, running for 477 performances. Meeker was awarded the New York Critic's Circle Award in 1954. Picnic became a classic film in 1955, with William Holden and Kim Novak starring in the roles originated by Meeker and Janice Rule. According to Turner Classic Movies, Meeker turned down the lead role because he did not wish to sign a long term contract with the production company, and he never was offered a role of similar stature again. On television, Meeker starred in the 1955 premiere episode, "Revenge", of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, along with Vera Miles. (He later appeared in three other Alfred Hitchcock segments.) He also guest starred on shows like Studio One in Hollywood, Star Stage, The Alcoa Hour, Goodyear Playhouse, Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre, Studio 57, Zane Grey Theater, Playhouse 90, and The 20th Century Fox Hour. In 1957, he portrayed an ex convict who kidnaps and then falls for Jane Russell in the romantic comedy The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown, which failed at the box office. More popular was the Sam Fuller Western Run of the Arrow (1957), with Meeker in a supporting role. He produced the film Kindergarten in Germany.

That same year, he appeared in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory, playing a soldier, Corporal Paris, accused of cowardice during battle in World War I.

Meeker returned to Broadway in 1958 to appear in Cloud 7 but it only ran 11 performances. He continued to work heavily in TV on such shows as Climax!, Wagon Train, Kraft Theatre, Pursuit, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Schlitz Playhouse, The Loretta Young Show and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Meeker was cast with Dorothy Provine in the 1959 episode "Blood Money" of the Western series The Texan, starring Rory Calhoun. He had the title role in the TV movie Dillinger (1960).

From 1959 to 1960, Meeker had the leading role as Army Sergeant Steve Dekker in the 39 episode television series Not for Hire. For Disney TV, he did Texas John Slaughter: Frank Clell's in Town (1961) with Tom Tryon. He also was seen in Tallahassee 7000. In 1961, he starred in the political story Ada with Dean Martin, and in Jack Garfein's experimental drama Something Wild, in which he portrayed a mechanic who saves a young woman (Carroll Baker) from committing suicide, but then holds her captive in his apartment. Meeker went back to Broadway to replace Eli Wallach in the production of Rhinoceros starring Zero Mostel. He was then in Something About a Soldier (1962) with Sal Mineo directed by Dore Schary; it ran 12 performances. In 1962, Meeker portrayed Jack Slade in the episode "The Crooked Angel" of thee drama series Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly as a Catholic priest in New York City and loosely based on 1944 film of the same name. He was also cast in 1962 as Barney Swanton in the episode "Walk Like a King" of the Western series Empire, starring Richard Egan. He was also in episodes of The United States Steel Hour, and Route 66. In 1963, he appeared as Murray Knopf in "The Bull Roarer" on Breaking Point, starring Paul Richards and Eduard Franz. During the Cold War, he appeared in a 1963 U. S. Department of Defense informational film Town of the Times, which encouraged the construction of public fallout shelters. He was in the feature film Wall of Noise (1963) at Warners. Meeker guest starred as Frank Marin in the 1964 episode "Swing for the Moon" of Channing, co starring Jason Evers and Henry Jones. He was also in The Outer Limits, The Defenders, Suspense, The Doctors and the Nurses, and Kraft Suspense Theatre.

Meeker worked steadily through the 1970s. He was in the TV film Lost Flight (1970), the feature I Walk the Line (1970), and episodes of The Virginian and The F. B. I., as well as the TV movie The Reluctant Heroes of Hill 656 (1971). In 1971, he appeared on television as Kermit Teller in the episode "Glory Rider" of the Western Custer, with Wayne Maunder in the title role. That year, he was a replacement cast member in a stage production of The House of Blue Leaves. Meeker was in episodes of Primus, Room 222, Faraday & Company, Ironside, Toma, The Evil Touch, Police Surgeon, Cannon, The Rookies, Movin' On, Barbary Coast, Police Story, Run, Joe, Run, Harry O, Police Woman, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, and CHiPs. In 1971, Meeker played FBI agent Bernie Jenks in the TV movie The Night Stalker. He was in TV movies The Mind Snatchers (1972), Birds of Prey (1973), You'll Never See Me Again (1973), Cry Panic (1974), Night Games (1974), The Girl on the Late, Late Show (1974), and The Dead Don't Die (1975). He made Love Comes Quietly (1973) in Holland and worked in the John Wayne film Brannigan (1974). He was second billed in Johnny Firecloud (1975) and had a part in The Food of the Gods (1976). He was also in Hi Riders (1978) and starred in The Alpha Incident (1978).

Meeker was an executive producer on My Boys Are Good Boys (1978), which he also appeared in. He had a role in Winter Kills (1979). Meeker's final screen role was in the independent science fiction horror film Without Warning (1980), about an alien landing. The film received negative reviews from critics, with Tom Buckley of The New York Times calling the film "illogical and predictable."

Meeker was married three times: his first wife (1964–1966) was actress Salome Jens, and his third was Millicent Meeker. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.

Year Title Role Notes 1951 Die Vier im Jeep Sergeant William Long 1951 Teresa Sergeant Dobbs 1952 Shadow in the Sky Burt 1952 Glory Alley Socks Barbarrosa 1953 Somebody Loves Me Ben 'Benny' Fields 1953 Roy Anderson 1953 Jeopardy Lawson 1953 Code Two Chuck O'Flair 1955 Big House, U. S. A. Jerry Barker 1955 Kiss Me Deadly Mike Hammer 1955 Desert Sands Captain David Malcolm 1956 A Woman's Devotion Trevor Stevenson 1957 The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown Mike Vala 1957 Run of the Arrow Lieutenant Driscoll 1957 Paths of Glory Corporal Philippe Paris 1960 Dillinger John Dillinger television film 1961 Ada Colonel Yancey 1961 Something Wild Mike 1963 Wall of Noise Matt Rubio 1967 The Dirty Dozen Captain Stuart Kinder 1967 George Clarence 'Bugs' Moran 1967 Gentle Giant Fog Hanson 1968 Curran 1968 A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer Wally Walters television film 1969 The Devil's 8 Burl 1969 Lost Flight Glenn Walkup TV movie 1970 I Walk the Line Carl McCain 1971 'Iron Balls' Delaney 1971 The Reluctant Heroes Captain Luke Danvers TV movie 1972 The Night Stalker Bernie Jenks TV movie 1972 The Happiness Cage The Major also known as The Mind Snatchers and The Demon 1973 Birds of Prey Jim McAndrew TV movie 1973 You'll Never See Me Again Will Alden TV movie 1973 Love Comes Quietly Ben Hoeksema 1974 Cry Panic Chuck Brunswell TV movie 1974 Night Games Dutch Armbreck TV movie 1974 The Girl on the Late, Late Show Inspector DeBiesse TV movie 1975 The Dead Don't Die Police Lieutenant Reardon TV movie 1975 Brannigan Captain Moretti 1975 Johnny Firecloud Colby 1976 The Food of the Gods Bensington 1978 Hi Riders Mike 1978 Charlie 1978 My Boys Are Good Boys Bert Morton 1979 Winter Kills Gameboy Baker 1980 Without Warning Dave

Year Title Role Notes 1952–1956 Goodyear Television Playhouse 2 episodes 1952–1956 Lux Video Theatre Mike / Nicky Hanks 2 episodes 1953 The Revlon Mirror Theater 2 episodes 1953 The Alcoa Hour Billy Hepburn 1 episode 1955–1956 Studio One in Hollywood Mr. Sheridan / Steve 2 episodes 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Carl Spann Season 1 Episode 1: "Revenge" 1956 Star Stage 1 episode 1956 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre Joe Novak 1 episode 1956 Studio 57 Ranson 1 episode 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Carl Borden Season 2 Episode 20: "Malice Domestic" 1957 Zane Grey Theater Steve Elkins 1 episode 1957 Playhouse 90 Carbine Webb 1 episode 1957 The 20th Century Fox Hour Commander John Lawrence 1 episode 1957–1958 Climax! 'Griff' Griffith / Alex Hill 2 episodes 1958 Pursuit 1 episode 1958 Wagon Train Horse 1 episode 1958–59 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Barry Brannon / Rich Adams 2 episodes 1958–1961 The Loretta Young Show Various 4 episodes 1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mel Reeves Season 4 Episode 17: "Total Loss" 1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents John Forbes Season 4 Episode 23: "I'll Take Care of You" 1959 Wanted: Dead or Alive Martin Ash 1 episode 1959 The Texas Sam Kerrigan 1 episode 1959–1960 Not for Hire Sergeant Steve Dekker 39 episodes 1961 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Franc Clell 1 episode1961 Tallahassee 7000 Harry Griffold 1 episode 1962 Going My Way Jack Slade 1 episode 1962 Empire Barney Swanton 1 episode 1962–1963The United States Steel Hour Charlie Williams 2 episodes 1962–1963 Route 66 Parker Smith / Willard McIntyre2 episodes 1963 Breaking Point Murray Knopf 1 episode 1963 The Outer Limits John Dexter 1 episode 1964 The Defenders Floyd Cooper 1 episode 1964 Channing Frank Martin 1 episode 1964 The Doctors and the Nurses Sheffer 1 episode 1964 Suspense 1 episode 1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre Harly Clay 1 episode 1966 The Long, Hot Summer Jess Corbett 1 episode 1966 Seaway Roy Burke 1 episode 1966–1971 The F. B. I. Graham Newcomb / Scott Martin / King Hogan 3 episodes 1967 The Green Hornet Earl Evans 1 episode 1967 Tarzan Karnak 1 episode 1967 Custer Kermit Teller 1 episode 1967 Dundee and the Culhane Maximus Tobin 1 episode 1967 The High Chaparral Tracy Conlin 1 episode 1968 The Name of the Game Senator Goddard 1 episode 1968–1974 IronsideWescott / Ex Detective2 episodes 1970 The Virginian August Gruber 1 episode 1972–1974 Police Surgeoun James Blinn 2 episodes 1973–1975Police Story Alfred Attles / Sergeant Emit Howard / Chief Harry Stahlgaher 3 episodes 1974 Room 222 Mr. Jones 1 episode 1974 Faraday & Company Ed Kelso 1 episode 1974 Toma Frank Beecher 1 episode 1974 The Evil Touch Frank Drake 2 episodes 1975 Cannon Phil Dexter 1 episode 1975 The Rookies Officer Menteer 1 episode 1975 Movin' On Dave Bennet 1 episode 1975 Barbary Coast Big Lou Hobart 1 episode 1975 Run, Joe, Run Gant 1 episode 1975 Harry O Sergeant Frank Brannen 1 episode 1977 Police Woman Bellwood 1 episode 1979 CHiPs Jerry Borgman 1 episode

Year Title Role Notes 1945–46 Strange Fruit Chuck 1946–47 Cyrano de Bergerac Lackey 1947–49 A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski 1948–1951 Mister Roberts Mannion Theatre World Award 1953–54 Picnic Hal Carter 1958 Cloud 7 Newton Reece 1961 Rhinoceros Berrenger 1962 Something About a Soldier Toat 1964 But for Whom Charlie Charles Taney 1964–65 After the Fall Mickey 1965 Mrs. Dally Had a Lover Sam