At age 90 started breeding tropical birds. He won many awards in various competitions for his efforts.
Before he was able to make a full-time living as an actor he held a variety of other jobs, including logger, lineman, fruit picker, fisherman and clam digger.
Children: sons James and Robert; daughter Kathleen.
First played Abraham Lincoln in a 1953 Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Miss Curtis Goes to Washington". Went on to play the President a number of times after that.
Graduated from Centralia Junior College in Washington State and the Cornish Drama School in Seattle.
He made his movie debut with an uncredited role in the 1949 James Cagney picture White Heat (1949).
He played the same character (President Abraham Lincoln) in three different series: "Sunday Showcase" (1959), "The Time Tunnel" (1966) and "Captains and the Kings" (1976).
His austere, authoritative looks were perfect for playing presidents, which he did several times on TV, including the pilot episode of "Lost in Space" (1965) and on "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964).
His final appearances as an actor was his reoccurring role as "Mickey", Arthur Spooner's friend on the television series, King of Queens.
Mother was a schoolteacher.
Supported himself as a linesman, logger and carpenter during the lean years.
Tended beehives at his Malibu ranch house in later years. He owned his own solar heater and earned the nickname "The Wizard" from neighborhood children. At age 90 he was breeding birds and won trophies from several Southern California competitions.
Was an excellent horseman and fencer which served him well in westerns and dashing adventures.