---
name: "Ralph Meeker"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/ralph-meeker"
fi1m_id: "ralph-meeker"
imdb_id: "nm0576127"
tmdb_id: 14562
wikidata_id: "Q1370520"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 November 1920"
died: "5 August 1988"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 88
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-25T05:27:19.014179+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ralph Meeker

## Identity

Ralph Meeker

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ralph-meeker
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** ralph-meeker
- **IMDb ID:** nm0576127
- **TMDB ID:** 14562
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1370520
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Meeker, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1370520, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0576127/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14562

Actor. Born 21 November 1920 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Died 5 August 1988.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 November 1920, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- **Died:** 5 August 1988
- **Active:** 1953–1957
- **Also known as:** Ralph Rathgeber
- **Average Fi1m score:** 88, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Crime 1, Drama 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1, War 1, Western 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Meeker, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1370520, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0576127/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14562

## Streaming the US now

- **MUBI:** [*Paths of Glory*](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory.md) (93)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Ralph Meeker

> Ralph Meeker made cynical men convincing and gave supporting soldiers an identity of their own. We value him especially in *Paths of Glory*, where he holds his place beside Kirk Douglas without competing for the film.

In *Paths of Glory* (1957), Ralph Meeker holds our attention beside Kirk Douglas without trying to match the leading man's force. His Corporal Philippe Paris and Joe Turkel's Private Pierre Arnaud keep the soldiers from becoming an anonymous group, while Douglas's Colonel Dax takes us through the military's procedures. We were moved by Meeker because he makes Paris matter individually in a film so angry about military cruelty.

*The Naked Spur* (1953) gave him Roy Anderson, a cynical former Union officer in Anthony Mann's western. In Robert Aldrich's *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), he played Mike Hammer, the unsavoury private detective who became his defining screen role. These parts made use of a husky, macho presence suited to cynical men and opportunists. We do not need to find such men charming to find them interesting, and Meeker's ability to make callousness convincing is a considerable asset.

The danger is that casting can do too much of the work: a tough man arrives and we think we know him already. From the late 1950s, Meeker moved towards supporting parts and extensive television work, including *Not for Hire* (1959–1960). Captain Stuart Kinder in *The Dirty Dozen* (1967) belongs to that later run of military and authority figures. There is a limit to how much interest a familiar tough manner can sustain without a part that gives it something more to do.

The useful test is what happens beside Douglas: Meeker supports a commanding performance and still registers as someone with his own claim on our concern. Some speeches in Stanley Kubrick's film press too hard, but Meeker and Turkel keep the soldiers individual enough for its anger to feel earned. We would start with that smaller part, where the danger of being overlooked is so clear. Then try *Kiss Me Deadly* for the less agreeable company of Mike Hammer.

## Biography

Ralph Meeker (born Ralph Rathgeber) was an American actor. He first appeared on stage at Northwestern University and gained prominence in Broadway productions of *Mister Roberts* (1948–1951), for which he received a Theatre World Award, and *Picnic* (1953).

In film, he played Mike Hammer in *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955) and Cpl. Philippe Paris in *Paths of Glory* (1957). He later appeared as Captain Stuart Kinder in *The Dirty Dozen* (1967) and in *The Anderson Tapes* (1971). Meeker also worked extensively in television, including the series *Not for Hire* (1959–1960) and the television film *The Night Stalker* (1972).

After a stroke in 1980, he retired from acting. He died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on 5 August 1988.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Paths of Glory* (1957), Fi1m 93, as Cpl. Philippe Paris — [page](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory.md)
- *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), Fi1m 87, as Mike Hammer — [page](https://film.one/film/kiss-me-deadly.md)
- *The Naked Spur* (1953), Fi1m 84, as Roy Anderson — [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-spur.md)

## Complete filmography (87)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller* (2002), as Lt. Driscoll (archive footage)
- *Without Warning* (1980), as Dave
- *Winter Kills* (1979), as Gameboy Baker
- *Kaz* (1978), series, Actor
- *The Eddie Capra Mysteries* (1978), series, Actor
- *The Alpha Incident* (1978), as Charlie
- *Hi-Riders* (1978), as Mike
- *My Boys Are Good Boys* (1978), as Bert Morton · Executive Producer
- *CHiPs* (1977), series, Actor
- *The Food of the Gods* (1976), as Bensington
- *Barbary Coast* (1975), series, as Big Lou Hobart
- *Johnny Firecloud* (1975), as Colby
- *Brannigan* (1975), as Capt. Moretti
- *The Dead Don't Die* (1975), as Lieutenant Reardon
- *Police Woman* (1974), series, Actor
- *Harry O* (1974), series, Actor
- *Run, Joe, Run* (1974), series, Actor
- *The Girl on the Late, Late Show* (1974), as Inspector DeBiesse
- *Night Games* (1974), as Dutch Armbreck
- *Cry Panic* (1974), as Chuck Braswell
- *Toma* (1973), series, Actor
- *Faraday and Company* (1973), series, as Ed Kelso
- *Angela – Love Comes Quietly* (1973), as Ben Hoeksema
- *The Evil Touch* (1973), series, Actor
- *Police Story* (1973), series, Actor
- *You'll Never See Me Again* (1973), as Will Alden
- *Birds of Prey* (1973), as Jim McAndrew
- *The Rookies* (1972), series, Actor
- *The Mind Snatchers* (1972), as The Major
- *The Night Stalker* (1972), as Bernie Jenks
- *The Reluctant Heroes* (1971), as Capt. Luke Danvers
- *Primus* (1971), series, Actor
- *Cannon* (1971), series, Actor
- *The Anderson Tapes* (1971), as Police Captain 'Iron Balls' Delaney
- *I Walk the Line* (1970), as Carl McCain
- *Lost Flight* (1970), as Glenn Walkup
- *Room 222* (1969), series, Actor
- *The Devil's Eight* (1969), as Burl
- *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Senator Goddard
- *The Detective* (1968), as Curran
- *Gentle Giant* (1967), as Fog Hanson
- *The High Chaparral* (1967), series, as Tracy Conlin
- *Custer* (1967), series, Actor
- *The St. Valentine's Day Massacre* (1967), as George Clarence 'Bugs' Moran
- *The Dirty Dozen* (1967), as Captain Stuart Kinder
- *Ironside* (1967), series, Actor
- *The Green Hornet* (1966), series, as Earl Evans
- *Tarzan* (1966), series, Actor
- *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as King Hogan, Scott Martin, Graham Newcomb
- *Kraft Suspense Theatre* (1963), series, as Harly Clay
- *The Outer Limits* (1963), series, as John Dexter
- *Wall of Noise* (1963), as Matt Rubio
- *Going My Way* (1962), series, Actor
- *Something Wild* (1961), as Mike
- *A Holster Full Of Law* (1961), as Frank Clell
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Floyd Cooper
- *Ada* (1961), as Colonel Yancey
- *Tallahassee 7000* (1961), series, Actor
- *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor
- *Not for Hire* (1959), series, as US Army Sergeant Steve Dekker
- *The Texan* (1958), series, Actor
- *Wanted: Dead or Alive* (1958), series, as Martin Ash
- *Paths of Glory* (1957), as Cpl. Philippe Paris — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory.md)
- *Run of the Arrow* (1957), as Lieutenant Driscoll
- *The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown* (1957), as Mike Valla
- *Four Women in Black* (1957), as Carbine Webb
- *A Woman's Devotion* (1956), as Trevor Stevenson
- *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Steve Elkins
- *Desert Sands* (1955), as Capt. David Malcolm
- *The 20th Century Fox Hour* (1955), series, Actor
- *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Carl Spann, Carl Borden, John Forbes, Mel Reeves
- *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), as Mike Hammer — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/kiss-me-deadly.md)
- *Big House, U.S.A* (1955), as Geraldo 'Jerry' Barker aka Iceman
- *Climax!* (1954), series, as Alex Hill, 'Griff' Griffith
- *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, as Joe Martin, Ed James · Pilot Duke Cavanaugh, Willis Cooper
- *Code Two* (1953), as Chuck O'Flair
- *Jeopardy* (1953), as Lawson the Fugitive
- *The Naked Spur* (1953), as Roy Anderson — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-spur.md)
- *Somebody Loves Me* (1952), as Benny Fields
- *Shadow in the Sky* (1952), as Burt
- *Glory Alley* (1952), as Socks Barbarrosa
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Wally Walters
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Rich Adams, Barry Brannon
- *Teresa* (1951), as Sgt. Dobbs
- *Four in a Jeep* (1951), as Sergeant William Long
- *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Nicky Hanks, Mike
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Steve Windom, Larry Sheridan

## Gallery

- ![Ralph Meeker](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-e259d64b1629.jpg) Ralph Meeker — derivative work: Rossrs (talk)
Ralph_Meeker_in_Ada_trailer.jpg: Trailer screenshot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Ralph_Meeker_in_Ada_trailer_cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Publicity photo of Barbara Stanwyck and Ralph Meeker for film Jeopardy (1953).](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-0de80376d2d8.jpg) Publicity photo of Barbara Stanwyck and Ralph Meeker for film Jeopardy (1953). — MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Barbara_Stanwyck_-_1953.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Poster for the film Kiss Me Deadly (1955).](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-5499144369b2.jpg) Poster for the film Kiss Me Deadly (1955). — The poster artist isn't known. The film was distributed by United Artists., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/KissMeDeadly.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![One sheet poster for Kiss Me Deadly (1955)](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-cc104677ca82.jpg) One sheet poster for Kiss Me Deadly (1955) — United Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Kiss_Me_Deadly_%281955%29_standard_one-sheet.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ralph Meeker](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-f605baec7c8d.jpg) Ralph Meeker — Image via TMDB
- ![Screenshot of Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer from the trailer for the film noir Kiss Me Deadly. (1955)](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-092f442c923c.jpg) Screenshot of Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer from the trailer for the film noir Kiss Me Deadly. (1955) — United Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Kiss_Me_Deadly_-_Ralph_Meeker.jpg/1280px-Kiss_Me_Deadly_-_Ralph_Meeker.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Poster artwork for Kiss Me Deadly (1955)](https://film.one/media/person/102916/gallery-251c856d3d5b.jpg) Poster artwork for Kiss Me Deadly (1955) — United Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Kiss_Me_Deadly_dual-color_poster.jpg/1280px-Kiss_Me_Deadly_dual-color_poster.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Theatre World Award 1948: Theatre World Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ralph-meeker