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Joe Mantell

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Actor

The Resume

    (December 21, 1915-September 29, 2010)
    Born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City, New York
    Birth name is Joseph Mantel
    Portrayed Ernie Briggs on CBS’ ‘Pete and Galdys’ (1961-62)
    Portrayed Private Detective Albie Loos on Mannix (1967-69)
    Portrayed Angie in 'Marty' (1955) and Lawrence Walsh in 'Chinatown' (1974)
    Acted in 'Storm Center,' 'Beau James,' 'The Sad Sack,' and 'The Crowded Sky'
    Guested on Ironside, Combat, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Why he might be annoying:

    He added an extra ‘-l’ to his last name because he for some reason felt it was important that it be pronounced as ‘Man-TELL.’
    He had a memorable role in Hitchcock’s The Birds as the traveling salesman who stupidly drops a match into a puddle of gasoline while lighting his cigarette (despite the whole diner screaming from the window for him not to), setting off the destruction of the town by the attacking birds.
    He took part in the disastrous ‘Chinatown’ sequel - ‘The Two Jakes’ (it flopped so badly that plans for a third film were scrapped).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served in the army during World War II.
    He worked with Paddy Chayefsky on teleplays.
    He appeared in the successful pilot for The Untouchables (and later portrayed Giuseppe Zangara in a two-part episode of the series proper).
    He reprised his role in the film ‘Marty’ from the original 1953 teleplay he did with Rod Steiger.
    He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for 1955.
    He got to deliver the famous closing line to Jack Nicholson, ‘Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown.’
    His line in Marty - 'Well, what do you feel like doin’ tonight?' - has also become a pop cultural catchphrase (ubiquitous enough that most don't even know it came from him).

Credit: BoyWithTheGreenHair


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    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying