- Was inspired to become an actor after seeing Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in the play "Picnic" on Broadway (1953).
- Served in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1961.
- Won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series as Lieutenant K.C. Trench on the crime drama Harry O (1973).
- Has done regular two-month tours with Roscoe Lee Browne, reading lyric and dramatic verse in a production entitled "Behind the Broken Words" (1996).
- Studied drama under the tutelage of Stella Adler in New York City.
- He and his sister-in-law Salome Jens have both played "Star Trek" villains. He played Admiral Matthew Dougherty in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) while she played the Female Changeling on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).
- Has performed a continuing project of Colorado writer, poet, and lyricist Joe Henry entitled "Prelude to Lime Creek," which he adapted for the stage (2000).
- Has two children: Jared Lee Van and Janet Zerbe.
- Attended and graduated from Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California.
- Has appeared with Clifton James in three films: Cool Hand Luke (1967), Will Penny (1967), and The Laughing Policeman (1973).
- Parents were Arthur Lee Van and Catherine Zerbe.
- His five appearances on Mission: Impossible (1966) as a guest-star villain were the most in the series by any actor.
- Bears a strong vocal resemblance to actor Patrick O'Neal.
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