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John Donald FiedlerAmerican character actor of stage, film, television and radio
Date of Birth: 03.02.1925
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of John Donald Fiedler
John Donald Fiedler was an iconic American character actor of stage, film, television, and radio, as well as a voice actor. Despite his slender build, baldness, glasses, and high-pitched voice, Fiedler's acting career spanned four decades. He is best known for his roles as Juror Number 2 in Sidney Lumet's drama "12 Angry Men," the voice of Piglet in Disney's Winnie the Pooh cartoons, and Mr. Peterson, a nervous patient in the sitcom "The Bob Newhart Show" that aired in the early 1960s.
Early Life
John Fiedler was born on February 3, 1925, in Plattville, Wisconsin, to Donald Fiedler, a beer salesman, and his wife Margaret Pilan. When Fiedler was five years old, his family moved to Shorewood, where he completed high school in 1943. After graduation, Fiedler enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the fleet until the end of World War II. Following his discharge from the Navy, Fiedler traveled to New York to pursue his childhood dream of becoming an actor. He began performing in family garage shows, involving all the neighborhood children.
Career
Fiedler's first notable role was that of Homer Brown in the radio comedy series "The Aldrich Family." On television, he portrayed Cadet Alfie Higgins in the science fiction series "Tom Corbett, Space Cadet" in the early 1950s, instantly becoming a recognizable young actor. Fiedler made his film debut in 1957, playing one of the jurors in the screen adaptation of the play "12 Angry Men." He often portrayed soft-spoken, sensitive, or nervous characters, although he once appeared in an episode of "Star Trek" titled "Wolf in the Fold," where he portrayed the main administrator, displaying qualities more reminiscent of Jack the Ripper.
Fiedler was part of the cast of the Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," which became the first play by an African-American woman to run on Broadway. He played the role of a representative from the local neighborhood committee in both the 1961 film adaptation and the 1988 television movie. He also appeared in the comedy play "The Odd Couple" as poker player Vinnie, reprising the role in the 1968 film adaptation. Notable film roles include the western "True Grit" (1969) and the adventure comedy "The Cannonball Run" (1981).
As a guest star, Fiedler appeared in numerous popular TV series, including "Bewitched," "Get Smart," "The Rockford Files," "Star Trek," "The Twilight Zone," "The Golden Girls," and "Cheers." He was a regular cast member in shows such as "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" as morgue attendant Gordy Spangler, "The Bob Newhart Show" as one of the main character's recurring patients, and "Buffalo Bill" as Woody. In addition to voicing Piglet in various Winnie the Pooh films, Fiedler lent his voice to characters in movies such as "The Rescuers," "The Fox and the Hound," "Robin Hood," and "The Emperor's New Groove." His final role was in the animated film "Kronk's New Groove."
Personal Life and Legacy
John Fiedler never married, and his sister and brother became his heirs. He passed away from cancer on June 25, 2005, at the age of 80, at the Lillian Booth Actors' Home in Englewood, New Jersey, which is supported by the charitable organization Actors' Fund. Fiedler's death occurred one day after his fellow voice actor for Winnie the Pooh, Paul Winchell, who voiced Tigger. Travis Oates took over the role of Piglet following Fiedler's death.
