Philip Abbott


Actor

About

Also Known As
Phillip Abbott, Philip Abbott Alexander
Birth Place
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Born
March 21, 1923
Died
February 23, 1998
Cause of Death
Cancer

Biography

A minor character actor with hundreds of credits dating back to the earliest days of television, Phillip Abbott never became a star, but he worked consistently for nearly a half-century in various supporting and leading roles. Abbott studied at New York's Fordham University and apprenticed in acting at the well-regarded Pasadena Playhouse in Southern California. After debuting on Broadwa...

Family & Companions

Jane DuFrayne
Wife
Survived him.

Biography

A minor character actor with hundreds of credits dating back to the earliest days of television, Phillip Abbott never became a star, but he worked consistently for nearly a half-century in various supporting and leading roles. Abbott studied at New York's Fordham University and apprenticed in acting at the well-regarded Pasadena Playhouse in Southern California. After debuting on Broadway in the late 1940s, Abbott became a regular television presence during the so-called Golden Age of live TV drama, appearing on popular live prime-time anthologies like "Producers' Showcase," "The Philco Television Playhouse," and "The Kaiser Aluminum Hour." Although he enjoyed a brief foray into film in the late 1950s and '60s, appearing in supporting roles on family-oriented Disney features such as the WWII adventure "Miracle of the White Stallions" (1963) and the wilderness drama "Those Calloways" (1965), Abbott continued to work primarily in TV for the rest of his career. His best remembered role was Assistant Director Arthur Ward on the long-running crime drama "The F.B.I.," which he played for nine years.

Life Events

1948

Broadway debut in "Harvest of the Years"

1957

Starred in "The Bachelor Party" and "The Invisible Boy"

1962

Appeared in science fiction film "Sweet Bird of Youth"

1964

Featured as Arthur Ward on the ABC crime series "The FBI"

1991

Appeared in feature "The First Power"

1998

Final film, co-starred with his son in the yet-to-be released "Starry Night"

Family

Mary Hinkley
Sister
Survived him.
J C Alexander
Brother
Survived him.
Robert Alexander
Brother
Survived him.
Denise Shoemaker
Daughter
Survived him.
David Abbott Alexander
Son
Actor, writer. Survived him.
Nelson Alexander
Son
Survived him.

Companions

Jane DuFrayne
Wife
Survived him.

Bibliography