John Alvin
John Alvin, born John Alvin Hoffstadt was an American film, stage and television actor. Alvin was signed with Warner Brothers Studios for an exclusive four-year contract during the World War II era, although he was "borrowed" by 20th Century Fox to appear in 1944's Oscar-nominated The Fighting Sullivans. He appeared in more than 25 Warner Brothers films during this time, including Northern Pursuit (which starred Errol Flynn), The Beast with Five Fingers, The Very Thought of You, and Objective, Burma!. His pictures after the contract period included Irma la Douce, Inside Daisy Clover, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, and Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie. However, it was his role in the 1943 film Destination Tokyo, in which he co-starred with John Garfield and Cary Grant, that left the largest impression on Alvin. Years later, in a 2006 interview, Alvin credited Grant with having a major impact on his career path: "I learned more about show business from him than from anyone. He was very attentive and helpful."
Alvin later enjoyed a separate television career, which spanned from the 1950s to the 1980s. His television credits included various roles on Leave It to Beaver, All in the Family, Lou Grant, Dragnet, General Hospital, Murder, She Wrote, Starsky and Hutch, The Incredible Hulk and I Spy. Alvin's also appeared in numerous television commercials advertising for such products as Mattel, H&R Block, McDonald's, Porsche and Audi.
Alvin's theater repertoire included Send Me No Flowers, The Student Prince, The Chicago Conspiracy Trial and The Cradle Will Rock. He also appeared in a production of Rain, which was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
He largely retired from acting in the 1990s; his final film appearance was in 1994's Milk Money. During his retirement, Alvin often showed his movies for audiences at the Conejo Valley Senior Concerns, an organization for senior citizens based in Thousand Oaks, California.
Known for
Perry Mason
Sam Walsh
Perry Mason
Phil - Bank Teller
Perry Mason
Assistant Bank Manager
Perry Mason
Bank Teller
Murder, She Wrote
Mr. Tucker
Murder, She Wrote
Dr. Frazier
Climax!
Sir Roscoe Crosby
Four Star Playhouse
Third Mate
Four Star Playhouse
Clerk
Four Star Playhouse
The Rifleman
Cheyenne
Dragnet
Get Smart
M*A*S*H
Bowman
The Lucy Show
Director
Petticoat Junction
Mr. Kimberly
The Lone Ranger
Sid
Hart to Hart
My Three Sons
All in the Family
Bailiff
The Incredible Hulk
Dr. Patterson
The Beverly Hillbillies
Harry Barth
The Beverly Hillbillies
Photographer
The Munsters
Mr. Franklin
Amazing Stories
Professor Rand
Starsky & Hutch
Grocer
The Millionaire
Defense Atty. Bill Irvin
The Millionaire
Prosecuting Attorney
Bronco
One Step Beyond
Bradley
Family Affair
Leave It to Beaver
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Doc
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Photographer
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Doctor
Navy Log
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Dr. Carrie
Milk Money
Rich Old Guy
Racket Squad
87th Precinct
The Beast with Five Fingers
Donald Arlington
Marnie
Hotel Chauffeur (uncredited)
Hopalong Cassidy
Cain's Hundred
Norman Reno
Carrie
Stage Manager
Bright Leaf
Poker Player (uncredited)
The Shanghai Story
John Warren
Train to Alcatraz
Nick
The Lone Wolf
Johnson
A Bullet for Joey
Constable Dan Percy (uncredited)
Illegal
Court Clerk (uncredited)
The Breaking Point
Reporter (uncredited)
The Fountainhead
Young Intellectual (uncredited)
Romance on the High Seas
Charles - Travel Agent (uncredited)
The Cara Williams Show
San Antonio
Pony Smith
Dangerous Assignment
Pretty Baby
Danny (uncredited)
Northern Pursuit
Orderly (uncredited)
Return to Green Acres
E. Wilfred
Occasional Wife
Hey, Jeannie!
Man
The Whistler
April in Paris
Tracy
Open Secret
Ralph
Wire Service
Chief Dispatcher
The Quest: The Longest Drive
Aames
The Bold Frontiersman
Don Post
Three Strangers
Junior Clerk
The Fighting Sullivans
Madison Abel 'Matt' Sullivan
Deep Valley
Convict
Nora Prentiss
San Francisco Ferry Boat Dispatcher (voice) (uncredited)
Kentucky Rifle
Luke Thomas
Somewhere in Time
Arthur's Father
Irma la Douce
Customer #2
Objective, Burma!
Hogan
Passions
Minister
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle
Keegle
The Second Hundred Years
Mark Tolliver
Love and Learn
William
Stallion Road
Radio Broadcaster (uncredited)
Two Guys from Texas
Jim Crocker
The McConnell Story
Johnny
Destination Tokyo
Sound Man
Bringing Up Buddy
Cheyenne
Single Jack
This Side of the Law
Calder Taylor
Sweet, Sweet Rachel
Surgeon
The Iron Mistress
Impatient Man in Tailor's Shop
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
Dr. Draper
The Organization
Forensic Officer (uncredited)
The Shanghai Chest
Victor Armstrong
Dennis the Menace
Mr. Bonfigli
Under Colorado Skies
Jeff Collins
The Unknown Man
The Living Christ
Joseph
Crackle of Death
The Legend of Lylah Clare
Accountant (uncredited)
Come Fill the Cup
Travis Ashbourne - Reporter
Rocky
Jack Arnold
Missing Women
Eddie Ennis
Deep in My Heart
Mr. Mulvaney (uncredited)
Shadow of a Woman
Carl, Emma's Son
The Very Thought of You
Cal Wheeler