The Resume

(November 21, 1920-August 5, 1988)
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Birth name was Ralph Rathgeber
Appeared in the films 'Four in a Jeep' (1951), 'The Naked Spur' (1953), 'Kiss Me Deadly' (1955), 'Big House, U.S.A.' (1955), 'Paths of Glory' (1957), 'The Dirty Dozen' (1967), 'The Detective' (1968), 'I Walk the Line' (1970), 'Brannigan' (1975), 'The Food of the Gods' (1976), 'Winter Kills' (1979) and 'Without Warning' (1980)
Appeared on Broadway in 'Strange Fruit' (1945), 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1947), 'Mister Robert' (1948), 'Picnic' (1953) and 'Rhinoceros' (1961)

Why he might be annoying:

He turned down the film version of 'Picnic' (1955) because he did not want to sign a long-term contract with Columbia Pictures, only to never again be offered the lead in a picture by a major studio.
He was typecast as tough guys.
He starred in 'Town of the Times,' a Defense Department propaganda film encouraging people to build fallout shelters (1963).
He was cast as Bugs Moran in 'The St. Valentine's Day Massacre' (1967), reportedly because he looked like the gangster.

Why he might not be annoying:

During World War II, he served with the Navy until he suffered a neck injury in a shipboard accident, then entertained troops with the USO.
He received the Theater World Award for most promising personalty (1948) and the New York Critics Circle Award for best actor (1953).
He appeared in four episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, including the premiere.
His portrayal of Mike Hammer in 'Kiss Me Deadly' influenced Quentin Tarantino to create Bruce Willis' character Butch in 'Pulp Fiction.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents [L-Z]
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 40]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [November] (Ranked: 11211920)
• I Attended Northwestern
• I Died in 1988 (Ranked: 67)
• I Had a Stroke [Cerebral Vascular Accident]
• I Portrayed Mike Hammer
• I Portrayed Stanley Kowalski [from A Streetcar Named Desire]
• I was Cremated
• I'm Buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery [Calif]
• Look at Me, I'm Armed
• Profiles 32251-32500 (Ranked: 32365)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 103 Votes: 62.14% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 38.46% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 20 Votes: 40.0% Annoying