"It would have been difficult to predict, when Efrem Zimbalist Jr was growing up in New York, the son of the concert violinist Efrem Zimbalist and the opera singer Alma Gluck, surrounded by leading lights in the arts world, that his main claim to fame later in life would be playing a private investigator in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and a police inspector in The FBI. "Zimbalist, who has died aged 95, had been acting professionally since 1945, and had already appeared in eight feature films, without having made much impact, when he was cast as the private eye Stu Bailey in 77 Sunset Strip in 1958. It ran for six years, and Zimbalist became a household name. He was cool and smart as Bailey, an Ivy Leaguer with a background in second world war intelligence who set up his own detective agency in Los Angeles. His younger partner was Jeff Spencer (Roger Smith), and they were often helped by a young, finger-snapping, slang-talking parking lot attendant called Kookie (Edd Byrnes). Byrnes made a record, Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), that was a transatlantic hit and spawned a catchphrase. The 77 Sunset Strip show was considered to be one of the most swinging on television in the late 1950s and early 60s. Zimbalist was born in New York, grew up on an estate in the Connecticut countryside and received an expensive education in New England. His mother, born in Romania as Reba Feinsohn, sang at the Metropolitan Opera, and was one of the first singers to make records. His father, the Russian-born virtuoso, did much to revive interest in early violin music, and became director of the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia. Zimbalist Jr trained at the Yale School of Drama (from which he was expelled for bad grades) and the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. He then enlisted in the army and during service in Europe was wounded and received the Purple Heart. After the war, the director and writer Garson Kanin, a friend of the family, gave Zimbalist his first professional role in his Broadway production of Robert E Sherwood's The Rugged Path (1945), which starred Spencer Tracy." http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/may/04/efrem-zimbalist-jr
Sad to hear about his passing. Not to be mean, but I thought he was dead already. Obviously I was mistaken. Since learning of his passing yesterday, I've read about him today, and found out that he spent 5 years in the Army and was seriously wounded in the Hurtgen Forrest, but that's about all I can find out concerning his service history.
My reaction was similar. For some reason, I believed he had passed away some time ago. I was probably just confusing him with another actor. My first recollection of him was watching "The FBI" when I was a kid. From his book, My Dinner of Herbs: There was another reference to having spent 5 years in the infantry. Other than that, not much detail about his service.
95 ! That's quite an age....one of my very first black-and-white TV memories is of watching '77 Sunset Strip'.......
Stephanie is his daughter of "Remington Steele" fame and many other shows....she does well carrying on a great tradition...also attended Julliard in NY before her acting career.....surprising you men didn't mention such a pretty lady....as she has honored his legacy.
