Vic Tayback Biography

American actor (1930-1990)

Victor E. Tayback (January 6, 1930 – May 25, 1990) was an American actor. He is known for his portrayal as Mel Sharples in the television series Alice (1976–1985) and his appearances in The Love Boat (1977–1987). The former earned him two consecutive Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Early life

Tayback was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Helen (née Hanood) and Najeeb James Tayback. His parents were immigrants from Aleppo, Syria. He moved with his family to Burbank, California during his teenage years and attended Burbank High School, from which he graduated in 1947. He also attended Glendale Community College and the Frederick A. Speare School of Radio and TV Broadcasting.

Career

Tayback served in the United States Navy before beginning his acting career at the age of 25. A lifetime member of the Actors Studio, he was a familiar face on television in the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on numerous series, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, Bonanza, Here Come the Brides, That Girl , Gunsmoke, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Partridge Family, All in the Family, Fantasy Island, Columbo, and The Love Boat. He also appeared in many films such as Bullitt (1968), Papillon (1973), The Gambler (1974), The Cheap Detective (1978), and All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), as well as more than 25 stage productions, including Twelve Angry Men, The Diary of Anne Frank, Death of a Salesman, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. He was the co-founder of the theater troupe Company of Angels.

Tayback's most famous role was diner owner Mel Sharples in both the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) and the television series Alice (1976–1985). He was the only actor in the original film to reprise his role for the rest of the series. For the role, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 and won two consecutive Golden Globe Awards in 1980 and 1981.

Personal life

Tayback was married to Sheila Maureen Barnard (1932–2001) from March 16, 1963, until his death on May 25, 1990. They had a son, Christopher (born 1963), who is a business trial lawyer and former prosecutor.

Death

Tayback died of a heart attack at age 60 at Glendale Adventist Medical Center on May 25, 1990. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

Filmography

The Power of the Resurrection (1958) – Simon the Canaanite
T-Bird Gang (1959) – Cop #1 at gas station
Gangster Story (1959) – Norm, Resort Guard (uncredited)
North to Alaska (1960) – Roustabout (uncredited)
Five Minutes to Live (1961) – Fred Dorella
With Six You Get Eggroll (1968) – Truck Driver
Bullitt (1968) – Pete Ross
Blood and Lace (1971) – Calvin Carruthers
Emperor of the North Pole (1973) – Yardman
The Blue Knight (1973) – Neil Grogan
The Don Is Dead (1973) – Ralph Negri
Papillon (1973) – Sergeant
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) – Mario Pinski
The Gambler (1974) – One
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) – Mel
Report to the Commissioner (1975) – Lieutenant Seidensticker
Lepke (1975) – Lucky Luciano
No Deposit, No Return (1976) – Big Joe
The Big Bus (1976) – Goldie
Special Delivery (1976) – Wyatt
Mansion of the Doomed (1976) – Detective Simon
The Shaggy D.A. (1976) – Eddie Roschak
The Choirboys (1977) – Zoony
The Cheap Detective (1978) – Lieutenant DiMaggio
Treasure Island (1985) – Silver
Weekend Warriors (1986) – Sergeant Burdge
The Underachievers (1987) – Coach
Loverboy (1989) – Harry Bruckner
Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers (1989) – Lou
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) – Carface Caruthers (voice)
Horseplayer (1990) - George Samsa (Final film role)

Television

Alice (1976-1985) as Mel Sharples
Griff as Captain Barney Marcus. Series starred Lorne Greene in *le role and Ben Murphy
Khan! as Lieutenant Gubbins
I Dream Of Jeannie as Turhan In the episode "This Is Murder"
Buckskin (Episode: "The Battle of Gabe Pruitt") – Claude
Alfred Hitch* Presents (Season 4 Episode 7: "A Man with a Problem") (1958) – Man Talking to Cab Driver
77 Sunset Strip (1960) (Episode: Trouble in the Middle East) Bearded Rebel
Rawhide (Episode: "The Gray Rock Hotel") (1965) – Monte
F Troop (Episode: "Corporal Agarn's Farewell To The Troops") (1965) – Bill Colton
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Episode: "The Re-Collectors Affair") (1965) – Sargent
Daniel Boone (Episode: "Onatha") (1966) – Hongas
Family Affair (Episode: 8 Season 1 "Who's Afraid of Nural Shpeni?") (1966) - Policeman
Gunsmoke (Episode: "Ladies From St. Louis") (1967) – Gaines
Get Smart (Episode: "Appointment in Sahara") (1967) – Jamal
The Monkees (Episodes: "Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers") (1966–1967) - George
The Monkees (1966) – Rocco in S1:E16, "Son of a Gypsy"
The Monkees (1967) – Chuche in S2:E5, "Art, for Monkees' Sake"
Here Come the Brides (recurring logger) (1968-1970)
Star Trek: The Original Series (Episode: "A Piece of the Action") (1968) – Jojo Krako
That Girl (1968) (Season 3 Episode 12) - Max
Lancer (Episode: "Devil's Blessing") (1969) - Porter
The Bill Cosby Show (Episode: "The Fatal Phone Call") (1969) - Calvin
Bonanza (Episode 358 "Caution, Easter Bunny Crossing". Season 11 Episode 25) (1970) - Everett Gaskell
The Partridge Family (Episode: Danny & The Mob) 1971
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Episode: "Second Story Story") (1971) – Officer Jackson
Bewitched (Episode: "The Good Fairy Strikes Again") (1971) – Officer #1
Columbo (Episode: "Suitable for Framing") (1971) – Sam Franklin
The F.B.I. (Episode: "The Natural") (1971) - Ed Larch
The F.B.I. (Episode: "Dark Journey") (1972) - Neil Parks
Gunsmoke (Episode: "The Fugitives S18E7") (1972)- Bill Hankins
Arnie (Episode: "Boom or Bust") (1972) – Sergeant
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (Episode: "Is This Operation Necessary?") (1972) – Frank Wells
Emergency! (Episode: "Boot") (1973) – Truck Driver.
All in the Family (Episode: "Et Tu, Archie?") (1974) – Joe Tucker
Barney Miller (Episode: "Stakeout", "The Social Worker") (1975) – Mr. Savocheck / Master Forger
The Practice (Episode: "The Choice") (1976) – Frankie Nyles
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (Episode: 29, Season: 1) (1976)
Hawaii Five-O (Episode: "Bones of Contention":; "Angel in Blue") (1975–1978) – Martin Lynch / Parmel
The Eddie Capra Mysteries (Episode: "How Do I Kill Thee?") (1978) – Logan
$weepstake$ (Episode: "Billy, Wally and Ludmilla, and Theodore") (1979) – Sergeant Yarbrough
The Love Boat (Episode: "Friends & Lovers; Sergeant Bull; Miss Mother") (1980) – Sergeant Harry Beluski
Flo (Episode: "What Are Friends For?") (1981) – Mel Sharples
Fantasy Island (1979–1983, Multiple) – George Walters / Laura Walters / Norman Atkins / Chet Nolan / Melvyn Mews
T. J. Hooker (Episode: "Hooker's War") (1982) – ieutenant Pete Benedict
Hotel (Episode: "Relative Loss") (1983) – Wallace Egan
Finder of Lost Loves (Episode: "Maxwell Ltd: Finder of Lost Loves Pilot") (1984) – Thomas Velasco
Murder, She Wrote (Episode: "One Good Bid Deserves a Murder") (1986) – Sal Domino
Crazy Like a Fox (1986)
The Love Boat (1977–1987, Multiple) – Himself / Jack Hamilton / Shelley Sommers / 'Dutch' Boden / Sergeant Harry Beluski / Harry Stewart
Adderly (1987) – Gregorin
Tales from the Darkside (Episodes: "The New Man", (as Alan Coombs) Season 1, 1984, and "Basher Malone" (as Tippy Ryan) Season 4, 1988)
MacGyver (1990, Episode: "Jenny's Chance") – George Henderson (final television appearance)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Vic Tayback biography, as cast member from "Alice"
Vic Tayback at IMDb
Vic Tayback at the TCM Movie Database
Vic Tayback at AllMovie
Vic Tayback at Rotten Tomatoes
Vic Tayback at Find a Grave
Vic Tayback at Memory Alpha

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