Judson Pratt

Judson Pratt (December 6, 1916 – February 9, 2002) was an American actor whose work spanned theatre, film, and television across four decades. Born in Hingham, Massachusetts, he attended Hingham High School, graduating with the class of 1934, and went on to earn a degree from Ithaca College in 1938.

Pratt made his Broadway debut in 1941, taking on the role of a Western Union messenger in Popsy. His stage career continued through 1955 and included appearances in Billy Budd, Hook n' Ladder, and The Desperate Hours. His screen career began in 1950 with a role in the anthology series Armstrong Circle Theatre, appearing opposite Mary Patton in the episode "Blaze of Glory." His feature film debut followed in 1953 under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock in I Confess.

Over the course of his career, Pratt appeared in a wide range of films, among them Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Horse Soldiers, Cheyenne Autumn, A Distant Trumpet, The Ugly American, Four Girls in Town, The Great American Pastime, The Toy Tiger, Man Afraid, Outside the Law, Vigilante Force, and The Barefoot Executive. On television, he became recognized for his recurring role as Billy Kinkaid in the western series Union Pacific and accumulated guest appearances on numerous programs, including Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, Rawhide, The Streets of San Francisco, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Barney Miller, Bewitched, Charlie's Angels, Father Knows Best, Thriller, Death Valley Days, Mayberry R.F.D., Nanny and the Professor, The Guns of Will Sonnett, and The Partridge Family. He retired from acting in 1980, with his final screen appearance coming in the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.

In his personal life, Pratt was married to actress Roberta Jonay from May 21, 1950 until her death on April 19, 1976. The couple had two sons. Pratt died in February 2002 in Northridge, California, at the age of 85, and was cremated.