Frank Wilcox

One of the busiest character actors of the 20th century, Frank Wilcox is a familiar face to TV and film viewers, even if he is not a household name. His first decade in the industry, the 1940s, was mostly filled with bit parts and uncredited roles, usually in westerns and war films like the classic Gary Cooper movie "Sergeant York." He landed a supporting role in the noir film "Night Editor" and played Sheriff Ed Douglas in the Jacques Tourneur classic "Out of the Past." As the TV era began, Wilcox was in constant demand for guest roles, and he found his first recurring part on the 1954 adventure show "Waterfront." In 1957, he began appearing as a judge on the courtroom drama "Perry Mason," appearing eight times in all. He made appearances on "The Red Skelton Hour," the western "Rawhide," and in his longest running role, played DA Beecher Asbury, ally to Elliot Ness in the crime drama "The Untouchables," from 1959 to 1963. He also landed a bit part in the epic "The Ten Commandments." In probably his best-known role, Wilcox appeared on the rural sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies" as oil executive John Brewster, a role spanning several seasons.