Joe Mantell | |
|---|---|
 Mantell in Port of New York, 1949 | |
| Born | Joseph Mantel December 21, 1915 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 2010 (aged 94) Tarzana, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Film and television actor |
| Years active | 1949–1990 |
| Spouse | Mary Mantell (?-2010) (his death) |
| Children | 3 |
Joe Mantell (né Joseph Mantel; December 21, 1915 – September 29, 2010) was an American film and television actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as best friend Angie in the 1955 film Marty, which he reprised from the 1953 live television play of the same name.
Early life
Joseph Mantel was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City to Jewish immigrant parents from the Kingdom of Galicia, a region in Eastern Europe controlled by the Emperor of Austria.[1] His father was a butcher, the family name originally was spelled Mantel and accented on the first syllable, but at the beginning of his acting career, Mantell added the extra "L" and changed the pronunciation to "Man-TELL".
He served in the army during the World War II.[2]
Career
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
Early in his career, Mantell worked on Paddy Chayefsky television plays directed by Delbert Mann for The Philco Television Playhouse, including Arnold in The Bachelor Party and as Angie, best friend of the title character, in the 1953 live broadcast of Marty.[3] He also appeared in the anti-censorship episode "Storm Center" of the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, as well as the 1956 film adaptation by Daniel Taradash.
In 1955, Mantell reprised the role of Angie in the film adaptation of Marty, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[3]
Mantell was featured in the pilot of the crime drama, The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack that originally aired as a 2 part episode of the WDP. He later guest-starred in The Untouchables series itself, in the 2 part episode, "The Unhired Assassin", where he played Giuseppe Zangara, the would-be assassin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt who ended up accidentally assassinating Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead.
Mantell appeared frequently in series television, including two episodes each of The Twilight Zone: "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" (in a starring role) and "Steel" (co-starring with Lee Marvin); The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ironside, and Maude. Mantell also appeared as a betrayed husband in the "Guilty Witness" episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
He had a recurring role from 1961 to 1962 as Ernie Briggs in six episodes of the CBS sitcom, Pete and Gladys, starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams. Mantell also starred in season one, episode five ("Far from the Brave") of the TV series Combat! and in a 1963 episode of the sitcom Don't Call Me Charlie!. From 1967 to 1969 Mantell appeared five times on Mannix, four of which were in his recurring role of private detective Albie Loos.
Mantell had a small but pivotal role in the gas station scene of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film The Birds.[4] In the 1974 film Chinatown, he played Lawrence Walsh, associate of private eye Jake Gittes, and delivered the film's famous last line, "Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown." Mantell reprised the character of Walsh in the 1990 film The Two Jakes.
Personal life
He and his wife, Mary, had two daughters and a son.[1][5]
He retired from acting in 1990 and on September 29, 2010, died in Tarzana, California, at the age of 94.[6][7]
Partial filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | The Undercover Man | Newsboy | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Barbary Pirate | Dexter Freeman | |
| 1949 | Port of New York | Messenger | Uncredited |
| 1949 | And Baby Makes Three | Newsboy | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Marty | Angie | Live television play |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Stanley Crane | Episode: "Guilty Witness" |
| 1955 | Marty | Angie | nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1956 | Storm Center | George Slater | |
| 1957 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | (Lodge) Brother Harry Brown | Episode: "The Indestructible Mr. Weems" |
| 1957 | Beau James | Bernie Williams, Broadway Producer | |
| 1957 | The Sad Sack | Private Stan Wenaslawsky | |
| 1958 | Onionhead | Harry 'Doc' O'Neal | |
| 1960 | The Crowded Sky | Louis Capelli | |
| 1960 | The Twilight Zone | Jackie "John" Rhoades | Episode: "Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room" |
| 1963 | The Twilight Zone | Pole | Episode: "Steel" |
| 1963 | The Birds | Traveling Salesman at Diner's Bar | |
| 1966 | Mister Buddwing | first Cab Driver | |
| 1970 | Kelly's Heroes | General's Aide | Uncredited |
| 1974 | Chinatown | Lawrence Walsh | |
| 1984 | Blame It on the Night | Attorney | |
| 1985 | Movers & Shakers | Larry | |
| 1990 | The Two Jakes | Lawrence Walsh |
References
- 1 2 Weber, Bruce (October 1, 2010). "Joe Mantell is Dead at 94; Played Sidekick in 'Marty'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021.
- ↑ "Joe Mantell obituary". The Guardian. London. October 12, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
- 1 2 Osborne, Robert (1994). 65 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. London: Abbeville Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-5585-9715-0.
- ↑ "Joe Mantell filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. November 3, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ↑ "Joe Mantell dies at 94; actor received Oscar nomination for role in 'Marty'". Los Angeles Times. 2010-10-02.
- ↑ Coyle, Jake. "Actor Joe Mantell of 'Marty', 'Chinatown' dies at 94". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2010-10-03. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
- ↑ "Chinatown actor Joe Mantell dies aged 94". BBC News. September 30, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
External links
- Joe Mantell at IMDb
- Joe Mantell at the Internet Broadway Database
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