Biography
Lyle Stathem Bettger (13 February 1915 – 24 September 2003) was an American character actor. He appeared in Hollywood films and on television from the 1950s, frequently cast as villains.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of baseball player and author Frank Bettger. Bettger trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and made his Broadway debut in 1936. His film career began with a lead role in the film noir No Man of Her Own (1950). He became known for Westerns including Denver and Rio Grande (1952), The Great Sioux Uprising (1953), Drums Across the River (1954), The Lone Ranger (1956) and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957).
Bettger is particularly recognised for his role as the jealous elephant handler Klaus in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He also appeared in numerous television series such as Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke and Combat!, and retired in the late 1970s.
