Robert Mandan

Robert Mandan (February 2, 1932 – April 29, 2018) was an American actor born in Clever, Missouri. He built a career spanning television, film, and stage across more than five decades, earning particular recognition for his work in television comedy and drama. He is survived by his wife, Sherry Dixon, a licensed primal psychotherapist, whom he married in 1963. Mandan died in Los Angeles on April 29, 2018, following a long battle with cancer, and was cremated.

Mandan's television career began in daytime serials, with early roles on NBC's From These Roots from 1958 to 1961 and as businessman Sam Reynolds on Search for Tomorrow from 1965 to 1970. His prime-time profile grew steadily through guest appearances in the early 1970s, including an auctioneer in the 1972 premiere episode of Sanford and Son, attorney Mr. Morrison in a 1973 episode of All in the Family, and Maude's gay friend Barry in a 1974 episode of Maude. In 1972 he also appeared in the first episode of the final season of Mission: Impossible as Tim Sharkey, and he recurred across multiple episodes of Barnaby Jones, including "Counterfall," "Killer on Campus," and "Prisoner of Deceit." He guest-starred in an episode of the western series Sara in 1976 and played Woody Billingsley in a January 1979 episode of The Love Boat.

His most prominent television role came with the satirical ABC sitcom Soap, on which he played Chester Tate, the philandering businessman husband of Jessica Tate, portrayed by Katherine Helmond, from 1977 to 1981. He played Mr. Kirby in the 1979 NBC television adaptation of You Can't Take It With You and Colonel Fielding in the 1981 TV adaptation of Private Benjamin. In 1982, Mandan appeared in two theatrical films: as school principal Walter J. Coolidge in Zapped! and as Senator Charles Wingwood in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. That same year he played Bill Rush, Henry's older brother, in Too Close for Comfort. From 1984 to 1985, he starred as James Bradford on ABC's Three's a Crowd, opposite John Ritter, a spin-off of Three's Company that ran for one season. In 1986, he appeared on The Facts of Life as Peace Corps member Dr. Bruce Gaines, who married Mrs. Garrett, played by Charlotte Rae, in her final episodes on the series. He played Steven in the 1990 Golden Girls episode "Great Expectations" and in 1991 reunited with Katherine Helmond for two episodes of Who's the Boss?

Mandan returned to daytime serials later in his career, playing Maxwell Hammer on Santa Barbara in 1990, Mr. Jonesy alongside Louise Sorel on Days of Our Lives from 1997 to 1998, and a judge on General Hospital in early 2006. In 1993, he took on the role of Cardassian diplomat Kotan Pa'Dar in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Cardassians," a character who discovers that a son he believed lost in a terrorist attack had survived. In 1994, he appeared on Married... with Children in the episode "The D'Arcy Files" as the shady Walter Traugott. Mandan was also a frequent special guest on The $25,000 Pyramid during the 1980s and appeared on numerous other game shows, including Match Game, Family Feud, Super Password, Chain Reaction, and Hollywood Squares.

On Broadway, Mandan performed from 1956 to 1988, with credits including the melodrama Speaking of Murder, Maggie Flynn, But, Seriously..., Applause, and Mail. His stage work extended beyond Broadway throughout his career. He starred as J.B. Biggley in the pre-Broadway version of the 1990s revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and performed the role of Andrew Wyke in multiple touring productions of Anthony Shaffer's mystery Sleuth. In 2002, he appeared in A Twilight Romance at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, California.