Hollywood Studio Magazine (December 1972)

Efrem Zimbalist Jr a man of many talents By Jesse L. Hoaglin t It was destined from the very beginning that Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. would one day make a name for himself. Born in New York City, he is the son of the famous Violinist, Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., former concert star and for many years before retiring the director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. His mother was the equally famous opera singer, the late Alma Gluck. According to our friend, Antonio Altamirano, an authority on Opera and a former concert star who worked with Ellen Beach Yaw, Miss Gluck sang at the Metropolitan Opera for many years and then toured all over the World in concerts. She started recording for Victor Records in 1910 and was one of the top sellers along with Caruso, Galli-Curci and John McCormack. Efrem attended school in Southboro, Massachusetts, prepped at St. Paul’s in Concord, New Hampshire and then attended Yale until he entered the Army in World War II. He served in Europe as a Ist Lieutenant in the Infantry, was wounded leading an Infantry platoon in the Hürtgen Forest and was honorably discharged after Germany surrendered. It was during his years in the Army that he met Joshua Logan, prominent movie and stage producer and director, who advised him to pursue an acting career. On his return to New York Efrem decided to seek a stage career. He studied drama at the Neighborhood Playhouse where two of his fellow students were Gregory Peck and Eli Wallach. His first stage appearance was in “The Rugged Path” with Spencer Tracy, and soon after he did four shows with the American Repertory Theatre and followed this with a role in “Hedda Gabbler” with Eva La Gallienne. In association with Chandler Cowles, Efrem co-produced the combined showing of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s operas, “The Medium” and “The Telephone” and later, “The Consul” at the Barrymore Theatre, which won the Critics Award and the Pulitzer Prize for the best music of 1950. During the same year he appeared in his first motion picture, “House of Strangers,” with Edward G. Robinson. That year was saddened, however, by the death of his wife, Emily McNair, mother of his two children, Nancy and Efrem Zimbalist III. He gave up acting and producing after the death of his wife and for the next few years served as assistant to his father at the Curtis Institute of Music. During this time he also studied and composed a marvelous concerto for his father. In the summer of 1954 he decided to return to acting and joined a stock Company in Hammonton, New Jersey. The same year he made his television debut in a “Philco-Goodyear Playhouse” drama. Later he was given the lead in a daytime TV series with Louise Albritton and when the show closed for the summer he acted at the famed Bucks County Playhouse. The following season he played the French lover in “Fallen Angels” on Broadway and was “rediscovered” in that production by director Joshua Logan. Efrem came to Hollywood for a screen test which was so impressive that he was signed to a long-term contract at Warners and immediately assigned a role in “Bombers B-52” with Natalie Wood. His excellent performance won him featured roles in a number of films and he was used extensively in many of Warner’s television series. His six years as star of “77 Sunset Strip” attests to his popularity with television fans and his role as star of “The FBI” has won him commendations from such highly placed persons as the late J. Edgar Hoover himself. On February 2, 1956, Efrem married Stephanie Spaulding. One child, Stephanie, Jr., was born to this union on October 8, 1956. The Zimbalists were divorced in 1962 and are now happily re-married. Today, still active in “The FBI‘” Efrem resides in a comfortable large house in Encino. He also has a mountain cottage at Sonora, his favorite skiing spot. He enjoys swimming and golf, and was one of the Hollywood acting colony’s best tennis players until a severely painful tennis elbow put at least a temporary halt to his playing. He is very active in animal humane organizations and is very fond of the many pets he keeps at his home. He is also a philanthropist and generous of his time in spite of a busy schedule. Efrem is a marvelous friend, talented actor of stage and screen, a top TV favorite . . . truly a man of many talents. ***