Waste (Part One), September 27, 1971 Written by Jim Byrnes, Directed by Vincent McEveety, Guest Cast: Ruth Roman, Jeremy Slate, Ellen Bustyn, Johnny Whitaker, David Sheiner, Shug Fisher, Lieux DressIer, Don McGowan, George Chandler, Rex Holman, Ken Swofford, Don Keefer, Merry Anders, Lieux DressIer, Claire Brennan, Lee Pulford, Emory Parnell

Waste (Part Two), October 4, 1971 Written by Jim Byrnes, Directed by Vincent McEveety, Guest Cast: Ruth Roman, Jeremy Slate, Ellen Bustyn, Johnny Whitaker, David Sheiner, Shug Fisher, Lieux Dressler, Don McGowan, George Chandler, Rex Holman, Ken Swofford, Don Keefer, Merry Anders, Lieux DressIer, Claire Brennan, Lee Pulford, Emory Parnell

This very familiar, avuncular actor is best remembered as Uncle Petrie on the "Lassie" TV series but was quite active in early films of the 1930s, 40s & 50s. He was 5' 8" and lanky with graying hair, a long, kindly face, brush mustache and sleepy eyes. Cast most often as a kindly or quizzical type in comedies, he was also adept at serious, dramatic roles. He was born in Waukegan, Illinois on June 30, 1898 and grew up there. He was in vaudeville by the age of 17 and as billed as "The Musical Nut." He later attended and graduated from the University of Illinois paying his way by playing his violin in an orchestra. He married Catherine Ward in 1935 and they had three children: Gary, Ward and Mike. He was quite active in the Screen Actors Guild serving on its Board of Directors from 1946-48, as Treasurer from 1948-60 and succeeding Ronald Reagan as its President in 1960. He made his film debut in a silent film "The Cloud Dodger" (1928) as the Post Commander. His other films included: "The Virginian" (1929) a silent, as Ranch Hand; "The Light of the Western Stars" (1930) as Slig; "The Floradora Girl" (1930) as Georgie Smith; "Doctors' Wives" (1931) as Dr. Roberts; "Me and My Gal" (1932) as Eddie Collins; "Lady Killer" (1933) as Thompson; "The Fatal Glass of Beer" (1933) a short with W.C. Fields, as Chester, the Wastrel Son; "Bureau of Missing Persons" (1933) as Homer Howard; "The Woman in Red" (1935) as Reporter; "Three Men on a Horse" (1936) as Al; "The Country Doctor" (1936) with the Dionne Quintuplets, as Greasy, one of his better roles; "Fury" (1936) as Milton Jackson; "Time Out for Romance" (1937) as Simpson; "Three Comrades" (1938) as First Comic; "Calling All Marines" (1939) as John Gordon; "Young Mr. Lincoln" (1939) as Loafer; "Beau Geste" (1939) as Cordier; "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) uncredited, as Reporter; "Arizona" (1940) as Haley; "The Return of Frank James" (1940) as Roy; "Model Wife" (1941) as Joe; "Tobacco Road" (1941) as Hotel Clerk; "Western Union" (1941) as Herb; "Roxie Hart" (1942) as Amos Hart; "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (1943) as Kelly; "Secrets of the Underground" (1943) as Lynch the Hotel Clerk; "The Ox-Bow Incident" (1943) uncredited, as Jimmy Cairnes; "Buffalo Bill" (1944) with Joel McCrea, as Trooper Clancy; "Since You Went Away" (1944) as Cabby; "Behind the Mask" (1946) as Shrevvy; "Dead Reckoning" (1947) with Humphrey Bogart, as Louis Ord; "Magic Town" (1947) as Bus Driver; "The Paleface" (1948) with Bob Hope, as First Patient; "Battleground" (1949) uncredited, as Mess Sergeant; "Triple Trouble" (1950) as Squirrely Davis; "The Next Voice You Hear" (1950) as Motorcycle Cop; "The Happy Years" (1950) as Johnny; "Across the Wide Missouri" (1951) as Gowie; "Hans Christian Andersen" (1952) as farmer; "Superman in Exile" (1952) as Scratchy; "The High and the Mighty" (1954) as Ben Sneed; "Apache Ambush" (1955) as Chandler; "Dead Ringer" (1964) as George; "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1965) as Judge Harley Nast; "Buckskin" (1968) as Storekeeper Perkins; "Escape to Witch Mountain" (1975) as Grocer; "Capone" (1975) as Robert E. Crowe; "Every Which Way But Loose" (1978) as Clerk at DMV and "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" (1979) as Elderly Man, his final film role. On TV he was a regular on the series: "Lassie" (1958-64) as Uncle Petrie Martin and "Ichabod and Me" (1961-62) as Ichabod Adams. He appeared in the TV movies "Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story" (1976) and "The Bastard" (1978). He guest starred on such TV series as: "Philco Television Playhouse"; "Wagon Train"; "The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok"; "Circus Boy"; "Twilight Zone"; "Rawhide"; "Green Acres"; "Petticoat Junction"; "The Waltons" and "CHiPs." He died after complications of cancer surgery on June 10, 1985 in Panorama City, California at age 86.