Biography
Bert Freed (1919–1994) was an American character actor. Born in the Bronx, New York, he began acting while at Pennsylvania State University and made his Broadway debut in 1942. After US Army service in the European theatre during the Second World War, he appeared in the 1945 Broadway musical The Day Before Spring and made his film debut in Carnegie Hall (1947).
Freed appeared in dozens of films and over 200 television programmes between 1947 and 1986. His credits include Sgt. Boulanger in Paths of Glory (1957), Ben Golden in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Schmidt in Hang 'Em High (1968) and Chief A.C. Barrows in Invaders from Mars (1953). He was the first actor to portray Lieutenant Columbo, in the 1960 episode "Enough Rope" of The Chevy Mystery Show. He also made guest appearances on series including Perry Mason, Get Smart, Mission: Impossible and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
