John Ericson

John Ericson was a German-born American actor who built a career in film, television, and theater. Born in Düsseldorf and brought to the United States as a child, he served in the Army during World War II before studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He gained early experience with stock companies and then played the lead in the 1951 Broadway production of Stalag 17, which led to an MGM contract. His 1950s films included Rhapsody (1954), Green Fire (1954), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), and Forty Guns (1957), in which he co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck. He became best known for television, especially as private detective Sam Bolt on Honey West from 1965 to 1966 opposite Anne Francis. Later film work included 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), and Crash! (1976). He retired in the mid-1990s but returned for The Far Side of Jericho (2006) and a Crash episode.