# Val Avery

Sebouh Der Abrahamian (July 14, 1924 – December 12, 2009), known professionally as Val Avery, was an American character actor who appeared in hundreds of movies and television shows. In a career that spanned 50 years, Avery appeared in over 100 films and had appearances in over 300 television episodes.

## Early life and education

Avery was born in Philadelphia to Armenian parents Megerdich and Arousiag Der Abrahamian. His father was from Sebastia and moved to the United States in 1907. During the Armenian genocide, his grandfather Bedros Der Abrahamian, a priest at the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Sebastia, was murdered.
In his early years, Avery acted in plays with the Armenian Youth Federation. After serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, he attended the Bessie V. Hicks School of Drama in Philadelphia.

## Career

Avery was frequently cast as tough or low-class types, such as policemen, thugs, mobsters, bartenders, and blue-collar workers.
He had television roles in The Twilight Zone episode "The Night of the Meek" (1960) and in four Columbo episodes "A Friend in Deed" (1974), "Dead Weight" (1971), "The Most Crucial Game" (1972), and "Identity Crisis" (1975). Avery's other television appearances include The Untouchables, The Fugitive, Gunsmoke (“The Lure”-1967), The Asphalt Jungle, The Investigators, Mission: Impossible, (1960)Bonanza ((Breed of Violence)), Daniel Boone, The Munsters, Mannix, The Odd Couple, Kojak, Quincy, M.E., Friday the 13th: The Series, Cannon and Law & Order.
Avery made his film debut with an uncredited role in The Harder They Fall (1956), the last film of Humphrey Bogart. Avery appeared in five John Cassavetes films: Too Late Blues (1961), Faces (1968), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), and Gloria (1980). His many film credits also include The Long, Hot Summer (1958), The Magnificent Seven (1960), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), Hud (1963), Papillon (1973), The Wanderers (1979), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), Cobra (1986), and Donnie Brasco (1997).
On Broadway, Avery appeared in a successful 1969-70 revival of The Front Page.

## Personal life

Avery and actress Margot Stevenson were married from 1953 until his death. Their daughter, Margot Avery, is also an actress.

## Death

Avery died on December 12, 2009, at age 85 in his home in the Greenwich Village section of New York City.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1956 | The Harder They Fall | Frank | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Edge of the City | Brother | |
| 1958 | The Long, Hot Summer | Wilk | Uncredited |
| 1958 | King Creole | Ralph | Uncredited |
| 1959 | Last Train from Gun Hill | Steve, Horseshoe Bartender | |
| 1960 | The Magnificent Seven | Henry | |
| 1961 | Too Late Blues | Milt Frielobe | |
| 1962 | Requiem for a Heavyweight | Young Fighter's Promoter | |
| 1963 | Hud | Jose | |
| 1963 | Love with the Proper Stranger | Stein | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Sylvia | Pudgey Smith | Uncredited |
| 1965 | The Hallelujah Trail | Denver Bartender | |
| 1965 | Satan's Bed | Unknown | |
| 1966 | Wild Wild Winter | Fox | |
| 1966 | Nevada Smith | Buck Mason | |
| 1966 | Assault on a Queen | Trench | |
| 1967 | Hombre | Delgado | |
| 1968 | Faces | Jim McCarthy | |
| 1968 | No Way to Treat a Lady | The Bartender | Uncredited |
| 1968 | The Pink Jungle | Rodriguez | |
| 1968 | The Brotherhood | Jake Rotherman | |
| 1969 | Machine Gun McCain | Chuck Regan | |
| 1969 | A Dream of Kings | Fatsas | |
| 1970 | The Traveling Executioner | Jake | |
| 1971 | Vanishing Point | Police Officer | Uncredited |
| 1971 | The Anderson Tapes | Rocco "Socks" Parelli | |
| 1971 | Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! | The Marshal | |
| 1971 | Minnie and Moskowitz | Zelmo Swift | |
| 1972 | The Legend of Hillbilly John | Cobart | |
| 1973 | Black Caesar | Cardoza | |
| 1973 | Papillon | Pascal | |
| 1973 | The Laughing Policeman | Inspector John Pappas | |
| 1975 | Russian Roulette | Rudolph Henke | |
| 1975 | Let's Do It Again | Lieutenant Bottomley | |
| 1975 | Lucky Lady | Dolph | |
| 1976 | The Killing of a Chinese Bookie | Blair Benoit | |
| 1976 | Harry and Walter Go to New York | Chatsworth | |
| 1977 | Heroes | Bus Driver | |
| 1978 | Up in Smoke | The Hoods: Factory Boss | |
| 1979 | Love and Bullets | Caruso | |
| 1979 | The Wanderers | Mr. Sharp | |
| 1979 | The Amityville Horror | Sergeant Gionfriddo | |
| 1980 | Brubaker | Wendel | |
| 1980 | Gloria | Sill | |
| 1981 | The Chosen | Teacher | |
| 1981 | Continental Divide | Alderman Yablonowitz | |
| 1981 | Choices | Coach Rizzo | |
| 1981 | Sharky's Machine | Manny, Man With Siakwan | |
| 1982 | Assignment Berlin | Talaat Pasha | |
| 1982 | Jinxed! | Milt Hawkins | |
| 1983 | The Sting II | O'Malley | |
| 1983 | Easy Money | Louie, The Bartender | |
| 1984 | The Pope of Greenwich Village | Nunzi | |
| 1985 | Too Scared to Scream | Dr. Richards | |
| 1986 | Cobra | Chief Halliwell | |
| 1986 | The Messenger | Clark | |
| 1997 | Donnie Brasco | Santo Trafficante Jr. | |
| 1999 | A Fish in the Bathtub | Abe | |
| 2001 | In the Shadows | Carlo Pierazzi | |
| 2004 | Blueberry | Judge | (final film role) |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1953 | Lux Video Theatre | Hank | Episode: "One for the Road" |
| 1954–1956 | The Big Story | Informer | 2 episodes |
| 1955 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Philip Reilly, The Tall Dark Man | Episode: "The Tall Dark Man" |
| 1956–1958 | Kraft Television Theatre | John Hardy / Mauck | 2 episodes |
| 1956–1958 | Playhouse 90 | The Bartender | 2 episodes |
| 1956–1961 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Uncle Steve / Joe Varetti / Napol / Ronald Levesque / Gino Dovelli | 9 episodes |
| 1957 | There Shall Be No Night | Gus Shuman | Television film |
| 1957 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Carson | Episode: "Proud Woman" |
| 1957–1969 | Gunsmoke | "Bull" Anders / Trent / Dorner / Joe Nadler | 4 episodes |
| 1958 | The Investigator | Unknown | 2 episodes |
| 1959 | The Lineup | Unknown | Episode: "The Frederick Freemont Case" |
| 1959 | Border Patrol | "Waxey" Walters | Episode: "In a Deadly Fashion" |
| 1959 | Peter Gunn | Hoodlum | Episode: "Protection" |
| 1959 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Sheriff Jenkins | Episode: "Goodbye, Al" |
| 1959 | Johnny Staccato | Corky Lewis | Episode: "Viva, Paco!" |
| 1959 | The Lawless Years | "Bobo" Koening | Episode: "The Billy Boy 'Rockabye' Creel Story" |
| 1959 | The Play of the Week | Police Chief | Episode: "The Power and the Glory" |
| 1960 | Cradle Song | The Driver | Television film |
| 1960 | The Untouchables | Frank Salinas / Johnny, The Enforcer | 2 episodes |
| 1960 | Bonanza | Sheriff Trev Kincaid | Episode: "Breed of Violence" |
| 1960 | Hong Kong | Michael Fortune | Episode: "The Turncoat" |
| 1960 | The Twilight Zone | The Bartender | Episode: "The Night of the Meek" |
| 1961 | Tales of Wells Fargo | Frank "Bully" Armstrong | Episode: "Town Against a Man" |
| 1961 | Have Gun – Will Travel | B.J. Throckton, The Banker | Episode: "The Gold Bar" |
| 1961 | Rawhide | Sheriff | S3:E28, "Incident of the Blackstorms" |
| 1961 | The Asphalt Jungle | The Big Fellow | Episode: "The Dark Night" |
| 1961 | The Power and the Glory | Unknown | Television film |
| 1961 | The Investigators | Phil Bledsoe | Episode: "Something for Charity" |
| 1961–1963 | The Defenders | Strafaci / Mac Peters / District Attorney Anthony Periko | 3 episodes |
| 1962 | The Everglades | Pops / Harry Conlin | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | Naked City | Franko | Episode: "Beyond This Place There Be Dragons" |
| 1963 | The Doctors and the Nurses | Charman Tompkins | Episode: "Strike" |
| 1963–1964 | East Side/West Side | Lieutenant Al Costello / Detective Al Costello | 5 episodes |
| 1964 | The Reporter | Pete Krenek | Episode: "How Much for a Prince?" |
| 1964 | Mr. Broadway | Detective | Episode: "Smelling Like a Rose" |
| 1964–1965 | The Munsters | The Commissar / Marty | 2 episodes |
| 1965 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Sergeant / Colonel Velasquez | 3 episodes |
| 1965 | Slattery's People | Lou Teller | Episode: "Question: Does Nero Still at Ringside Sit?" |
| 1965 | Peyton Place | Boudreau | Episode: #1.81 |
| 1965 | Daniel Boone | Watowah | Episode: "The Old Man and the Cave" |
| 1965 | Get Smart | KAOS Agent #1 | Episode: "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" |
| 1965 | Honey West | Roger | Episode: "A Neat Little Package" |
| 1965–1967 | The Fugitive | Jim Ross / Gordie Shiller / Jerry Kulik / Burns | 4 episodes |
| 1966 | The Virginian | Jim Sunderland | Episode: "Harvest of Strangers" |
| 1966 | Run for Your Life | 2nd Man | Episode: "Night Train from Chicago" |
| 1966 | Felony Squad | Gene Hardy | Episode: "Strike Out" |
| 1966 | I Spy | Josef | Episode: "Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up?" |
| 1966 | Laredo | Sheriff Jonathan Daniels | Episode: "Road to San Remo" |
| 1966 | The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones | Morgan | Television film |
| 1966–1967 | The Wild Wild West | Brad Logan / John Crane | 2 episodes |
| 1966–1974 | The F.B.I. | Max Horton / Tony Hendricks / Carn / Roy Sumner | 4 episodes |
| 1967 | Dragnet 1967 | Phil Masturian | Episode: "The Big Explosion" |
| 1967 | The Invaders | Manager | Episode: "The Mutation" |
| 1967 | Iron Horse | Grimes | Episode: "The Passenger" |
| 1967 | Mr. Terrific | Leo | Episode: "Stanley the Track Star" |
| 1967 | CBS Playhouse | McDermott | Episode: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" |
| 1968 | Lancer | Wade Hackett | Episode: "Julie" |
| 1968 | Judd, for the Defense | John Rowan | Episode: "A Swim with Sharks" |
| 1968 | N.Y.P.D. | Walter Carney | Episode: "The Love Hustle" |
| 1968–1971 | The Mod Squad | Briggs / "Turk" | 2 episodes |
| 1968–1972 | Mission: Impossible | Augie Leitch / Frank Brady / Constantine Victor / Al Ross | 4 episodes |
| 1969 | My Friend Tony | Unknown | Episode: "Let George Do It" |
| 1970 | Dan August | Russ Carter, Ranch Foreman | Episode: "The Murder of a Small Town" |
| 1970 | The Name of the Game | Mike | Episode: "Cynthia Is Alive and Living in Avalon" |
| 1970 | The Bold Ones: The Lawyers | Lieutenant Aram Makarian | Episode: "Panther in a Cage" |
| 1970–1974 | Mannix | Vanaman / Doyle / Mel Cooley / Harry Ruxton | 4 episodes |
| 1971 | A Tattered Web | Sergeant Harry Barnes | Television film |
| 1971 | Monty Nash | Luis Perez / Man | 2 episodes |
| 1971 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Victor Corso | Episode: "The Convicts" |
| 1971–1972 | McCloud | Walter McKay / Gruber | 2 episodes |
| 1971–1975 | Columbo | Louie / Artie Jessup / Ralph Dobbs / Harry Barnes | 4 episodes |
| 1972 | Nichols | Jasper | 2 episodes |
| 1972–1973 | Ironside | McKay / Arnie Hummel | 2 episodes |
| 1972–1974 | Cannon | Leo Crothers / Pawnshop Owner | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Firehouse | Sonny Caputo | Television film |
| 1973 | Madigan | Augie | Episode: "The Park Avenue Beat" |
| 1973 | Shaft | Captain Rigano | Episode: "The Killing" |
| 1973 | Blood Sport | Frank Dorsdale | Television film |
| 1973 | The Odd Couple | Elmo | Episode: "A Barnacle Adventure" |
| 1973–1974 | Barnaby Jones | Andy Burns | 4 episodes |
| 1973–1974 | Police Story | Sergeant Mahler / Steve | 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Kojak | George Janis | Episode: "Marker to a Dead Bookie" |
| 1975 | Archer | Joe Mengers | Episode: "Blood Money" |
| 1975 | The Law | Ouspensky | Television miniseries |
| 1975 | McCoy | "Turk" | Episode: "Double Take" |
| 1976–1977 | Baretta | Ray Carmona / Pogo | 2 episodes |
| 1976–1978 | Switch | Rosie Finniston / Irving Munn | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model? | Chuck Voit | Television film |
| 1977 | Starsky & Hutch | Captain Ryan | Episode: "Starsky and Hutch Are Guilty" |
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Tracy / Skipper | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Man from Atlantis | Lew | Episode: "C.W. Hyde" |
| 1977–1981 | Quincy, M.E. | Rawley Dinehart / Aaron Zakarian / Carlo Russo | 4 episodes |
| 1981 | The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo | Bearded Man In Suit | Episode: "What're Girls Like You Doing in a Bank Like This?" |
| 1984 | The Streets | Whitcomb | Television film |
| 1984 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Willie Lerner | Episode: "It Coulda Been Worse, She Coulda Been a Welder" |
| 1985 | Out of the Darkness | Guido Pressano | Television film |
| 1986 | Courage | Pete Solto | Television film |
| 1987 | Cagney & Lacey | Rekubian | Episode: "Favors" |
| 1988 | Friday the 13th: The Series | Russ Sharko | Episode: "Badge of Honor" |
| 1989 | Men | Burt | Episode: "Cupid Ms...Takes" |
| 1989 | Moonlighting | Mr. Viola | Episode: "In 'N Outlaws" |
| 1989 | Hunter | Ray Sullivan | Episode: "Ring of Honor" |
| 1991–1996 | Law & Order | Max Schaeffer / Dan Magadan Sr. | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story | Salerno | Television film |
| 1992 | Counterstrike | Morey Lempke | Episode: "No Honour Among Thieves" |
| 1992 | Secret Service | Moe | Episode: "It's in the Mail/Counterfeit Murder" |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Sol Lobell | Episode: "The Old Man and the 'C'" |
| 1994 | Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker | General William T. Sherman | Television film |
| 1997 | Gold Coast | Jimmy Capp | Television film |
| 2001 | 100 Centre Street | Sal Gentle | Episode: "Queenie and Joe" |