Alfred Ryder

Alfred Ryder

Alfred Ryder as Professor Robert Crater from the Star Trek debut aired episode, "The Man Trap"
Born Alfred Jacob Corn
(1916-01-05)January 5, 1916
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died April 16, 1995(1995-04-16) (aged 79)
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1944–80
Spouse(s) Kim Stanley (m. 1958; div. 1964)
Children 1
Relatives Olive Deering (sister)

Alfred Ryder (born Alfred Jacob Corn; January 5, 1916 – April 16, 1995) was an American film, radio and television actor, best known for appearing in over one hundred television shows, including the starring role as a British criminal who could not be killed in Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond episode "The Devil's Laughter'" (1959). He appeared in the landmark first-aired episode (but not the first episode filmed in production order) of Star Trek on September 8, 1966. In "The Man Trap," Ryder played Prof. Robert Crater, who is hiding the fact that the creature pretending to be the professor's wife, Nancy—as well as who appears to Dr. Leonard McCoy to be the same woman, but his long-past love who seemingly hasn't aged a day—is actually a shape-shifting, sodium-craving, murderous monster who will do anything to get salt. But, as Crater defends, it is also the last of its kind.

Ryder played the main alien leader, Mr. Nexus, in the 1967-68 (two seasons) classic TV series The Invaders. He also appeared as the ghost of a World War I German U-boat captain in two episodes of the 1960s Irwin Allen-produced ABC-TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He later appeared in an episode on another Irwin Allen-produced series on ABC, as a cantankerous orphanage operator, Parteg, in the February 1969 episode "Night of Thrombeldinbar," on Land of the Giants.

He then appeared in the episode "A Hand for Sonny Blue" from the 1977 series Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (known in the United Kingdom as Twist in the Tale).[1] In films he is perhaps best remembered as the defense attorney who cross-examines John Wayne in True Grit (1969).

He began acting at the age of eight and went on to study with Robert Lewis and Lee Strasberg. He eventually became a life member of The Actors Studio.[2]

During the heyday of American network radio comedy, Ryder had two memorable regular roles, as Molly Goldberg's son Sammy in The Goldbergs; and, as Carl Neff in Easy Aces. During World War II he served in the United States Army Air Forces and appeared in the Air Forces' Broadway play and film Winged Victory. He appeared in the Anthony Mann directed film noir classic, T-Men (1947).

Family

Born to Jewish parents, he was married to actress Kim Stanley from 1958 until 1964;[3] the couple had a child, Laurie Ryder. He was the brother of actress Olive Deering (1918–1986).

Select TV/film appearances

References

  1. ↑ Classic Television Archive: Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected (1977)
  2. ↑ Garfield, David (1980). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January 1980". A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 279. ISBN 0-02-542650-8.
  3. ↑ Krampner, Jon. Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley, Back Stage Books, 2006, p. 230
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