Harold Gould

Harold Vernon Goldstein, better known as Harold Gould, was an esteemed American character actor with over 50 years in film and television. He is fondly remembered for his appearances as Martin Morgenstern on the sitcom Rhoda and Miles Webber on The Golden Girls. Gould's on-screen versatility and talent led to his nomination for the Emmy Awards five times. He left his mark on the acting industry by featuring in over 300 television shows, 20 major motion pictures, and more than 100 stage plays. Gould was renowned for elegantly portraying well-dressed men, Jewish characters, and grandfather-type figures. Gould was born in Schenectady, New York, and was the son of a postal worker, Louis Goldstein, and Lillian, a homemaker. He initially pursued a career as a social studies or English public high school teacher. His life took an unforeseen turn when he decided to enlist in the United States Army during World War II, where he saw combat in France. After the war, he altered his career path to study drama and theatre leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947. His career in acting took off after he accepted a position at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Over the years, Gould featured in an array of films and shows, including The Sting, Woody Allen's Love and Death, Mel Brooks' Silent Movie, and Disney's Gus. His portrayal of MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer in the 1980 NBC miniseries The Scarlett O'Hara War earned him an Emmy nomination. By the 90s, he had acted in famous films like Stuart Little, Patch Adams, The Master of Disguise, among others. Gould was an active member of Theatre West for 48 years and won an Obie Award in 1969 for his work in The Increased Difficulty of Concentration.