Lanky, tough-looking American character actor, whose narrow-eyes and icy delivery were a particularly effective combination for impersonating ex-cons, thugs, or police officers - not all of whom could be counted upon to be on the right side of the law, either. Ben was in show business from an early age, singing on stage by the time he was six years old. In later years, he had a successful career as a prizefighter, with 20 wins out of 22 bouts. On screen, he became a recognisable face from 1963, with a definite penchant for 'crime-time television', notably in Police Story (1973), Cannon (1971) and The Streets of San Francisco (1972). Moreover, he made a substantial income from TV commercials, including a controversial anti-smoking ad for the California Department of Health Services. Ben Frank died prematurely from a heart attack in September 1990, aged just 56.