Lawrence Dobkin: Movies & Box Office

Lawrence Dobkin (September 16, 1919 – October 28, 2002) was an American television actor, director and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades, making him a recognizable presence in the Golden Age of Radio and the early years of television. Born in Manhattan, New York, to a Jewish family, he served in a radio propaganda unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II before returning to entertainment as a versatile voice talent. He became one of the five actors who portrayed the detective Ellery Queen on The Adventures of Ellery Queen and later stepped into the lead role of Simon Templar on The Saint for a single episode, demonstrating his adaptability across genres. Dobkin’s filmography includes memorable supporting parts in classics such as Never Fear (1949), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) and Patton (1970), while his television résumé features recurring guest appearances on iconic series like I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, The Untouchables and Star Trek: The Original Series, where he also directed the episode “Charlie X”. Known for his resonant narration, he closed each episode of Naked City with the famous line, “There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.” In addition to acting, he created the title character for The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams and directed numerous episodes of The Munsters, The Waltons and Sara. His personal life included three marriages—to Frances Hope Walker, actress Joanna Barnes and actress Anne Collings—and he was the father of three children, including twin daughters Kristy and Kaela. Dobkin died of heart failure in Los Angeles at age 83, leaving behind a legacy of prolific work across radio, film, television and even video games.