Acting
Ralph Meeker
Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber; November 21, 1920 – August 5, 1988) was an American actor. He first rose to prominence for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mister Roberts (1948–1951) and Picnic (1953), the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance. In film, Meeker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly. Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory (1957), as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild (1961), as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen (1967), and in the gangster film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967). Other credits include supporting roles in I Walk the Line (1970) and Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971). He also had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire (1959–1960), and in the television horror film The Night Stalker (1972). After suffering a stroke in 1980, Meeker was forced to retire from acting, and died eight years later of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.
Filmography
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
Film · 2002
Without Warning
Film · 1980
Winter Kills
Film · 1979
The Alpha Incident
Film · 1978
My Boys Are Good Boys
Film · 1978
Hi-Riders
Film · 1978
Kaz
Series · 1978
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
Series · 1978
CHiPs
Series · 1977
The Food of the Gods
Film · 1976
The Dead Don't Die
Film · 1975
Johnny Firecloud
Film · 1975
Brannigan
Film · 1975
Barbary Coast
Series · 1975
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
Film · 1974
Cry Panic
Film · 1974
Night Games
Film · 1974
Run, Joe, Run
Series · 1974
Harry O
Series · 1974
Police Woman
Series · 1974
Birds of Prey
Film · 1973
You'll Never See Me Again
Film · 1973
Angela – Love Comes Quietly
Film · 1973
The Evil Touch
Series · 1973
Police Story
Series · 1973
Toma
Series · 1973
Faraday and Company
Series · 1973
The Night Stalker
Film · 1972
The Mind Snatchers
Film · 1972
The Rookies
Series · 1972
The Anderson Tapes
Film · 1971
The Reluctant Heroes
Film · 1971
Cannon
Series · 1971
Primus
Series · 1971
I Walk the Line
Film · 1970
Lost Flight
Film · 1970
The Devil's Eight
Film · 1969
Room 222
Series · 1969
The Detective
Film · 1968
The Name of the Game
Series · 1968
The Dirty Dozen
Film · 1967
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Film · 1967
Gentle Giant
Film · 1967
Ironside
Series · 1967
The High Chaparral
Series · 1967
Custer
Series · 1967
Tarzan
Series · 1966
The Green Hornet
Series · 1966
The F.B.I.
Series · 1965
The F.B.I.
Series · 1965
The F.B.I.
Series · 1965
Wall of Noise
Film · 1963
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Series · 1963
The Outer Limits
Series · 1963
Going My Way
Series · 1962
Something Wild
Film · 1961
Ada
Film · 1961
A Holster Full Of Law
Film · 1961
The Defenders
Series · 1961
Tallahassee 7000
Series · 1961
Route 66
Series · 1960
Not for Hire
Series · 1959
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Series · 1958
The Texan
Series · 1958
Paths of Glory
Film · 1957
Run of the Arrow
Film · 1957
The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown
Film · 1957
Four Women in Black
Film · 1957
A Woman's Devotion
Film · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Big House, U.S.A
Film · 1955
Kiss Me Deadly
Film · 1955
Desert Sands
Film · 1955
Revenge
Film · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Climax!
Series · 1954
Climax!
Series · 1954
The Naked Spur
Film · 1953
Jeopardy
Film · 1953
Code Two
Film · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
Shadow in the Sky
Film · 1952
Somebody Loves Me
Film · 1952
Glory Alley
Film · 1952
Teresa
Film · 1951
Four in a Jeep
Film · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Lux Video Theatre
Series · 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Series · 1950
Studio One
Series · 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948