Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the staunch patriarch Bigby Powers in the film "Grand Theft Auto" (1977). After beginning his career in stock companies in his native Canada, he emigrated to the United States in 1949 to begin a career in the American motion picture industry starting with his first appearance in a guest spot on "The Lux Video Theater". From there he would go on to flourish as a reputable character actor appearing in over 100 features between 1951 and 1986; often typecast as doctors, lawyers, educators, military men, judges, sheriffs, wealthy bachelors, blue collared guys, villains, heroes, fathers, husbands, reporters, policemen, and best friends. He appeared in lead roles in such motion pictures as "Imitation General" (1958), "Battle of the Coral Sea" (1959), "Then There Were Three" (1961), "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1962), "Blindfold" (1965), "Tom Curtain" (1966), "Valley of the Dolls" (1967), "Hang 'Em High" (1968), "Daddy's Gone A-Hunting" (1969), "The Christine Jorgensen Story" (1971), "Doctors' Wives" (1971), "The Stone Killer" (1973), "Teenager" (1974), "Straight Time" (1978), and "Wrong is Right" (1982). On television, he became a household name appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Panic!," "The Gray Ghost," "Steve Canyon," "The Millionaire," "Flight," "Playhouse 90," "77 Sunset Strip," "Perry Mason," "Death Valley Days," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "13 West Street," "The Untouchables," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Laramie," "Don't Call Me Charlie," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Bluelight," "12 O'Clock High," "Jericho," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "The Wild Wild West," "Here Come the Brides," "Family Affair," "Mission: Impossible," "The Bill Cosby Show," "Gunsmoke," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Room 222," "The Rookies," "McMillan & Wife," "Ironside," "The Rockford Files," "Cannon," "The Barbary Coast," "The Streets of San Francisco," "Phyllis," "Wonder Woman," "Police Story," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "Centennial," "Police Woman," "The Waltons," "Lou Grant, "Dynasty," "Highway to Heaven," "Santa Barbara," and "Sledge Hammer". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was a naturalized United States Citizen, was an active parishioner of the Catholic church, and he was married to soap opera actress Rachel Ames from 1968 until his death (their union produced 2 children). After retiring from acting in 1986, he spent the final years of his life devoted to family and charitable causes.