Paul Birch (actor)

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Paul Birch, born Paul Smith (January 13, 1912 – May 24, 1969), was an American actor of stage and film. He was divorced from Margaret Farish and his widow was named Betsy Ross. He was survived by three children.

Birch was born in Atmore, Alabama and died in St. George's, Grenada. He was a veteran of 39 movies, 50 stage dramas and a number of television shows including the Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951). In the late 1950s he starred, along with William Campbell, in the syndicated Canadian series Cannonball (1958), a half-hour drama/adventure show about truckers. He was the original "Marlboro Man" in TV commercials and played both Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee in several historical playets. He started out as the first of the original members of the Pasadena Playhouse and his stage work included The Caine Mutiny. He also had a recurring role as Captain Carpenter, the boss of Lt. Phillip Gerard in The Fugitive.