Trivia

Came to Hollywood in 1935 to play in the Hollywood group theater's production of "Waiting for Lefty. After it closed he had a total of $4 to his name and had to hop freight trains to return to New York.

Briefly left the New York theater to work as an athletic counselor at a boys camp project.

Played a leading role in Edward Chodorov's anti-fascist play "Decision" at the Vanguard in Hollywood in 1945.

Will Geer gave him his start on Broadway.

Joined the Group Theater and appeared in the road company of "Golden Boy.".

While touring with an acting troupe, he and Will Geer discovered Burl Ives, then an unknown folk-singer, in a neighborhood bar. Burl also joined the troupe.

Through an acting troupe, he helped raise funds for Loyalist Spain.

John Steinbeck asked him to play a Nazi soldier in "The Moon is Down." This performance got him noticed and sent to Hollywood in the 1940s. After some bits parts in films such as "Thirty Seconds over Tokyo," he was signed to a contract at Republic Studios.