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Harvey Lembeck

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Actor

The Resume

    (April 15, 1923-January 5, 1982)
    Born in Brooklyn, New York
    Portrayed Corporal Rocco Barbella on The Phil Silvers Show and Eric von Zipper in six 'Beach Party' movies
    Also appeared in the films 'You're in the Navy Now' (1951), 'Stalag 17' (1953), 'Between Heaven and Hell' (1956), 'Love with the Proper Stranger' (1963), 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' (1964), 'Hello Down There' (1969) and 'The Gong Show Movie' (1980)
    Appeared on Broadway in 'Mister Roberts' (1948-51) and 'Stalag 17' (1951-52)
    Father of actor/director Michael Lembeck

Why he might be annoying:

    He originally planned to become a sports announcer until one of his teachers at NYU recommended he try a stage career.
    For much of his career, he was typecast as a wise-cracking sidekick in a uniform.
    He had a heart attack and died on set after filming a guest appearance on Mork and Mindy.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He and his future wife, Caroline Dubs, performed as a dance duo at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair.
    His Eric Von Zipper character parodied Marlon Brando's performance in 'The Wild One.'
    He portrayed Sancho Panza in the touring company of 'Man of La Mancha,' which played the White House at the request of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
    He founded an improv workshop for comedy actors; his students included John Ritter, Penny Marshall and John Larroquette.
    He recommended another one of his students, Robin Williams, to producer Gary Marshall when Marshall needed a comic to portray an alien in an episode of Happy Days.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 173 Votes: 61.27% Annoying