Dolph Sweet

Dolph Sweet
Born	Adolphus Jean Sweet (1920-07-18)July 18, 1920 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	May 8, 1985(1985-05-08) (aged 64) Tarzana, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1961–1985
Spouse	Iris Braun
Children	1

Adolphus Jean Sweet (July 18, 1920 – May 8, 1985) was an American actor, credited with nearly 60 television and film roles as well as several roles in stage productions before his death from stomach cancer in 1985.

Life and career

Sweet was born in New York City, New York. His father was an auto mechanic and his first ambition was playing football. In 1939, he attended the University of Alabama; however, he was called away from his education for a tour of duty in World War II with the US Army Air Force, serving as a navigator on B-24 Liberator bomber aircraft. During his service, he was shot down over Romania while flying on Operation Tidal Wave, and subsequently spent two years as a POW.

After the war, he played semi-pro football and boxed as he worked on a master's degree from Columbia University. He went on to head up the drama department at Barnard College. Shortly after, he made his Broadway debut in Rhinoceros which starred Zero Mostel.

His first major film role was in The Young Doctors in 1961. He went on to make numerous appearances in films such as You're a Big Boy Now (1966), A Lovely Way to Die (1968), The Swimmer (1968) and Finian's Rainbow (1968) as the Sheriff, and on television through the 1960s and 1970s, including roles on The Defenders, The Edge of Night, Another World as Police Chief Gil McGowan, and Dark Shadows. In his personal life he married and had a son. This marriage ended in divorce before the mid-1970s; Sweet later remarried.

Through the 1970s he was much in demand, with roles in films such as Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970), The Out-of-Towners (1970), The New Centurions (1972), Fear Is the Key (1972), Sisters (1972), Cops and Robbers (1973), The Lords of Flatbush (1974), Amazing Grace (1974), The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977), Which Way Is Up? (1977), Go Tell the Spartans (1978), Heaven Can Wait (1978) and The Wanderers (1979). In addition to film roles, he also had guest starring roles on Little House on the Prairie and Mrs. Columbo. He had a notable role as FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in the 1978 television miniseries King, based on the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

He was well known for his role as policeman Gil McGowan, third husband of Ada Davis (later Hobson), on the soap opera Another World (1972–1977). He also voiced the character of Manhattan Subway Transit Police Captain Costello in the 1974 version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

As the 1980s began, Sweet worked steadily in such films as Below the Belt (1980) and Reds (1981), the made for television movie Gideon's Trumpet (1980), and television series like Hill Street Blues and Hart to Hart.

Sweet played as police chief and father Carl Kanisky, who was constantly at odds with housekeeper Nell Carter on the sitcom Gimme a Break!, a role he played from 1981 until his death.

Death

Sweet died from stomach cancer at Tarzana Hospital in Tarzana, California on May 8, 1985. His wife, Iris Braun, survived him. His remains were cremated.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1961	The Young Doctors	Police Car Driver
1966	You're a Big Boy Now	Patrolman Francis Graf
1968	A Lovely Way to Die	Captain Haver
1968	The Swimmer	Henry Biswanger
1968	Finian's Rainbow	Sheriff
1969	The Lost Man	Police Captain
1970	Colossus: The Forbin Project	Missile Commander
1970	The Out-of-Towners	Police Sergeant
1971	The Telephone Book	Obscene-Caller
1972	The New Centurions	Sgt. Runyon
1972	Sisters	Detective Kelly
1972	Fear Is the Key	Jablonsky
1973	Cops and Robbers	George
1974	The Lords of Flatbush	Mr. Rosiello
1974	Amazing Grace	Mayor Scott
1974	The Taking of Pelham One Two Three	Police Capt. Costello	Voice, Uncredited
1977	The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training	Mr. Manning
1977	Which Way Is Up?	The Boss
1978	Go Tell the Spartans	Gen. Harnitz
1978	Heaven Can Wait	Head Coach
1979	The Wanderers	Chubby Galasso
1980	Below the Belt	LeRoi
1981	Reds	Big Bill Haywood

External links

• Dolph Sweet at IMDb 
• Dolph Sweet at the Internet Broadway Database
• ‹The template AllMovie name is being considered for deletion.› Dolph Sweet at AllMovie
• Dolph Sweet at the TCM Movie Database
• Dolph Sweet at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Dolph Sweet at Find a Grave