Robert Frank Simon (December 2, 1908 – November 29, 1992) was an American character actor.
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Early years
Simon began acting with Mansfield, Ohio's Community Players organization in 1935, when he worked as a clerk in a meat market. Following that experience, he acted with the Cleveland Playhouse.
Theater
Simon appeared on Broadway in Clifford Odets's play, Clash by Night. In 1949, he succeeded Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. His other Broadway credits included Of Thee I Sing (1952), Sundown Beach (1948), On Whitman Avenue (1946), Truckline Cafe (1946), Brighten the Corner (1945), Mrs. January and Mr. X (1944), Apology (1943), and The Russian People (1942).
Film and TV
1950s–1970s
Simon began working in films and on television after he moved to Los Angeles in 1954.
In 1955, he appeared on television in episodes of Medic and Alfred Hitchcock Presents as well as such feature films as Chief Crazy Horse, Seven Angry Men, and The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell.
In 1956 and 1957, he appeared in episodes of State Trooper, The Millionaire and M Squad. In 1957, he appeared in the Betty Hutton film Spring Reunion, and as George Nordmann in the feature film Edge of the City, starring John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier. In 1958, Simon guest-starred as Captain Woods in "The Coward of Fort Bennett" on General Electric Theater. In 1957 and 1958, he appeared in four episodes of the anthology series, Playhouse 90. In 1959, he appeared on Peter Gunn and Adventures in Paradise. His other 1950s film credits included appearances in The Buccaneer (1958), Compulsion (1959), The Last Angry Man (1959) and Operation Petticoat (1959).
From 1956 to 1970, Simon appeared in Broken Arrow, Disneyland, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, Laramie, Black Saddle, Law of the Plainsman, Johnny Ringo, Cheyenne, and The Dakotas, Wichita Town, The Man from Blackhawk, The Texan, Tombstone Territory, Tate, and Shotgun Slade, Stagecoach West, Bat Masterson, Lawman, Klondike, and Frontier Circus, Have Gun – Will Travel, Wagon Train, The Legend of Jesse James, The Road West, Gunsmoke ("Cheap Labor"-S2E32, "Potato Road"-S3E5, “Father’s Love” - S9E24 & "The Mission" - S12E4), Laredo, The Virginian, Bonanza, and The Guns of Will Sonnett. He portrayed Sheriff Morgan on Elfego Baca and General Alfred Terry on Custer.
In 1962, Simon played Mackie in the episode "House of the Hunter" on CBS's Rawhide. The same year he also portrayed Handy Strong in the feature film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Simon portrayed Dave Tobak on Saints and Sinners. He also appeared in such programs as Crusader, Route 66, Dante, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, Johnny Midnight, Straightaway, The Roaring 20s, Sea Hunt and State Trooper. In 1961 and 1962, he guest starred on episodes of Ripcord, The Dick Powell Show, The Lloyd Bridges Show, Cain's Hundred and Sam Benedict. In the controversial 1962 episode "The Benefactor" of the legal drama The Defenders, Simon played an unrepentant abortion care provider who uses his trial to argue for a change in the law. In 1966, he played Nazi officer Colonel Beckman in The Rat Patrol episode "The Exhibit A Raid".
Later roles
From 1969 to 1985, Simon appeared in Marcus Welby, M.D., The Mod Squad, The Interns, Barnaby Jones, The Six Million Dollar Man, Police Woman, Hawaii Five-O, Cannon, Ellery Queen, M*A*S*H, Columbo, McCloud, McMillan & Wife, Quincy M.E., Eight Is Enough, and The Feather & Father Gang. He had a recurring role as Captain Rudy Olsen on The Streets of San Francisco and portrayed J. Jonah Jameson on The Amazing Spider-Man (1978–1979). His last television appearance was in a 1985 episode of Airwolf.
Personal life
Simon was married to Barbara Them, a Mansfield native. They had four children.
Death
Simon died of a heart attack in Tarzana, California on November 29, 1992. He was interred at Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California.