Ed Peck

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Short description|American actor (1917–1992)}} {{Infobox person | image = Ed Peck in Tales of Tomorrow (Time to Go).jpg | imagesize = | caption = Ed Peck in an episode of ''Tales of Tomorrow'' (1952) | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|3|26}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|1992|9|12|1917|2|26}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = Actor | spouse = Phyllis Houston | years_active = 1950–1983 | awards = }}

'''Ed Peck''' (March 26, 1917 – September 12, 1992) was an American actor. He is best known as Officer Kirk in ''Happy Days'' (1975–1983).

== Career == Peck played a captain in the Broadway production of ''No Time for Sergeants'' (1955).<ref>{{cite web |title=Ed Peck |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ed-peck-98522 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |accessdate=September 14, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914013232/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ed-peck-98522 |archivedate=September 14, 2018}}</ref> He was active in television and in films from 1951 to 1983, specializing in playing either police officers or military officers.

In 1951, Peck replaced Eric Fleming in the title role of ''Major Dell Conway of the Flying Tigers'' on the DuMont Television Network.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |date=2009 |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-48320-1 |page=837 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=%22Ed+Peck%22+actor&pg=PA837 |accessdate=September 14, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> In 1969 Peck appeared as the Hotel Manager on the TV Series ''The Virginian'' in the episode titled "Journey to Scathelock." One of his highest profile parts was among his last, in the television series ''Happy Days'', in the recurring role as police officer Kirk<ref name="etvs">{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|pages=430–431|edition=2nd}}</ref> from 1975 to 1983. He also played a police officer similar to Officer Kirk in at least one episode of the television series ''All in the Family'' and two episodes of ''Barney Miller'' as patrolman (later officer) Frank Slater.

Peck was an announcer on ''The Jack Carson Show'', a variety program on NBC-TV in 1953–1954.{{r|etvs|page1=520}} He also was a member of the cast of the summer 1972 television situation comedy ''The Super'', portraying Officer Clark, a tenant in a New York City apartment building. He also guest-starred on dozens of television series including ''The Untouchables'', ''Perry Mason'', ''The Fugitive'', ''Kentucky Jones'', ''Get Smart'', ''Gunsmoke'', ''Star Trek'' ("Tomorrow Is Yesterday", 1967), ''Cannon'', and ''Bonanza'', as well as films such as ''Heaven Can Wait'', ''Bullitt'', ''Cheech and Chong's Next Movie'', and ''The Prisoner of Second Avenue''. He played the Governor's director of security, Captain McDermott, on several episodes of ''Benson''. He played a rabbi and Capt. Worwick in two episodes of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show''.

After leaving the ''Happy Days'' series in 1983, he retired from acting.

== Personal life == On January 20, 1952, Peck married advertising copywriter Phyllis Houston in New York.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Marriages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vx4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Major+Dell+Conway+of+the+Flying+Tigers%22&pg=PA47|accessdate=December 26, 2017|magazine=Billboard|date=March 1, 1952|page=47}}</ref>

== Death == Peck died of a heart attack on September 12, 1992, in Los Angeles, California,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Willis |first1=John |title=Theatre World 1992–1993 |date=1995 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1-55783-204-7 |page=226 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hg7lhoL4h_YC&dq=%22Ed+Peck%22+actor&pg=PA226 |accessdate=September 14, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> at the age of 75.

== Filmography (partial) == {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1964|| ''One Man's Way'' || Harry the Reporter || |- |1965|| ''Kentucky Jones'' || Jim Heller || Episode "Kentucky′s Vacation" |- |1965|| ''The Third Day'' || Bud || Uncredited |- |1966|| ''Combat!'' || Pvt. Coker || 1 episode |- |1967|| ''The Ride to Hangman's Tree'' || Sheriff Stewart || |- |1967|| ''Gunn'' || Minor Role || Uncredited |- |1967|| ''Star Trek'' || Col. Fellini || 1 episode |- |1967|| ''Counterpoint'' || Prescott || |- |1968|| ''A Man Called Gannon'' || Delivery Rider || |- |1968|| ''The Shakiest Gun in the West'' || Sheriff || |- |1968|| ''I Love You, Alice B. Toklas'' || Man in Dress Shop || |- |1968|| ''Bullitt'' || Westcott || |- |1969|| ''The Comic'' || Edwin G. Englehardt || |- |1971|| ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' || FBI Agent || Uncredited |- |1972|| ''The Carey Treatment'' || Turnkey / Police Sergeant || Uncredited |- |1972|| ''Every Little Crook and Nanny'' || Emilio || Uncredited |- |1973|| ''Blume in Love'' || Ed Goober || |- |1975|| ''Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins'' || Mr. Big Time || |- |1975|| ''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'' || Mr. Jacobi || |- |1976|| ''Special Delivery'' || Man in Booth || |- |1977|| ''Tracks'' || || |- |1978|| ''Heaven Can Wait'' || Trainer || |- |1978|| ''The Incredible Hulk'' || Captain Brandes || 1 episode |- |1980|| ''Cheech & Chong's Next Movie'' || Cop Shotgun || |- |1981|| ''Zoot Suit'' || Lieutenant Edwards || |- |1982|| ''Hey Good Lookin''' || Italian Man || Voice |- |1983|| ''The Last Unicorn'' || Jack Jingley || Voice |- |1983|| ''Likely Stories, Vol. 3'' || General Powerhouse Announcer || |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category}} {{Portal|Biography|New York City|Film|Television|Theater}} *{{IMDb name|0669653}} {{Memoryalpha}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, Ed}} Category:1917 births Category:1992 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from New York (state)