David Spielberg (March 6, 1939 – June 1, 2016) was an American television and film actor. He appeared as Peter Pan (Panofski) an inmate of Happy Valley Sanitorium, and Mork's pen pal in Season 3's Mork in Never Never Land.
Biography[]
Spielberg was born in Weslaco, Texas, and was a native of Mercedes, Texas. Son of George and Manuela (Benitez) Spielberg, his father was a Romanian-Jewish immigrant who became a merchant and his mother was a Mexican-American teacher and artist. After serving in the United States Naval Reserve, 1957-1959, he enrolled in the University of Texas, 1959-1961; . Two summers' acting experience in New York City led him to drop out of the university and move to New York to pursue a career in acting. Later he received a Doctor of Fine Arts (honorary), Pan American College, 1980.
From 1967 - 1970 - He worked as an acting instructor , Yale School Drama.
Had a passion for dogs (Golden Retrievers) and Mexican food.
He was married twice, firstly to Barbara Gladstone (13 June 1965 - ?) (1 child) then Janie Glassman Tutelman (1989 - 1 June 2016) (his death)
He was no relation to Schindler's List (1993) director Steven Spielberg, despite a popular misconception. He died on June 1, 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Career[]
David Spielberg was a longtime veteran of series television who can often be found playing nice-guy or conservative roles. He got his first screen credits in TV Series, One Life to Live (1968), Where the Heart Is (1969), NET Playhouse (1969), before landing short recurring role in The Doctors (1971). He followed that with appearance as a deputy district attorney in "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers," (1971-72), Banacek (72-73) followed by co-starring on the sitcom "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," alongside a young Jodie Foster (1973) based on the 1969 film, but which only lasted a season. He then appeared in McMillan & Wife (1975),The Rockford Files (1975). In 1976 he co-starred in another sitcom, "The Practice," as a doctor with an uptown office trying to convince his crusty physician dad to join him. He also appeared in Quincy M.E. (1977-1982), The American Girls (1978), CHiPs (1978-1980), One Day at a Time (1979), Lou Grant (1980-1981), Hart to Hart (1981), Jessica Novak (1981), Family Ties (1982), Hill Street Blues (1984), Magnum, P.I. (1984), Airwolf (1985), Highway to Heaven (1985-1988), Dynasty (1986), The Love Boat (1986), Wiseguy (1988), Hunter (1988), L.A. Law (1988), Murphy's Law (1988), Falcon Crest (1989), Father Dowling Mysteries (1990), Murder, She Wrote (1986-1991), Baywatch (1991-1998), Reasonable Doubts (1992), Matlock (1992), Law & Order (1992-1998), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993), ER (1995), The Pretender (1996), The West Wing (2000), Judging Amy (2001), Eyes (2007) among other television series.
Spielberg's Film debut was in Paul Newman's The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972). He also appeared in Newman's Law (1974), Law and Disorder (1974), Hustle (1975), American Raspberry (1977), The Choirboys (1977), Real Life (1979), Winter Kills (1979), Christine (1983), The Stranger (1987), Alice (1990), Red Ribbon Blues (1996), Hokum County Homicide (2002), Final Draft (2003) and Flight of the Living Dead (2007), his last screen appearance.
On stage he appeared in Defiled (2000) with Peter Falk and Jason Alexander at the Geffen Playhouse
Mork & Mindy[]
He appeared as Peter (Panofski) a joyful inmate of Happy Valley Sanitorium, and Mork's pen pal in Season 3's Mork in Never Never Land, who is convinced he is Peter Pan, who attempts to cheer up and bring out the inner child in everyone around him. So much so that Mork attempts to break him out of the Hospital to bring him home to help a depressed Mindy whose studies and future seems to have stalled.