Milton Selzer (October 25, 1918 – October 21, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actor.
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Early life
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Selzer and his family moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he was raised. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, he attended the University of New Hampshire before serving in World War II. He also attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Erwin Piscator's Workshop of the School for Social Research. During World War II he was in the infantry in Italy.
Career
Selzer's acting career began in summer stock theater after he completed his military service. After moving to Hollywood in 1960, he began a prolific career as a character actor making many guest appearances in film and television.
Stage
Selzer's Broadway credits include Tiger at the Gates (1955), Once Upon a Tailor (1954), Arms and the Man (1950), and Julius Caesar (1950). His debut as a professional director occurred in Houston in 1970 at the Alley Theatre.
Television
Selzer's many television roles included appearances on The Twilight Zone, where he portrayed an alien in "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby", and as the miserly son-in-law in "The Masks". He appeared as Dr. Nobel in an episode of Have Gun Will Travel, He appeared in an episode of The Asphalt Jungle in 1961. He made two memorable guest appearances on Perry Mason; in 1963 he played defendant and title character Dr. Aaron Stuart in "The Case of the Decadent Dean," and in 1964 he played murder victim Dr. Max Taylor in "The Case of the Bullied Bowler".
From 1965–67, he made seven guest appearances as Professor Parker in Get Smart followed by roles on That Girl, The Rat Patrol, Hogan's Heroes, and The Bold Ones: The Protectors. In the many crime shows of the 1960s and 1970s, Selzer would often portray unsympathetic characters who would also possess sad and often pathetic qualities. He was a regular on the 1973 situation comedy Needles and Pins as Julius Singer.
He made his last onscreen appearance in the 1995 television film Cagney & Lacey: Together Again.
Film
Selzer's film career includes roles in The Young Savages (1961) opposite Burt Lancaster, A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966), In Enemy Country (1968), The Buddy System (1984) and Sid and Nancy (1986).
Death
On October 21, 2006, four days before his 88th birthday, Selzer died of pulmonary complications.
