Wissenswertes

In 1984, he carried the Olympic Torch and ran a portion of the Los Angeles segment.

Long associated with the March of Dimes, serving as national chairman for many years.

Although he was nominated for seven Primetime Emmys for Barney Miller (1975), he won two Daytime Emmys for hosting a series of daytime informational spots called FYI: For Your Information (1980).

Worked as a voice over actor for Titra Studios. In fact, his voice is heard in many foreign films that were dubbed into English including several films in the "Godzilla" series.

Linden met his wife, Frances, when she was a dancer. She got him an audition to understudy the lead male character, Jeff Moss (played by Sydney Chaplin) in the Broadway musical "Bells Are Ringing". Judy Holliday, star of the show (and the film version), attended the Lindens' wedding.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role on Barney Miller (1975), he built on his popularity from that show and toured as a solo singing act during the same period.

Both his family name Lipshitz and stage name Linden are derived from the words for "limetree" in Yiddish and German, respectively.

Chose his stage name on the way from Philadelphia to an acting job in New York City. He saw the water tower in Linden, New Jersey, and the rest is history.

He was offered and turned down the lead role in Chefarzt Dr. Westphall (1982).

Music ran in Linden's family. Played clarinet with the New York American Symphony at the age of fifteen. He also played saxophone in live jazz bands to earn a living when he was a young man. Linden was enlisted in the United States Army from 1952-54, where he played big band music. To calm his parents, he enrolled in City College of New York but left without graduating. He finally earned his diploma at age 69 and his mother was there to witness it.

Alongside Norman Lloyd, William Daniels, Dick Van Dyke, Ernest Borgnine, Mickey Rooney, Christopher Lee, Betty White, Angela Lansbury, Edward Asner, Marla Gibbs, Adam West, William Shatner, Larry Hagman, Florence Henderson, Shirley Jones and Alan Alda, Linden is one of the few actors in Hollywood who lived into their 80s and/or 90s without ever either retiring from acting or having stopped getting work.

Did not start acting until he was 25 years old.

In an interview with the Archive of American Television Linden said one of his proudest achievements was shooting his age in golf.

While he was in the Army, all the big band musicians had vanished and rock and roll was born.

He is a lifelong Democrat.