Ralph Meeker
Acting
Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber; November 21, 1920 – August 5, 1988) was an American actor. He first rose to prominence for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mister Roberts (1948–1951) and Picnic (1953), the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance. In film, Meeker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly. Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory (1957), as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild (1961), as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen (1967), and in the gangster film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967). Other credits include supporting roles in I Walk the Line (1970) and Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971). He also had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire (1959–1960), and in the television horror film The Night Stalker (1972). After suffering a stroke in 1980, Meeker was forced to retire from acting, and died eight years later of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.
The Anderson Tapes
as Police Captain 'Iron Balls' Delaney
Age 50 (now 67)
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
as George Clarence 'Bugs' Moran
Age 46 (now 67)
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
as Lt. Driscoll (archive footage)
Age 81 (now 67)
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
as Inspector DeBiesse
Age 53 (now 67)
The Anderson Tapes
as Police Captain 'Iron Balls' Delaney
Age 50 (now 67)
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
as George Clarence 'Bugs' Moran
Age 46 (now 67)
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Steve Elkins
Age 35 (now 67)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Barry Brannon
Age 30 (now 67)
Gathering insights...
Also Known As
Ralph Rathgeber
IMDB
nm0576127