Alfred Ryder

Alfred Ryder the veteran actor who appeared on radio and Broadway and in the movies and TV and who also was a renowned stage director was born Alfred Jacob Corn on January 5 1916 in New York City He made his professional debut as an actor at the age of eight and attended New York Citys Professional Childrens School His Broadway debut came in 1929 when the 13yearold Ryder played a lost boy in Eva Le Galliennes production of JM Barries Peter Pan Ryder studied acting with Benno Schneider Robert Lewis and Lee Strasberg He appeared in the 1938 Broadway production of Our Town his Broadway debut as an adult performer as well as numerous Broadway productions before World War II including the 1939 revival of Clifford Odetss Awake and Sing For many years he was the voice of Sammy in the radio serial Rise of the Goldbergs Ryder joined the Army Air Force during World War II eventually appearing in the US Army Air Forces gala Broadway stage show Winged Victory in 1943 The following year he made his movie debut as PFC Alfred Ryder in the film version of the show Winged Victory 1944 After the war he made more films including director Anthony Manns classic 1947 film noir TMen 1947 On Broadway he appeared as Oswald in the 1948 revival of Henrik Ibsens Ghosts and as Mark Antony in the 1950 production of Julius Caesar Also that year he appeared as Orestes in the Broadway play The Tower Beyond Tragedy Ryder had the singular honor of being cast as the understudy for Laurence Olivier in one of the legendary actors greatest roles that of Archie Rice in the 1958 Broadway production of John Osbornes The Entertainer Oliviers Archie Rice is considered one of the greatest performances of the 20th century and Ryder was chosen to keep the Broadway patrons in their seats in the event the great British theatrical knight couldnt go on Ryder also appeared in the original Broadway production of Eugène Ionescos absurdist masterpiece Rhinoceros in 1960 A noted theatrical stage director with such companies as Washington DCs Arena Stage Ryder made his Broadway directorial debut with the play A Far Country in 1961 He subsequently directed two more Broadway productions The Exercise in 1968 and the 1971 revival of August Strindbergs Dance of Death Despite his achievements on the stage film and radio Ryder is mostly remembered as a prolific and versatile TV character actor He made over 100 appearances on TV including memorable turns on Star Trek The Original Series 1966 he appeared as Prof Robert Crater in the series very first aired episode The Man Trap Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 1964 two appearances as the ghost of Nazi Uboat commander Capt Gerhardt Krueger and The Invaders 1967 appearing as The Alien Leader Ryder retired from screen acting in 1976 to concentrate on the stage both as an actor and director He died on April 16 1995 in Englewood NJ at the age of 79 He was married to actress Kim Stanley with whom he had a child from 1957 until 1964 and he was the brother of actress Olive Deering From the IMDB Mini Bio for Alfred Ryder