John Larch(1914-2005)
- Actor
Instantly recognizable American character actor with bulbous nose and
heavily lined face, who could convey integrity or menace to equal
effect. He first came to prominence on radio as (Captain) Starr of
Space (1953), using ray guns to combat Martians and alien queens.
Beginning in 1953, Larch accumulated an impressive resume of TV series
credits, spanning almost the entire spectrum of the best western, crime
and science-fiction shows the 1950's and 60's had to offer. His
authoritarian personality and demeanor generally typecast him as police
officers, military men, attorneys and politicians. Quite a few of these
turned out to be either corrupt or outright villains. Point in case,
his performance as a tough hood in
The Phenix City Story (1955),
described by Bosley Crowther as
"stinging" in "hard malevolence" (New York Times, September 3, 1955).
At his best, Larch was the nervous Mr. Fremont, father to the eminently dangerous Anthony (Bill Mumy) in the classic entry into The Twilight Zone (1959), 'It's a Good Life'. In The Invaders (1967) episode 'Genesis', he was again excellent as police officer Greg Lucather, at first skeptical, but subsequently swayed by irrefutable evidence to help in David Vincent's quest. On the big screen, he is perhaps best remembered as Harry Callahan's Chief of Police in the original Dirty Harry (1971).
At his best, Larch was the nervous Mr. Fremont, father to the eminently dangerous Anthony (Bill Mumy) in the classic entry into The Twilight Zone (1959), 'It's a Good Life'. In The Invaders (1967) episode 'Genesis', he was again excellent as police officer Greg Lucather, at first skeptical, but subsequently swayed by irrefutable evidence to help in David Vincent's quest. On the big screen, he is perhaps best remembered as Harry Callahan's Chief of Police in the original Dirty Harry (1971).
