GUEST STAR SHOWCASE: JACK WARDEN

The following is a tribute piece I wrote of actor Jack Warden for the ROUTE 66 TV series fan group on Yahoo Groups back in the summer of 2002, when I was writing and sharing a lot of pieces about one of my favorite drama series with other fans of ROUTE 66. Enjoy!

Steve

GUEST STAR SHOWCASE: JACK WARDEN

Jack Warden has long been a favorite of mine. The first time I remember taking special note of him was in two stand-out episodes of The Twilight Zone: "The Lonely" and "The Mighty Casey". Each of these episodes presented Jack Warden's character with a unique solution to a desperate problem: what he needed was a robot especially designed to solve his problem. In "The Lonely", the robot provided companionship for a prisoner consigned to an asteroid in space by a world weary of crime; in "The Mighty Casey", the robot provided the pitching skills every baseball coach dreams of, and gave a minor league team its only winning season. I was really into robots in those days, the 1950s, like many kids. But it was the way Jack Warden related to each robot that made these episodes stand out, and demonstrated for me the reason why I was going to be watching for him in other roles. He has a way of portraying disappointment and despair, followed by elation and enthusiasm, that touches us, tapping recollections of similar moments in our lives, endearing us to the character he is portraying.

Another great role I remember fondly is Mr. Warden's inimitable portrayal of the salesman in the Ben Casey episode: "I Hear America Singing". It's quintessential Jack Warden: displaying a tough and blustery shell that hides a heart as soft and pliable as peanut butter. In the storyline, as best I remember it, Mr. Warden's character is the reason that a young woman is in the hospital, the result of an accident of some kind. At first, the salesman tries to make a deal with the woman to absolve himself of blame and damages, but as he gets to know her, he begins to care more and more about her, and when, tragically, he is told by Ben Casey that the woman will soon die, he realizes he has an opportunity to make her last moments special; that he can take her to places she has never been by describing the sights, the sounds, and the people he has met in his journeys across America. So he sits down beside her bed, takes her hand, and begins a marvelous, heart-felt soliloquy about our great country: "I hear America singing, ..." If I had not already been a fan of Mr. Warden's, his rendering of the "I Hear America Singing" soliloquy would have made me one. If you ever get a chance to see this performance, I encourage you not to pass it up. You won't regret you took the time.

Jack Warden was born on September 18, 1920, in Newark, New Jersey. His family was poor and lived in a tough neighborhood near the dock area. When he was a teen, he lived with his grandparents for a while in Louisville, Kentucky, where he went to Du Pont Manuel High School. Later, he returned to where he was born and became a professional boxer to earn spare change. He also found work as a "bouncer" at New York's famous Roseland ballroom. When he was expelled from school, for pro-boxing, Jack Warden joined the Navy and the Merchant Marine, later serving as a paratrooper during World War II. These experiences served him well as an actor, as he brought to life such characters as 'Corporal Buckley' in "From Here To Eternity" (1953); Yeoman 1st Class 'Mueller' in "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958), and Master Sergeant 'Saul Rossen' in "Darby's Rangers" (1958). His film debut was as 'Morse', a small, uncredited role in "You're In The Navy Now" (1951).

After the war, Mr. Warden returned to New York, finding work as a lifeguard at the Park Sheraton Hotel. This is where he was discovered by Margo Jones, who persuaded him to become a member of her repertory company in Dallas. From there, Jack Warden made his way to Broadway. And from there, to the theatre productions presented during the "Golden Age of Television". He soon became a TV staple, guest starring in such classic series as THE UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR, THE KAISER ALUMINUM HOUR, BONANZA, THE UNTOUCHABLES, NAKED CITY, WAGON TRAIN, THE VIRGINIAN, BEN CASEY, DR. KILDARE, and THE FUGITIVE, as well as, starring or co-starring in eleven series: MR. PEEPERS (1952); NORBY (1955); THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1961); THE ADVENTURES OF GALLAGHER (1964); THE WACKIEST SHIP IN THE ARMY (1965-1966); THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF GALLAGHER (1965); N.Y.P.D. (1967-1969); JIGSAW JOHN (1976); THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1979-1980); CRAZY LIKE A FOX (1984-1985); and KNIGHT AND DAYE (1989).

For route 66, Jack Warden guest starred in three episodes:

1. "the clover throne" (as 'Adam Darcy')
2. "a feat of strength" (as 'Sandor')
3. "two strangers and an old enemy" (as 'Major Barben')

Jack Warden continues to add great performances to his repertoire as we begin the 21st Century. Thank you, Mr. Warden!

(Writers note: Jack Warden passed away on July 19, 2006, at age 86, leaving behind him a legacy of great characters, portrayed on stage, TV and theater screens across America and the world. His last role was as 'Edward O'Neil' in the Keanu Reeves / Gene Hackman football movie: "The Replacements" (2000).