Simon Oakland
Known for: Acting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Simon Oakland (August 28, 1915 – August 29, 1983) was an American actor of stage, screen, and television. During his career, Oakland performed primarily on television, appearing in over 130 series and made-for-television movies between 1951 and 1983. His most notable big-screen roles were in Psycho (1960), West Side Story (1961), The Sand Pebbles (1966), Bullitt (1968), The Hunting Party (1971), and Chato's Land (1972). On television, he was a regular on the cult classic horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974-1975), and the military drama Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976-1978). Early life and career Oakland was born in Brooklyn, New York, the eldest of the three sons of immigrant Jewish parents, Jacob Weiss and Ethel Oaklander, born in Romania and the Russian Empire respectively. His father was a plasterer and builder. While he later claimed in media interviews to have been born in 1922 (a date repeated in his New York Times obituary), Social Security and vital records indicate he was born Simon Weiss in 1915; his stage name was derived from his mother's maiden name, Oaklander. Film and television In 1955, Oakland made his film debut, albeit uncredited, as an Indiana state trooper in The Desperate Hours. He appeared in two films released in 1958: as Mavrayek in The Brothers Karamazov and as journalist Edward Montgomery in I Want to Live! Oakland's notable performance in I Want to Live! led to his playing a long series of tough-guys, either as authority figures or villains or a mix of both. He appeared in Psycho as the psychiatrist who, at the end of the film, explains Norman Bates's multiple personality disorder. He appeared in the films West Side Story, The Sand Pebbles, and Bullitt. He made two guest appearances as murder victims on CBS's Perry Mason. He appeared in the syndicated crime drama, Decoy, starring Beverly Garland. Oakland appeared once on the CBS Western Dundee and the Culhane and once on the series Sheriff of Cochise. He was also a regular, in a comedic supporting role, as General Thomas Moore, on NBC's Baa Baa Black Sheep, starring Robert Conrad. He appeared in two episodes of the original The Twilight Zone TV series (“The Rip Van Winkle Caper” and “The Thirty-Fathom Grave”) and in The Outer Limits as the alien birdman in "Second Chance". In 1974 and 1975, he was a series regular on Kolchak: The Night Stalker, playing newspaper editor Tony Vincenzo. (He had previously played the same character in two made-for-television movies. Personal life Oakland was married to Lois Lorraine Porta. The couple had one daughter, Barbara. Death Oakland continued working up to the year of his death. His last credited acting appearance was in the episode "Living and Presumed Dead" on the CBS television series Tucker's Witch. That episode aired three months before Oakland's death from colon cancer in Cathedral City, California, on August 29, 1983, the day after his 68th birthday. CLR
Filmography
Series
Perry Mason
Howard Walters
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Capt. Mike Caldwell
1957
Series
Bonanza
Frank Scott / Mel Barnes
1959
Series
Bonanza
William Poole
1959
Series
Bonanza
Judge Seth Tabor
1959
Series
Ironside
1967
Series
Ironside
Ted Berringer, Sr.
1967
Series
Ironside
Elton Ferris
1967
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Benny Kalua
1968
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Shako
1968
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Frank Epstein
1968
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Marty Mauritany
1968
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Mendoza
1968
Series
Charlie's Angels
Sgt. Cates
1976
Series
Mission: Impossible
Jack Wellman
1966
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Frederic Sterne
1963
Series
The Twilight Zone
De Cruz
1959
Series
The Twilight Zone
1959
Series
The Virginian
Bob Coulter
1962
Series
The Virginian
Charles Sanders
1962
Series
The Wild Wild West
Diamond Dave Desmond
1965
Series
Get Smart
Cowboy
1965
Series
The Rockford Files
Vern St. Cloud
1974
Series
The Rockford Files
Beppy Conigliaro
1974
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Series
Quincy, M.E.
1976
Series
Quincy, M.E.
Senator Reeves
1976
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Corporal Townsend
1956
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Jesse Harp
1956
Series
Rawhide
Bolivar Jagger
1959
Series
Rawhide
Sheriff Blaine
1959
Series
Daniel Boone
Dull Knife
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
General James Wilkerson
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
Bickford
1964
Film
Psycho
Fred Richman
1960
Series
The Untouchables
Russ Bogan
1959
Series
The Big Valley
Adam Howard
1965
Series
Gunsmoke
Enoch Mills
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Jim Nation
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Miguel
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Carl Mandee
1955
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
Naked City
Duke
1958
Series
The Defenders
District Attorney Gardella
1961
Series
The Defenders
District Attorney
1961
Series
The Defenders
1961
Series
The Defenders
Assistant District Attorney Murphy
1961
Series
Combat!
Sgt. Tom Akers
1962
Series
Combat!
Pvt. Clawson
1962
Series
Route 66
1960
Series
The F.B.I.
Nikos Kapralos
1965
Series
Medical Center
1969
Series
Lou Grant
1977
Series
The Outer Limits
Empyrian
1963
Series
The Name of the Game
Luis Fierro
1968
Series
Suspense
1949
Series
Kojak
Tom Donnelly
1973
Series
Tarzan
1966
Series
Vega$
1978
Series
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Series
Adventures in Paradise
Martin Quirk
1959
Series
Adventures in Paradise
John Briggs
1959
Series
Adventures in Paradise
McGraw
1959
Series
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
1977
Series
Switch
Sam
1975
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
Police Story
1973
Series
Felony Squad
1966
Series
My Favorite Martian
Lt. Murphy
1963
Series
The Detectives
1959
Series
Stoney Burke
1962
Series
The Mod Squad
1968
Series
Ellery Queen
1975
Series
Judd, for the Defense
1967
Series
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Tony Vincenzo
1974
Series
Mr. Novak
Carl Green
1963
Series
CHiPs
1977
Series
CHiPs
Bruno
1977
Series
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Thomas Moore
1976
Series
The Rogues
Absalom MacBride
1964
Series
Black Saddle
Grat Mowery
1959
Series
Cimarron Strip
1967
Series
The New Breed
Felix Pascal
1961
Series
Cain's Hundred
Walter Hayes
1961
Series
Outlaws
1960
Series
Bus Stop
1961
Series
Decoy
Lieutenant
1957
Series
Decoy
Sgt. Steve Necclo
1957
Series
Toma
Inspector Spooner
1973
Series
Tightrope
1959
Series
The Outsider
1968
Film
Bullitt
Captain Sam Bennett
1968
Series
The Alaskans
1959
Profiles in Courage
Captain Bogart
1964
Profiles in Courage
Perry Fuller
1964
Series
Men Into Space
1959
Film
West Side Story
Schrank
1961
Series
Good Morning World
Harry Lewis
1967
Series
The Starlost
Dr. Asgard
1973
Series
Captain Nice
1967
Film
Chato's Land
Jubal Hooker
1972
Series
Saints and Sinners
Alberto Bianco
1962
Film
The Night Stalker
Tony Vincenzo
1972
Series
Tucker's Witch
1982
Series
The Bill Dana Show
1963
Film
The Sand Pebbles
Stawski
1966
Film
The Brothers Karamazov
Mavrayek
1958
Series
Deadline
Lyons
1959
Film
The Desperate Hours
State Trooper (uncredited)
1955
Series
The Young Lawyers
1970
Film
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Dr. Conrad Fuller
1970
Film
Tony Rome
Rudy Kosterman
1967
Film
Emperor of the North
Policeman
1973
Film
The Satan Bug
Tasserly
1965
Series
General Electric Theater
Director
1953
Film
The Hunting Party
Matthew Gunn
1971
Film
The Night Strangler
Tony Vincenzo
1973
Series
Special for Women
The Father
1960
Film
I Want to Live!
Edward S. 'Ed' Montgomery
1958
Film
Murder, Inc.
William Tobin
1960
Film
Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man
Joe Boulton
1962
Film
Key West
Gen. Tom Luker
1973
Series
Evening in Byzantium
Walter Klein
1978
Film
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond
Lt. Moody
1960
Series
Young Dr. Kildare
Attorney
1971
Film
Who Was That Lady?
Belka
1960
Film
Happy Mother's Day, Love George
Sheriff Roy
1973
Film
Follow That Dream
Nick
1962
Film
The Plainsman
Chief Black Kettle
1966
Film
The Raiders
Sgt. Austin Tremaine
1963
Film
Demon and the Mummy
Tony Vincenzo
1976
Film
Young Joe, the Forgotten Kennedy
Delaney
1977
Film
The Flying Misfits
Brig. Gen. Thomas Moore
1976
Film
Scandalous John
Barton Whittaker
1971
Film
Red Light
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1949
Film
Wall of Noise
Johnny Papadakis
1963
Film
Alexander The Great
Attalos
1968
Series
David Cassidy: Man Under Cover
Sgt. Abrams
1978
Film
Please Call It Murder
Mickey Costigan
1975
Film
Crosscurrent
Capt. E. J. Goodlad
1971
Film
Toma
Lieutenant Spooner
1973
Film
Chubasco
Laurindo
1968
Film
Crackle of Death
Tony Vincenzo
1976
Film
Third of a Man
Doon
1962
Film
Ready for the People
Murray Brock
1964