1. Ralph Meeker first rose to prominence for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mister Roberts and Picnic, the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance.
49 Facts About Ralph Meeker
1. 2.
In film, Meeker is known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly and as condemned infantryman Cpl.
3.
Ralph Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory, as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild, as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen, and in the gangster film The St Valentine's Day Massacre.
4.
Ralph Meeker had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire, and in the television horror film The Night Stalker.
5.
Ralph Meeker spent his early life in Michigan and Chicago.
6.
Ralph Meeker attended the Leelanau School in Glen Arbor Township, Michigan, and later was made a member of its hall of fame.
7.
Ralph Meeker graduated from Northwestern University in 1942, where he majored in music.
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Ralph Meeker served in the United States Navy during World War II, but was discharged after a few months with a neck injury.
9.
Ralph Meeker began his career on stage, appearing in minor roles in the Broadway production of Strange Fruit directed by Jose Ferrer, which ran for 60 performances.
10.
Ralph Meeker followed it with a minor part in Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Ferrer and directed by Mel Ferrer which went for 163 performances.
11.
Ralph Meeker then starred on Broadway in Mister Roberts, directed by Joshua Logan and produced by Leland Hayward.
12.
Ralph Meeker made his film debut in the Swiss-made Four in a Jeep, directed by Leopold Lindtberg.
13.
Ralph Meeker played a support role, a sergeant, and the film was very popular.
14.
Ralph Meeker had a supporting role as a misfit ex-cavalryman in the classic Western The Naked Spur directed by Anthony Mann starring James Stewart.
15.
Ralph Meeker was then in Jeopardy, a well-received thriller with Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan.
16.
Ralph Meeker appeared on TV shows like The Revlon Mirror Theater and Lux Video Theatre.
17.
In 1954, Ralph Meeker was cast in a Broadway production of William Inge's Picnic, directed by Logan and starring Paul Newman and Janice Rule.
18.
Ralph Meeker was awarded the New York Critic's Circle Award in 1954.
19.
Ralph Meeker returned to films playing a cold-blooded convict in Big House, USA.
20.
In perhaps his most-remembered role, Ralph Meeker starred as private detective Mike Hammer in the 1955 Robert Aldrich film of Mickey Spillane's Kiss Me Deadly.
21.
Ralph Meeker then played a member of the French Foreign Legion in Desert Sands.
22.
Ralph Meeker was discussed to star in a Spillane sequel My Gun Is Quick.
23.
On television, Ralph Meeker starred in the 1955 premiere episode, "Revenge", of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, along with Vera Miles.
24.
Ralph Meeker returned to Broadway in 1958 to appear in Cloud 7 but it only ran 11 performances.
25.
Ralph Meeker was cast with Dorothy Provine in the 1959 episode "Blood Money" of the Western series The Texan, starring Rory Calhoun.
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Ralph Meeker had the title role in the TV movie Dillinger.
27.
From 1959 to 1960, Ralph Meeker had the leading role as Army Sergeant Steve Dekker in the 39-episode television series Not for Hire.
28.
Ralph Meeker went back to Broadway to replace Eli Wallach in the production of Rhinoceros starring Zero Mostel.
29.
Ralph Meeker was then in Something About a Soldier with Sal Mineo directed by Dore Schary; it ran 12 performances.
30.
In 1962, Ralph Meeker portrayed Jack Slade in the episode "The Crooked Angel" of the drama series Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly as a Catholic priest in New York City and loosely based on 1944 film of the same name.
31.
Ralph Meeker was cast in 1962 as Barney Swanton in the episode "Walk Like a King" of the Western series Empire, starring Richard Egan.
32.
Ralph Meeker was in episodes of The United States Steel Hour, and Route 66.
33.
Ralph Meeker was in the feature film Wall of Noise at Warners.
34.
Ralph Meeker guest-starred as Frank Marin in the 1964 episode "Swing for the Moon" of Channing, co-starring Jason Evers and Henry Jones.
35.
Ralph Meeker was in The Outer Limits, The Defenders, Suspense, The Doctors and the Nurses, and Kraft Suspense Theatre.
36.
Ralph Meeker returned to Broadway in 1964 for After the Fall by Arthur Miller, directed by Kazan and starring Jason Robards Jr.
37.
In 1965 Ralph Meeker was in Mrs Dally Had a Lover on Broadway, which ran 53 performances.
38.
Ralph Meeker guest-starred on The Long, Hot Summer, Seaway, The Green Hornet, and Tarzan.
39.
Ralph Meeker later appeared in the 1967 crime drama The St Valentine's Day Massacre, in which he played gangster George "Bugs" Moran.
40.
Ralph Meeker was in the 1967 war film The Dirty Dozen as Captain Stuart Kinder, a military psychologist who attempts to analyze the men.
41.
Ralph Meeker portrayed police officers in The Detective with Frank Sinatra and The Anderson Tapes with Sean Connery.
42.
Ralph Meeker starred in Gentle Giant, A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer, and The Devil's 8 and guest starred on Dundee and the Culhane, The High Chaparral, and The Name of the Game.
43.
In 1971, Ralph Meeker played FBI agent Bernie Jenks in the TV movie The Night Stalker.
44.
Ralph Meeker was in TV movies The Mind Snatchers, Birds of Prey, You'll Never See Me Again, Cry Panic, Night Games, The Girl on the Late, Late Show, and The Dead Don't Die.
45.
Ralph Meeker made Love Comes Quietly in Holland and worked in the John Wayne film Brannigan.
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Ralph Meeker was second-billed in Johnny Firecloud and had a part in The Food of the Gods.
47.
Ralph Meeker was in Hi-Riders and starred in The Alpha Incident.
48.
Ralph Meeker was an executive producer on My Boys Are Good Boys, which he appeared in.
49.
Ralph Meeker married actress Salome Jens on July 20,1964, and they were divorced in 1966.