Edward Binns

Edward Binns (September 12, 1916 – December 4, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned four decades of film, television, and stage. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Esther (née Bracken) and Edward Thomas Binns, he grew up in a Quaker household and earned his degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1937. Shortly after graduation he joined a repertory theatre in Cleveland, then spent a year directing and acting at the Pan‑American Theatre in Mexico City before returning to the United States to teach and direct stock companies at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1942 he entered the United States Army Air Forces, completed Officer Candidate School and served as an armament officer in the China‑Burma‑India Theater, an experience that added a disciplined grit to his later portrayals. After the war he became one of the first members of the Actors Studio, studying with Elia Kazan, and made his Broadway debut in Command Decision (1947) followed by roles in Caligula (1959) and Ghosts (1982). Binns broke into Hollywood in the early 1950s and quickly became known for playing competent, hard‑working characters; his juror role in 12 Angry Men (1957) remains a touchstone of classic cinema, while his turn as Captain Junket in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) showcased his ability to blend authority with subtle humor. He appeared as Lieutenant General Walter Bedell Smith in Patton (1970) and as Colonel Grady in the tense thriller Fail‑Safe (1964), reinforcing his reputation as a reliable character actor. On television he starred as Lieutenant Roy Brenner in the CBS crime drama Brenner (1959‑1962) and made guest appearances on more than 500 programs, including multiple episodes of The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, MASH*, and The Equalizer. His personal life included marriages to journalist Marcia Legere (1956‑1984), with whom he had a daughter, and actress Elizabeth Franz, his spouse at the time of his death. He died of a heart attack while traveling in 1990, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances across stage and screen.