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Marvin Wilbur Kaplan (January 24, 1927 – August 25, 2016) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter who was best known as Henry Beesmeyer in Alice (1978–1985).
Kaplan is probably best known for his recurring role on the sitcom Alice where he portrayed a phone lineman named Henry Beesmeyer who frequented Mel's diner. He was with the cast from 1977 until the series ended in 1985.[citation needed]
In addition, the actor was the voice of Choo-Choo on the cartoon series Top Cat (1961–62).
[3]: 1096 Besides his role on Alice, he was Marvin on The Chicago Teddy Bears[3]: 184 and Dwight McGonigle in On the Air.[3]: 786 He also provided the voice of Skids on the Saturday morning cartoon CB Bears.[3]
Kaplan had a regular role in the radio sitcom and later television version of Meet Millie as Alfred Prinzmetal, an aspiring poet-composer.[4] The program ran from 1951–54 on radio and continued on television from 1952–56.
He joined the California Artists Radio Theatre In January 1984 and performed leading roles in over twenty 90 minute productions. He created two musicals for the group and one."A Good House For A Killing" is a successful Musical Comedy. He appeared in CART's Alice in Wonderland as the White Rabbit,:And In Norman Corwin's Plot to Overthrow Christmas with CART, as Nero's messenger opposite David Warner. He Was in CART's Bradbury 75th Birthday Tribute. He played opposite Jo Ann Worley in three CART productions :Corwin's 100th Birthday, Chekhov's Humoresque and in The Man With Bogart's Face" he was the Cowardly Lion in Cart's Wizard of Oz opposite Norman Lloyd and Linda Henning. And was the Lead in"Clarence" opposite Samantha Eggar and Janet Waldo; and Dr. Einstein opposite David Warner in Cart's Arsenic and Old Lace..He served on the Board for California Artists Radio Theatre for 32 years.
Marvin Kaplan appeared as Geppetto on Adventures in Odyssey's Club episode entitled The Tale of a Foolish Puppet Parts 1 & 2 recorded in 2014 and released in 2015. [5]
Film
Kaplan's first film role was as a court reporter in Adam's Rib (1949). He had a small role in the 1963 film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) playing a gas station attendant alongside Arnold Stang, with whom he provided voices for the Top Cat cartoon series. He features in the supporting cast of the comedy The Great Race (1965). He also made a brief appearance as a carpet cleaner in the film Freaky Friday (1976).[citation needed]
Stage
Kaplan gained early stage experience at a Los Angeles theater, working as stage manager on a production of ''Rain''.[2] For many years, Kaplan was a member of Theatre West, the oldest continually-operating theatre company in Los Angeles. He performed in many plays there and elsewhere. He was also a playwright and screenwriter.[6]
Personal life
Kaplan in 2013
Kaplan was married to Rosa Felsenburg, a union that ended in divorce.[2]
Death
Kaplan died of natural causes in his sleep on August 25, 2016. He was 89 years old.[2]
Filmography
Film
Adam's Rib (1949) as Court Stenographer (uncredited)
Francis (1950) as First Medical Corps lieutenant (uncredited)
Key to the City (1950) as Francis – Newspaper Photographer (uncredited)
