Charles Alan Siebert (March 9, 1938 – May 1, 2022) was an American actor and television director. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Dr. Stanley Riverside II on the television series Trapper John, M.D., a role he portrayed from 1979 to 1986, and for his numerous appearances on the $25,000 Pyramid. After 1986, although he continued working as an actor, Siebert's career was focused on working as a director for episodic television for such shows as Xena: Warrior Princess, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
Early life and education Siebert was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He studied acting at Marquette University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Career He began his career appearing in regional theatre productions throughout the United States during the 1960s with such companies as Shakespeare in the Park in New York City, the Lincoln Center Repertory Company, the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut, the Guthrie Theater, the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, Chicago's Goodman Theatre, and Baltimore's Center Stage. He spent seven summers at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and was a charter member of the American Conservatory Theater.
He made his Broadway debut in 1967 in Bertolt Brecht's Life of Galileo followed by the role of Michael Leon in John Sebastian and Murray Schisgal's 1968 musical Jimmy Shine with Dustin Hoffman in the title role. Subsequent Broadway appearances included Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady, with Maureen Stapleton, David Storey's The Changing Room, David Rabe's Sticks and Bones, and the 1974 revival of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Elizabeth Ashley, Fred Gwynne, and Keir Dullea. Notable Off-Broadway appearances include Colette starring Zoe Caldwell, and Rubbers directed by Alan Arkin.
Siebert began appearing regularly on New York television during the late 1960s and early 1970s, mostly in soap operas like Another World, As the World Turns, Search for Tomorrow, The Nurses, and One Life to Live. Moving to Los Angeles in 1976 Siebert made his first feature film appearance in the horror cult classic Blue Sunshine. He then began appearing as a guest artist on numerous television programs such as One Day at a Time, The Blue Knight, The Rockford Files, Murder, She Wrote and Mancuso, F.B.I. starring Robert Loggia. Also, he was a regular on the comedy program Husbands, Wives & Lovers. In 1987, he was cast alongside Hayley Mills as her husband on the NBC pilot Good Morning, Miss Bliss; however, NBC passed on the program and it was then picked up by the Disney Channel, which made numerous casting changes including dropping Siebert's role. The program would evolve into the Saturday morning hit Saved by the Bell. Film roles throughout the mid to late 1970s included ...And Justice for All with Al Pacino, Michael Crichton's Coma, All Night Long with Barbra Streisand and Gene Hackman, and White Water Summer with Sean Astin and Kevin Bacon.
In 1979, Siebert was cast in his most important role to date, Dr. Stanley Riverside II, on Trapper John, M.D. where he also began his directing career. He played a major supporting role as the mayor of Los Angeles, Frank Baldwin, in the 1990 television miniseries The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, a disaster thriller. Siebert was a regular on game shows in the 80s, appearing on incarnations of Pyramid, Match Game, Super Password, and Blackout.
His directing career, which began with seven episodes of Trapper John, M.D., eventually resulted in numerous episodes of Xena, Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Silk Stalkings, Renegade, Pacific Blue, and Vanishing Son, as well as episodes of Knots Landing, The Pretender, Lifestories, Palace Guard and Jack's Place.
Death Siebert died from COVID-19 related pneumonia on May 1, 2022, aged 84, at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1961Like Father Like SonLeeUncredited1975Deadly HeroBaker1977The Other Side of MidnightSteve1977Blue SunshineDetective Clay1978ComaDr. Goodman1979The Onion FieldRoll Call Sergeant1979...And Justice for AllAssistant D.A. Keene1979The Last WordFisher1981All Night LongNevins1987White Water SummerJerry Block1988Eight Men OutReds Catcher
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1961Look Up and LiveDevilEpisode: "The Coventry Mystery Cycle: Part Three"1964The Presidency: A Splendid MiseryGeorge McClellanTelevision film1966HawkAmbulance M.D.Episode: "The Shivering Pigeon"1967The Winter's TaleFlorizelTelevision film1968MacbethMalcolm1968N.Y.P.D.WileyEpisode: "'L' Is for Love and Larceny"1972Another WorldDr. Stuart Philbin2 episodes1975, 1977The Rockford FilesGary Stillman / Bettingen1975–1978All in the FamilyYoung Man / Rabbi / D.A.3 episodes1976Harry OShaefferEpisode: "Mister Five and Dime"1976The Adams ChroniclesCharles Francis Adams II2 episodes1976PanacheRochefortTelevision film1976DelvecchioHalstenEpisode: "Board of Rights"1976KojakBenderEpisode: "By Silence Betrayed"1976The Blue KnightSgt. Cabe2 episodes1976–1978Barnaby JonesVarious roles3 episodes1977Tail Gunner JoeJames JulianaTelevision film1977Police WomanVinceEpisode: "Shark"1977The Rhinemann ExchangeSergeantEpisode #1.11977Dog and CatKrayler2 episodes1977Most WantedHank ClaytonEpisode: "The People Mover"1977Mary Hartman, Mary HartmanBuzz MacGregor7 episodes1977Husbands and WivesDixon Carter FieldingTelevision film1977Murder in Peyton PlaceKaiserman1977What's Happening!!Mr. RamseyEpisode: "Nothing Personal"1977The Incredible HulkBenEpisode: "The Incredible Hulk"1977Tarantulas: The Deadly CargoRich FinleyRich Finley1977–1979One Day at a TimeJerry Davenport6 episodes1978Nowhere to RunSpenceTelevision film1978Wild and WoolySean1978MaudeVernonEpisode: "Carol's Dilemma"1978Richie Brockelman, Private EyeStan HollisterEpisode: "A Title on the Door and a Carpet on the Floor"1978Husbands, Wives & LoversDixon Carter Fielding10 episodes1978RhodaDr. Murray BergerEpisode: "Rhoda vs. Ida"1979Good TimesA.J. RutherfordEpisode: "House Hunting"1979DallasSloanEpisode: "The Red File: Part 2"1979The Seeding of Sarah BurnsAlex LovellTelevision film1979The RunawaysAveryEpisode: "48 Hours to Live"1979The Miracle WorkerCaptain KellerTelevision film1979TopperStan Ogilvy1979–1986Trapper John, M.D.Dr. Stanley Riverside II151 episodes1980Here's BoomerDanEpisode: "Overboard"1980A Cry for LoveFredTelevision film1981–1987The Love BoatVarious roles4 episodes1986, 1987HotelDavid Endicott / Dan Mason2 episodes1987Mickey Spillane's Mike HammerCharles ForesterEpisode: "Lady Killer"1987Good Morning, Miss BlissCharlie DavisEpisode: "Pilot"1987, 1994Murder, She WroteVarious roles3 episodes1988Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging AceJason SloanTelevision film1988Shakedown on the Sunset StripSgt. Gerber1988ABC Afterschool SpecialMr. McNeilEpisode: "Tattle: When to Tell on a Friend"1989–1990Mancuso, F.B.I.Dr. Paul Summers3 episodes1990MatlockDr. Gilbert LehmanEpisode: "Nowhere to Turn"1990The Great Los Angeles EarthquakeMayor Frank BaldwinTelevision film1991Don't Touch My DaughterGordon1991Deception: A Mother's SecretPeter Meyers1991The Legend of Prince ValiantLord Keller2 episodes1992A House of Secrets and LiesDr. HirschTelevision film1996, 1997Xena: Warrior PrincessPoseidon / Sisyphus3 episodes
References
External links
Charles Siebert: An Appreciation