Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker

Acting
Born 1920-11-21 - Died 1988-08-05Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Biography

Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber; November 21, 1920 – August 5, 1988) was an American actor. He first rose to prominence for his roles in the Broadway productions of Mister Roberts (1948–1951) and Picnic (1953), the former of which earned him a Theatre World Award for his performance. In film, Meeker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mike Hammer in Robert Aldrich's 1955 Kiss Me Deadly. Meeker went on to play a series of roles that used his husky and macho screen presence, including a lead role in Stanley Kubrick's military courtroom drama Paths of Glory (1957), as a troubled mechanic opposite Carroll Baker in Something Wild (1961), as a World War II captain in The Dirty Dozen (1967), and in the gangster film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967). Other credits include supporting roles in I Walk the Line (1970) and Sidney Lumet's The Anderson Tapes (1971). He also had a prolific career in television, appearing as Sergeant Steve Dekker on the series Not for Hire (1959–1960), and in the television horror film The Night Stalker (1972). After suffering a stroke in 1980, Meeker was forced to retire from acting, and died eight years later of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.

Movies (47)

Paths of Glory
8.3

Paths of Glory

1957Movie8.3
The Dirty Dozen
7.6

The Dirty Dozen

1967Movie7.6
The Naked Spur
7.0

The Naked Spur

1953Movie7.0
The Detective
5.9

The Detective

1968Movie5.9
Kiss Me Deadly
7.2

Kiss Me Deadly

1955Movie7.2
The Night Stalker
6.9

The Night Stalker

1972Movie6.9
Gentle Giant
8.5

Gentle Giant

1967Movie8.5
The Anderson Tapes
6.1

The Anderson Tapes

1971Movie6.1
The Food of the Gods
5.0

The Food of the Gods

1976Movie5.0
Jeopardy
6.7

Jeopardy

1953Movie6.7
Without Warning
5.2

Without Warning

1980Movie5.2
Cry Panic
6.9

Cry Panic

1974Movie6.9
Brannigan
6.0

Brannigan

1975Movie6.0
Winter Kills
5.7

Winter Kills

1979Movie5.7
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
6.3

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

1967Movie6.3
Run of the Arrow
6.1

Run of the Arrow

1957Movie6.1
I Walk the Line
5.9

I Walk the Line

1970Movie5.9
Hi-Riders
6.1

Hi-Riders

1978Movie6.1
Something Wild
6.2

Something Wild

1961Movie6.2
The Devil's Eight
5.2

The Devil's Eight

1969Movie5.2
The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown
6.0

The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown

1957Movie6.0
Birds of Prey
5.8

Birds of Prey

1973Movie5.8
Big House, U.S.A
6.6

Big House, U.S.A

1955Movie6.6
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
5.8

The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller

2002Movie5.8
Somebody Loves Me
8.8

Somebody Loves Me

1952Movie8.8
Glory Alley
5.9

Glory Alley

1952Movie5.9
Wall of Noise
4.1

Wall of Noise

1963Movie4.1
Teresa
6.1

Teresa

1951Movie6.1
The Alpha Incident
3.9

The Alpha Incident

1978Movie3.9
Lost Flight
4.3

Lost Flight

1970Movie4.3
Shadow in the Sky
7.0

Shadow in the Sky

1952Movie7.0
You'll Never See Me Again
7.0

You'll Never See Me Again

1973Movie7.0
Night Games
6.5

Night Games

1974Movie6.5
Ada
6.5

Ada

1961Movie6.5
The Mind Snatchers
5.9

The Mind Snatchers

1972Movie5.9
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
5.5

The Girl on the Late, Late Show

1974Movie5.5
The Dead Don't Die
6.0

The Dead Don't Die

1975Movie6.0
Desert Sands
5.0

Desert Sands

1955Movie5.0
Four in a Jeep
6.2

Four in a Jeep

1951Movie6.2
Code Two
6.3

Code Two

1953Movie6.3
A Woman's Devotion
4.5

A Woman's Devotion

1956Movie4.5
Four Women in Black

Four Women in Black

1957Movie
Johnny Firecloud
5.0

Johnny Firecloud

1975Movie5.0
The Reluctant Heroes
8.0

The Reluctant Heroes

1971Movie8.0
My Boys Are Good Boys
7.8

My Boys Are Good Boys

1978Movie7.8
Angela – Love Comes Quietly
5.4

Angela – Love Comes Quietly

1973Movie5.4
A Holster Full Of Law
8.0

A Holster Full Of Law

1961Movie8.0

TV Shows (41)

Ironside
6.8

Ironside

1967Series6.8
Climax!
3.8

Climax!

1954Series3.8
Route 66
6.7

Route 66

1960Series6.7
Room 222
6.1

Room 222

1969Series6.1
Cannon
6.7

Cannon

1971Series6.7
Tarzan
6.9

Tarzan

1966Series6.9
Police Woman
6.4

Police Woman

1974Series6.4
The High Chaparral
6.8

The High Chaparral

1967Series6.8
The Outer Limits
7.8

The Outer Limits

1963Series7.8
Studio One
5.4

Studio One

1948Series5.4
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
6.2

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956Series6.2
The F.B.I.
5.6

The F.B.I.

1965Series5.6
The Defenders
6.3

The Defenders

1961Series6.3
The Name of the Game
7.0

The Name of the Game

1968Series7.0
Wanted: Dead or Alive
7.0

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958Series7.0
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948Series6.8
The Rookies
6.9

The Rookies

1972Series6.9
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
The 20th Century Fox Hour
6.0

The 20th Century Fox Hour

1955Series6.0
Police Story
7.0

Police Story

1973Series7.0
Kraft Suspense Theatre
6.5

Kraft Suspense Theatre

1963Series6.5
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
The Green Hornet
7.4

The Green Hornet

1966Series7.4
Harry O
5.2

Harry O

1974Series5.2
CHiPs
6.8

CHiPs

1977Series6.8
Lux Video Theatre
6.7

Lux Video Theatre

1950Series6.7
Toma
6.8

Toma

1973Series6.8
Going My Way
5.8

Going My Way

1962Series5.8
Kaz
7.0

Kaz

1978Series7.0
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
6.5

The Eddie Capra Mysteries

1978Series6.5
Run, Joe, Run
6.7

Run, Joe, Run

1974Series6.7
Custer
6.4

Custer

1967Series6.4
Barbary Coast
8.3

Barbary Coast

1975Series8.3
The Evil Touch
6.0

The Evil Touch

1973Series6.0
Not for Hire

Not for Hire

1959Series
Tallahassee 7000
8.5

Tallahassee 7000

1961Series8.5
Letter to Loretta
6.6

Letter to Loretta

1953Series6.6
Primus
6.0

Primus

1971Series6.0
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2
Faraday and Company
7.0

Faraday and Company

1973Series7.0
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8