Born: November 23, 1915 – Died: February 4, 1992
John Dehner was a character actor with one of Hollywood's most distinctive faces and a stentorian baritone voice, born as John Forkum in Staten Island, New York. His father was a globe-trotting artist, and Dehner attended school in France and Norway, becoming fluent in four languages. After graduating high school in New York, he initially pursued a career in art but was captivated by acting. Dehner made his way to sunny California, working as a pianist and band leader before finding a position as an assistant animator at Disney Studios. He later ventured into radio and eventually became one of Hollywood's most reliable and versatile character actors. With an impressive range, Dehner played everything from suave villains to authoritative figures in both film and television. His contributions to the entertainment industry left an indelible mark.
Early Life and Career
John Dehner got his start in the entertainment industry as an assistant animator at Disney Studios after working as a pianist and band leader in California. He later transitioned into radio, where he had a successful career and starred in popular shows like "Have Gun – Will Travel" and "Gunsmoke."
Dehner's work in film and television spanned several decades, and he accumulated over 300 acting credits. He played a wide range of characters, from villains to authoritative figures, showcasing his versatility and talent. Throughout his career, Dehner made memorable appearances in shows like "The Doris Day Show" and "The Virginian," as well as films such as "The Boys from Brazil" and "The Right Stuff."
Dehner's contributions to the industry left a lasting impact. Known for his distinctive face and powerful voice, Dehner is regarded as one of Hollywood's most recognizable character actors. His extensive body of work attests to his talent and versatility.
John Dehner's dedication to his craft and his long-standing presence in the entertainment industry undoubtedly made him a significant figure in Hollywood.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1988–1989 | War and Remembrance (TV Mini Series) | Adm. Ernest King |
| 1986–1987 | The Colbys (TV Series) | Sam Erskine | Billy Joe Erskine |
| 1955–1986 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Cyrus | Jason Gore | Narrator ... |
| 1985 | Creator | Paul |
| 1985 | Jagged Edge | Judge Carrigan |
| 1985 | Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series) | Guenther Rieseman |
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | Henry Luce |
| 1983 | Bare Essence (TV Series) | Hadden Marshall |
| 1983 | The Winds of War (TV Mini Series) | Adm. Ernest King |
| 1982 | Airplane II: The Sequel | The Commissioner |
| 1982 | Bare Essence (TV Movie) | Hadden Marshall |
| 1981 | Hart to Hart (TV Series) | Dodsworth Nash |
| 1981 | California Gold Rush (TV Movie) | Captain John Sutter |
| 1980–1981 | Enos (TV Series) | Lt. Joseph Broggi | Lt. Jacob Broggi |
| 1980 | Nothing Personal | Senator |
| 1980 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) | Anthony Del Vecchi |
| 1979–1980 | Young Maverick (TV Series) | Marshal Edge Troy |
| 1979 | Quincy M.E. (TV Series) | Dr. Ronald Shafer |
| 1978 | Greatest Heroes of the Bible (TV Series) | Debuknar |
| 1978 | The Boys from Brazil | Henry Wheelock |
| 1977 | Big Hawaii (TV Series) | Barrett Fears |
| 1977 | The Lincoln Conspiracy | Col. Lafayette C. Baker |
| 1977 | Danger in Paradise (TV Movie) | Barrett Fears |
| 1977 | Dead of Night (TV Movie) | Narrator |
| 1977 | How the West Was Won (TV Series) | Bishop Benjamin |
| 1977 | Fun with Dick and Jane | Jane's Father |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) | Judge Lyman | Inspector DeMartonis |
| 1976 | Guardian of the Wilderness | John Muir |
| 1976 | The Killer Inside Me | Bob Maples |
| 1976 | The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (TV Movie) | Warden Mannering |
| 1974–1976 | Columbo (TV Series) | Commodore Otis Swanson | Roland Pangborn |
| 1975 | Barbary Coast (TV Series) | General Everett Barton |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen (TV Series) | George Tisdale |
| 1975 | Movin' On (TV Series) | Mr. Lanier |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. (TV Series) | Gen. Woodward |
| 1975 | Switch (TV Series) | Mr. Simon |
| 1975 | McCoy (TV Series) | Bishop |
| 1975 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker (TV Series) | Capt. Vernon Rausch |
| 1975 | Petrocelli (TV Series) | Dr. Leo Stegner |
| 1974 | The Missiles of October (TV Movie) | Dean Acheson - Former Secretary of State |
| 1974 | Honky Tonk (TV Movie) | Brazos |
| 1974 | The Magician (TV Series) | Simon Russell |
| 1973–1974 | The New Temperatures Rising Show (TV Series) | Dr. Charles Cleveland Claver |
| 1973 | The Day of the Dolphin | Wallingford |
| 1973 | Love, American Style (TV Series) | Judge (segment "Love and the Secret Spouse") |
| 1971–1973 | The Doris Day Show (TV Series) | Cyril Bennett |
| 1972 | Slaughterhouse-Five | Prof. Rumfoord |
| 1971 | My Wives Jane (TV Movie) | Vic Semple |
| 1971 | Support Your Local Gunfighter | Col. Ames |
| 1970 | Dirty Dingus Magee | Brig. Gen. George |
| 1970 | The Immortal (TV Series) | George Allison |
| 1970 | The Silent Force (TV Series) | Judge Caldwell |
| 1970 | The Cheyenne Social Club | Clay Carroll (uncredited) |
| 1965–1970 | Insight (TV Series) | Jeffrey Chronister | Real Self | Max |
| 1970 | Quarantined (TV Movie) | Dr. John Bedford |
| 1970 | Land of the Giants (TV Series) | Lt. Grayson |
| 1970 | Tiger by the Tail | Sheriff Chancey Jones |
| 1970 | Then Came Bronson (TV Series) | Sid Casper |
| 1969 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) | Gar Burnett | Captain Surtee |
| 1969 | Get Smart (TV Series) | Colonel Kyle K. Kirby |
| 1963–1969 | The Virginian (TV Series) | Marshall Eliazer Teague | Morgan Starr | Frank Sturgis ... |
| 1969 | Stiletto | District Attorney Frank Simpson |
| 1969 | The Queen and I (TV Series) | Moose Mitchell |
| 1967–1969 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) | Byron Shellenbach | Schellenbach |
| 1969 | Mannix (TV Series) | Jim Claman |
| 1968 | Ironside (TV Series) | The Colonel |
| 1968 | Something for a Lonely Man (TV Movie) | Sam Batt |
| 1968 | The Outcasts (TV Series) | Colonel Romulus |
| 1968 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) | Dan Whelan |
| 1968 | The Flying Nun (TV Series) | Capt. Daniel J. Dolger |
| 1968 | The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) | Rex Goodbody |
| 1955–1968 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Sam Wall | Paolo Scanzano | Caleb ... |
| 1967 | Tarzan (TV Series) | Crosby |
| 1967 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) | Dr. Parviz Kharmusi |
| 1967 | Captain Nice (TV Series) | Medula |
| 1967 | Winchester '73 (TV Movie) | High-Spade Johnny Dean |
| 1967 | The Monroes (TV Series) | Pete Lamson |
| 1966 | The Road West (TV Series) | Dr. Kruger |
| 1966 | T.H.E. Cat (TV Series) | El Ganso |
| 1965–1966 | Hogan's Heroes (TV Series) | Colonel Backscheider | General von Platzen |
| 1966 | Jericho (TV Series) | Oberlieutenant Werner Hobst |
| 1966 | Run for Your Life (TV Series) | Eliot Ponas |
| 1966 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV Series) | Borgman |
| 1965–1966 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) | Torres | John Maxwell Avery |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) | Daddy Cade |
| 1965 | A Man Called Shenandoah (TV Series) | Moberly |
| 1965 | F Troop (TV Series) | Professor Cornelius Clyde |
| 1965 | O.K. Crackerby! (TV Series) | Ol' Sam |
| 1965 | Morning Star (TV Series) | Stan Manning #1 (1965) |
| 1965 | The Hallelujah Trail | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1965 | Branded (TV Series) | Joshua Murdock |
| 1964–1965 | The Baileys of Balboa (TV Series) | Commodore Cecil Wyntoon |
| 1964 | Youngblood Hawke | Scotty Hawke |
| 1964 | The Rogues (TV Series) | Taylor C. Grant |
| 1959–1964 | The Twilight Zone (TV Series) | Jared Garrity | Alan Richards | Captain Allenby |
| 1964 | Mr. and Mrs. (TV Movie) | Mr. Henderson |
| 1964 | East Side/West Side (TV Series) | John Manulis |
| 1963–1964 | Temple Houston (TV Series) | Jed Dobbs | Mayor Benedict Williams |
| 1964 | The Great Adventure (TV Series) | President Thomas Jefferson |
| 1960–1964 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Straw Coleman | Capt. Francis Cabot | Ben Kerran ... |
| 1960–1964 | Bonanza (TV Series) | Jean Lafitte | Captain Pender |
| 1964 | Combat! (TV Series) | Gen. Armand Bouchard |
| 1964 | The Greatest Show on Earth (TV Series) | Aubrey |
| 1963 | Glynis (TV Series) | Willie the Fink |
| 1960–1963 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) | Robert McGill | John Dehner | Dr. Burke ... |
| 1963 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) | Colonel Harvey |
| 1963 | Critic's Choice | S.P. Champlain |
| 1963 | Stoney Burke (TV Series) | Zack Mundorf |
| 1962 | Empire (TV Series) | Dan Tabor |
| 1962 | The Gallant Men (TV Series) | Capt. Rauch |
| 1962 | The Chapman Report | Geoffrey Harnish |
| 1961–1962 | Surfside 6 (TV Series) | Francisco Hernandez | Dan Castle |
| 1959–1962 | Bronco (TV Series) | Ben Cullen | Narrator | Otis Dameyer |
| 1958–1962 | Maverick (TV Series) | Archie Walker | Luther Cannonbaugh | Big Ed Murphy ... |
| 1962 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) | Ishmael Carmichael |
| 1962 | Lawman (TV Series) | Ben Wyatt |
| 1960–1962 | The Roaring 20's (TV Series) | Duke Williams |
| 1961 | Aquamania (Short) | Narrator (voice, uncredited) |
| 1961 | Checkmate (TV Series) | George Shay |
| 1961 | The Litterbug (Short) | Narrator (voice, uncredited) |
| 1959–1961 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) | Wade Cather | Cather | Big Willy Crane |
| 1961 | The Aquanauts (TV Series) | Max |
| 1961 | The Untouchables (TV Series) | Huey Barker |
| 1961 | Stagecoach West (TV Series) | Colonel Sam Carlin | Sandy Campbell | 'Henchard' |
| 1959–1961 | The Rifleman (TV Series) | Maj. Aaron King | Wood Bartell | Al Walker ... |
| 1961 | The Canadians | Frank Boone |
| 1959–1961 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) | Marshal Ben Holt | Sheriff |
| 1961 | The Tom Ewell Show (TV Series) | Newton Pickering |
| 1960–1961 | The Rebel (TV Series) | John Sims |
| 1960 | The Westerner (TV Series) | Burgundy Smith | 'Burgundy Smith' |
| 1960 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) | Paul Jordan |
| 1957–1960 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) | Jim Brayden | Marshal Tom Harvey | Colonel Overton ... |
| 1960 | The Brothers Brannagan (TV Series) | Frank Lucas |
| 1959–1960 | The Alaskans (TV Series) | Cornish | Soapy Smith |
| 1960 | Startime (TV Series) | Commentator |
| 1959–1960 | Black Saddle (TV Series) | Park Forrest | Aaron Robinson |
| 1960 | Laramie (TV Series) | Jack Slade |
| 1960 | The Texan (TV Series) | Major Randolph |
| 1959 | Vice Raid | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1959 | Alcoa Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1959 | Law of the Plainsman (TV Series) | Walter Shannon |
| 1959 | Wichita Town (TV Series) | Lew Lowry |
| 1959 | Philip Marlowe (TV Series) | Brother Aaron |
| 1959 | Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV Series) | Sheriff Hayes | Grant Mandeville | Abraham Saxon |
| 1959 | Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) | Walter Howey |
| 1959 | Cast a Long Shadow | Chip Donohue |
| 1958–1959 | The Restless Gun (TV Series) | Aaron Dixon | Sheriff Heck Partridge | George Temple |
| 1959 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) | Colonel Tedesco |
| 1959 | Invisible Invaders | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1959 | The David Niven Show (TV Series) | Tom Edwards |
| 1957–1959 | Wagon Train (TV Series) | Cleve Colter | Ned Rossiter |
| 1958 | Yancy Derringer (TV Series) | Col. Tate |
| 1958 | Timbuktu | Emir Bhaki - aka The Lion of the Desert |
| 1958 | Cimarron City (TV Series) | Will Buckley |
| 1958 | Hong Kong Confidential | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1958 | Perry Mason (TV Series) | Major Lewis |
| 1958 | Man of the West | Claude |
| 1958 | Apache Territory | Grant Kimbrough |
| 1958 | The Left Handed Gun | Pat Garrett |
| 1958 | The Real McCoys (TV Series) | Roger Brewster |
| 1957–1958 | Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre (TV Series) | McDermott | General Hugh Marley | Henry Latham |
| 1958 | Zorro (TV Series) | Viceroy |
| 1957 | Big-Foot Wallace (TV Movie) | Captain Degas |
| 1957 | Date with the Angels (TV Series) | Norman Dunbar |
| 1957 | Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series) | Ben Marquette |
| 1957 | Niok (Short) | Narrator (English version, voice) |
| 1957 | Trooper Hook | Fred Sutliff |
| 1957 | Cheyenne (TV Series) | Nagel |
| 1957 | The Girl in Black Stockings | Sheriff Jess Holmes |
| 1957 | The Iron Sheriff | Roger Pollack |
| 1957 | Revolt at Fort Laramie | Maj. Seth Bradner |
| 1957 | Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (TV Series) | Major Kevin McPherson |
| 1957 | The Sheriff of Cochise (TV Series) | Bradford |
| 1955–1957 | Matinee Theatre (TV Series) | Captain Miles Standish |
| 1956 | The Forest Ranger (TV Movie) | Frank Jennings |
| 1956 | Tension at Table Rock | Hampton |
| 1955–1956 | Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) | Baron DeBalbus | Lloyd | Gilbert Simmone |
| 1956 | The Fastest Gun Alive | Taylor Swope |
| 1956 | Frontier (TV Series) | John Masterson | Yancy |
| 1956 | Crusader (TV Series) | Wilson Foster |
| 1956 | A Day of Fury | Preacher Jason |
| 1956 | Terror at Midnight | Lew Hanlon |
| 1956 | Please Murder Me! | Ray Willis |
| 1956 | Carousel | Mr. Bascombe |
| 1954–1956 | Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) | Capt. Thomas Flynn |
| 1956 | Adventures of the Falcon (TV Series) | Vic Killeman |
| 1955 | Top Gun | Tom Quentin |
| 1954–1955 | Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) | Gen. Hatfield | Capt. Bowns | Charles Quine |
| 1955 | Duel on the Mississippi | Jules Tulane |
| 1955 | Your Play Time (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1955 | The Soldiers (TV Series) | Captain |
| 1955 | The King's Thief | Capt Herrick |
| 1955 | The Scarlet Coat | Nathanael Greene |
| 1955 | The Man Behind the Badge (TV Series) | Capt. Harold D. Smith |
| 1955 | Tall Man Riding | Ames Luddington |
| 1955 | The Man from Bitter Ridge | Ranse Jackman |
| 1955 | The Millionaire (TV Series) | Prof. Ridgely |
| 1955 | The Prodigal | Joram |
| 1954 | Big Town (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1954 | Waterfront (TV Series) | Al Catania |
| 1954 | M-G-M Jubilee Overture (Short) | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Apache | Weddle |
| 1954 | Strauss Fantasy (Short) | Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1954 | The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters | Dr. Derek Gravesend |
| 1954 | Stories of the Century (TV Series) | Sheriff Henry Plummer |
| 1954 | Southwest Passage | Matt Carroll |
| 1953 | The Steel Lady | Sid Barlowe |
| 1953 | Vicki | Police Capt. J. 'Chief' Donald (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Fort Algiers | Major Colle |
| 1953 | Gun Belt | Matt Ringo |
| 1953 | Chevron Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1953 | Powder River | Harvey Logan |
| 1953 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) | Professor Henry |
| 1953 | Man on a Tightrope | The Chief |
| 1952–1953 | Fireside Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1953 | The Adventures of Kit Carson (TV Series) | George Graham |
| 1952 | Dangerous Assignment (TV Series) | Carson | Capt. Riki |
| 1952 | Plymouth Adventure | Gilbert Winslow |
| 1952 | Junction City | Emmett Sanderson |
| 1952 | Lady in the Iron Mask | Count de Fourrier |
| 1952 | Cripple Creek | Emil Cabeau |
| 1952 | California Conquest | Fredo Brios |
| 1952 | Desert Passage | Bronson |
| 1952 | Scaramouche | Doutreval |
| 1952 | Aladdin and His Lamp | Prince Bokra |
| 1952 | The Green Glove | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Harem Girl | Khalil |
| 1951 | Ten Tall Men | Jardine |
| 1951 | Hot Lead | Turk Thorne - aka John H. Smith |
| 1951 | Corky of Gasoline Alley | Jefferson Jay (uncredited) |
| 1951 | China Corsair | Pedro |
| 1951 | The Texas Rangers | John Wesley 'Wes' Hardin |
| 1951 | Lorna Doone | Baron de Wichehalse |
| 1951 | When the Redskins Rode | John Delmont |
| 1951 | Fort Savage Raiders | Capt. Michael Craydon |
| 1951 | Al Jennings of Oklahoma | Tom Marsden |
| 1950 | The Flying Missile | Lieutenant Commander (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard | Agent Bob Reynolds |
| 1950 | Last of the Buccaneers | Sgt. Belchue |
| 1950 | Three Secrets | Gordon Crossley (uncredited) |
| 1950 | David Harding, Counterspy | Frank Reynolds (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Rogues of Sherwood Forest | Sir Baldric (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Destination Murder | Frank Niles |
| 1950 | Texas Dynamo | Stanton |
| 1950 | Captive Girl | Hakim |
| 1950 | Dynamite Pass | Anson Thurber |
| 1950 | Backfire | Blake - Plainclothes Cop (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Bodyhold | Sir Raphael Brokenridge |
| 1949 | Horsemen of the Sierras | Duke Webster |
| 1949 | Mary Ryan, Detective | Belden (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Feudin' Rhythm | Serious Actor (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Bandits of El Dorado | Charles Bruton |
| 1949 | Prejudice | Office Bigot |
| 1949 | Barbary Pirate | Murad Reis |
| 1949 | The Secret of St. Ives | Couguelat |
| 1949 | Kazan | Henri Le Clerc |
| 1949 | Riders of the Pony Express | John Dakin (Joseph Dakin in credits) |
| 1949 | Tulsa | Oilman (uncredited) |
| 1949 | I Cheated the Law | Newspaperman (uncredited) |
| 1949 | State Department: File 649 | Third Oral Examiner (uncredited) |
| 1948 | He Walked by Night | Assistant Bureau Chief (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Let's Live a Little | Dempster (uncredited) |
| 1948 | The Trial of Donald Duck (Short) | Pierre | Defense Attorney (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Dream Girl | Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Drip Dippy Donald (Short) | Bus Driver | Man on Telephone (uncredited) |
| 1947 | Bury Me Dead | Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1947 | Blonde Savage | Joe Comstock |
| 1947 | Golden Earrings | SS Officer with Hoff (uncredited) |
| 1947 | Vigilantes of Boomtown | Bob Fitzsimmons |
| 1947 | It's a Joke, Son! | Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Out California Way | Rod Mason |
| 1946 | Big Town | Willard Erskine (uncredited) |
| 1946 | The Last Crooked Mile | Jarvis - Gang Leader |
| 1946 | The Searching Wind | American Reporter in Paris (uncredited) |
| 1946 | O.S.S. | German Radar Captain (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Rendezvous 24 | Harris (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Her Kind of Man | Guest (uncredited) |
| 1946 | The Catman of Paris | Georges |
| 1946 | The Undercover Woman | Walter Hughes |
| 1945 | Club Havana | Jeffreys (uncredited) |
| 1945 | She Went to the Races | Winner's Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1945 | State Fair | Hog Contest Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Christmas in Connecticut | State Trooper #2 (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Captain Eddie | Ambulance Attendant (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Twice Blessed | Contest Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1945 | The Corn Is Green | Miner with Pipe in Bar (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Dog Watch (Short) | Crew Voice | Officer (uncredited) |
| 1945 | The Clock Watcher (Short) | Speaker Pipe (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Lake Placid Serenade | Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Hollywood Canteen | Norwegian Sailor (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Donald's Off Day (Short) | Doctor Quack the Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo | Lieutenant Commander (uncredited) |
| 1944 | The Plastics Inventor (Short) | Radio Voice (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Springtime for Pluto (Short) | Spirit Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Commando Duck (Short) | Flight Officer (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Contrary Condor (Short) | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Tarzan's Desert Mystery | Prince Ameer (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Bellboy Donald (Short) | Hotel Manager (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Pluto at the Zoo (Short) | Gorilla (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Donald's Decision (Short) | Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Lend a Paw (Short) | Pluto's Devil (uncredited) |
| 1941 | The Reluctant Dragon | Tall Baby Weems Storyboard Artist with Mustache (uncredited) |
General:
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