Anthony Jared Zerbe (born May 20, 1936) is an American actor. After pursuing an interest in theater in his early years, including a stint at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City, he enlisted in the Air Force and later embarked upon a career in television and film.
On television, he appeared in many series, making multiple appearances in series such as Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, Kung Fu, Mannix, How the West Was Won and The Equalizer. He had recurring roles in the series Harry O and The Young Riders, garnering an Emmy Award in 1976 for his work on the former. His film credits include Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Omega Man (1971), Papillon (1973), The Dead Zone (1983), Licence to Kill (1989), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998),The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and American Hustle (2013).
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Life and career
Zerbe was born in Long Beach, California, the son of Arthur LeVan Zerbe and Catherine (née Scurlock). He attended Newport Harbor High School. He attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, graduating in 1958. His parents were also alumni of Pomona College. He served in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1961.
Stage
Zerbe's interest in acting started with stage productions when he was 17. He studied at the Stella Adler Studio in New York City. He made his New York City stage debut at the Greenwich Mews Theatre on October 15, 1961 with The Cave Dwellers.
Zerbe is the former artistic director of Reflections, A New Plays Festival at the Geva Theatre in Rochester, New York, and toured the United States in 1981 with Behind the Broken Words, a performance of contemporary poetry, comedy, and dramatic works with fellow actor Roscoe Lee Browne. That same year, he played eldest brother Benjamin Hubbard in a Broadway revival of The Little Foxes.
Television
On television, Zerbe played guest roles on such series as Naked City, The Virginian, Kung Fu (2 episodes), The Big Valley, Route 66, The Wild Wild West, Twelve O'Clock High, Bonanza, Mission: Impossible (5 episodes), Gunsmoke (3 episodes, with one a double role), Hawaii Five-O, Mannix (4 episodes), It Takes a Thief, The Chisholms, Ironside, The F.B.I., The Rookies, The Rockford Files, Little House on the Prairie (1974 TV series), Dynasty, and Columbo, among others.
Zerbe appeared as the stentorian Lieutenant Trench, employing a distinctive sonorous baritone which bore no resemblance to his own voice, in the television series Harry O from the second half of the first season through the series' conclusion at the end of the second season. At the 28th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1976, Zerbe won an Emmy for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role. He appeared in several miniseries, including Centennial, as Mervin Wendell, A.D., in which he portrayed Pontius Pilate, and North and South: Book II, as General Ulysses S. Grant. Zerbe later had a principal role as Teaspoon Hunter on the television series The Young Riders (1989–1992).
Film
Zerbe's film roles include an Irish Catholic coal miner and one of the titular characters in The Molly Maguires (1970); the post-apocalyptic cult commander Matthias in The Omega Man, a 1971 movie adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend; the leper colony chief Toussaint in the 1973 historical drama prison movie Papillon; a corrupt gambler in Farewell, My Lovely (1975); Rosie in The Turning Point (1977); Abner Devereaux in the television film Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978); villain Milton Krest in the James Bond movie Licence to Kill (1989); Roger Stuart in The Dead Zone (1983); Admiral Dougherty in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); and Councillor Hamann in the 2003 films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. In 2013, he played Senator Horton Mitchell in the dark comedy/crime movie American Hustle. Zerbe played Mr. Crumwald in the 2014 Hungarian-American movie, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.
Personal life
Zerbe has been married to Arnette Jens (sister of actress Salome Jens), since October 7, 1962; the couple have two children.
