Peter Hobbs

Peter Hobbs (January 19, 1918 – January 2, 2011) was a French-born American actor whose career spanned Broadway, television, and film across several decades. Born in Étretat, France, to Dr. Austin L. Hobbs and Mabel Foote Hobbs, he was raised in New York City. He completed his secondary education at Solebury School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and earned a bachelor's degree from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Before establishing his professional career, Hobbs served as a sergeant in combat engineering during World War II, seeing action at the Battle of the Bulge.

His Broadway career ran from 1942 to 1953 and encompassed a range of productions. Among his stage credits were the comedies Comes the Revelation and The Life of Reilly, as well as the dramas Under This Roof and The Russian People. He also appeared in Truckline Cafe, along with additional productions during that period.

Following his Broadway work, Hobbs became a fixture on American television. From 1954 to 1962, he played Peter Ames on the daytime series The Secret Storm. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason — portraying defendant Gregory Pelham in the 1964 episode "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper" and James Hyatt in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Cheating Chancellor." His television work also included appearances and recurring roles on Barney Miller, Lou Grant, The Odd Couple, The Doris Day Show, The Facts of Life, Knots Landing, The F.B.I., and The Tim Conway Show.

Hobbs accumulated an extensive list of film credits, appearing in The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969), The Andromeda Strain (1971), The Steagle (1971), Sleeper (1973), The Lady in Red (1979), Loving Couples (1980), Any Which Way You Can (1980), Beyond Witch Mountain (1982), The Man with Two Brains (1983), and Nickel Mountain (1984).

In his personal life, Hobbs married American actress Patience Cleveland on October 24, 1965, in Los Angeles, California; the marriage ended in divorce in 1968. He died on January 2, 2011, at his home in Santa Monica, California, following a brief illness, at the age of 92. He was survived by his wife Carolyn Adams Hobbs, three daughters, two stepsons, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.