Charles Aidman

Charles Leonard Aidman (January 21, 1925 – November 7, 1993) was an American actor who worked across stage, film, and television throughout a career spanning several decades. Born in Frankfort, Indiana, to George E. and Etta (Kwitny) Aidman, he graduated from Frankfort High School before enrolling at DePauw University. His education was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as a gunnery officer in the United States Navy. Following the war, Aidman returned to Indiana and completed his degree at Indiana University.

Aidman's Broadway career extended from 1952 to 1979 and included appearances in Desire Under the Elms and Zoot Suit. Among his most significant theatrical contributions was his 1963 adaptation of poet Edgar Lee Masters's Spoon River Anthology into a stage production, in which he also starred. The production has continued to be performed since its creation.

On television, Aidman accumulated an extensive list of guest appearances, with particular frequency in the Western genre. He appeared in five episodes of CBS's Gunsmoke and twice each on The Californians and Richard Diamond, Private Detective. His other Western credits included Colt .45, The Rebel, Riverboat, The Americans, Trackdown, Johnny Ringo, The Tall Man, Bonanza, and The Road West. He portrayed a bounty hunter on ABC's Black Saddle and appeared in the NBC children's Western Fury. Additional television work included roles on Bourbon Street Beat, Whirlybirds, U.S. Marshal, and Perry Mason, in which he played Arthur Siddons in the 1960 episode "The Case of the Gallant Grafter."

Aidman appeared in two episodes of CBS's The Twilight Zone, "And When the Sky Was Opened" and "Little Girl Lost," and later served as narrator of the series revival from 1985 to 1987, a role he held until being replaced by Robin Ward. In 1962 and 1963, he made two appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show. His 1963 work also included a role as George Ellsworth, a United States Embassy official in Warsaw, Poland, in the three-part CBS anthology episode "Security Risk" from GE True, as well as a sex-education teacher in Slattery's People. In 1965, he played a teacher in a sixth-season episode of The Andy Griffith Show, and in 1966 he portrayed scientist Dr. Hollis, a character who transforms into a werewolf, in an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. That same year, Aidman took on a recurring role in the fourth season of CBS's The Wild Wild West, playing Jeremy Pike, one of Jim West's substitute sidekicks.

Later television credits included a 1968 appearance in The Invaders as research scientist Julian Reed, a 1970 role in Hawaii Five-O as Dr. Royce, and a 1973 appearance in Emergency. In February 1974, Aidman introduced the character Louis Willis — later known as Tom Willis — in the All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement" on CBS, playing the father-in-law-to-be of Lionel Jefferson. In 1977, he appeared in both Little House on the Prairie, as the father of Elmer Dobkins, and in the M*A*S*H episode "The Grim Reaper," portraying Colonel Bloodworth, a commander depicted as callous and sadistic in his approach to troop casualties.

Aidman's film career included Pork Chop Hill (1959), War Hunt (1962), Hour of the Gun (1967), Countdown (1968), Angel, Angel, Down We Go (1969), Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969), Adam at 6 A.M. (1970), Kotch (1971), Dirty Little Billy (1972), Deliver Us from Evil (1973), Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977), Zoot Suit (1981), Uncommon Valor (1983), and Innerspace (1987), which marked his final feature-film appearance.

Aidman was married to model Frances Garman. He died of cancer in Beverly Hills, California, in November 1993, and is interred in the Room of Prayer at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.