Victor Rodman (August 6, 1892–June 29, 1965) was an American actor best known for his work on two Jack Webb NBC television programs, Dragnet and Noah's Ark. In the latter 1956-1957 series, he played an older veterinarian, Dr. Sam Rinehart, who uses a wheelchair. Paul Burke portrayed the younger colleague and title character, Dr. Noah McCann. May Wynn starred as the young clinic receptionist, Liz Clark.Rodman was born Victor Rottman, in Augusta, Arkansas. Named after his farmer father who was a Hungarian immigrant, he began acting in silent film shorts as early as 1914 and continued in that genre until 1925. During the 1930s and 1940s, he acted in radio dramas such as "Speed Gibson" and "This Is Your FBI". He performed as Dr. Kingsley in "Speed Gibson" and assumed various parts in the FBI series.After a 30-year absence from the screen, Rodman appeared from 1953-1957 on eight episodes of Dragnet. In 1955, he guest starred in the syndicated series, I Led Three Lives, based on the exploits of communist infiltrator Herbert Philbrick. He played Comrade Arthur in the episode "Commie Dies." Thereafter, he joined the cast of the 24-episode Noah's Ark, which ran for twenty-four episodes.In 1958, Rodman guest starred in the role of Rufe Teller in the episode "Drop to Drink" of CBS's Wanted Dead or Alive, a western starring future screen star Steve McQueen. In 1959, he appeared in the episode "Devil's Acre" of the syndicated western, Man Without a Gun.In 1959, Rodman also played a nightwatchman on an episode of CBS' Perry Mason starring Raymond Burr. In 1960, Rodman guest starred as a judge on the episode "A Tender Touch" of the Craig Stevens detective series, Peter Gunn. Just prior to his death, Rodman's last role was uncredited as a prison inmate in the film Brainstorm, directed by William Conrad.Rodman died at the age of seventy-two in Los Angeles, California. Internet references do not give Rodman's place of birth, family information, other occupations, or burial site.
American supporting actor of Hungarian ancestry. Appeared in silent serials from 1914. Left the screen for three decades (1925-55), working mostly in radio. Re-emerged in the 50's as a television supporting actor, most prominent as a recurring character in "Noah's Ark" (1952-57).
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Brainstorm
1965
Asylum Inmate (uncredited)
Peter Gunn
1960
TV Series
Judge
Lock Up
1960
TV Series
Tony Van Der Berg / Dean Waldron
Perry Mason
1959
TV Series
Miller - Night Watchman
Man Without a Gun
1959
TV Series
Wanted: Dead or Alive
1958
TV Series
Rufe Teller
The Long, Hot Summer
1958
Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
Dragnet
1952-1957
TV Series
John Snyder / John Willden / Oscar Sherman
Noah's Ark
1956-1957
TV Series
Dr. Sam Rinehart
I Led 3 Lives
1955
TV Series
Comrade Arthur
Farmyard Symphony
1938
Short voice
Watch Out
1925
Short
Razzputin
Don't Pinch
1925
Short
Easy Pickin's
1924
Short
Hold Your Breath
1924
Oil Salesman
Cornfed
1924
Short
Reno or Bust
1924
Short
Richard - The Rival
Getting Gertie's Goat
1924
Short
Busy Buddies
1924
Short
Away We Go
1924
Short
The Rival
Call the Wagon
1923
Short
Black and Blue
1923
Short
The Rival
Winter Has Come
1923
Short
The Chased Bride
1922
Short
The Wrong Man
Chop Suey
1922
Short
'Tis the Bull
1922
Short
Hokus Pokus
1922
Short
A Barnyard Cavalier
1922
Short
Fresh from the Farm
1921/II
Short
The City Slicker
Pure and Simple
1921
Short
Falling for Fanny
1921
Short
Oh Buddy!
1921
Short
Seven Bald Pates
1920
Short
Eat-a-Bite-a-Pie
1920
Short as Victor Rottman
The Ghost Girl
1919
Short as Victor Rottman
The Spotted Lily
1917
Jean (as Victor Rottman)
The Diamonds of Destiny
1917
Short
Corey Houston (as Victor Rothman)
The Quack Quakers
1916
Short
Tom (as Victor Rottman)
The Trap
1916
Short
Jim Morris (as Victor Rottman)
The French Milliner
1916
Short as Victor Rottman
Destiny's Boomerang
1916
Short
Karl von Koenig (as Victor Rottman)
A Mix-Up in Art
1916
Short
Tom (as Victor Rothman)
A Watery Wooing
1916
Short
Tom
When Opportunity Knocked
1916
Short
Reggie (as Victor Rottman)
The Bachelors' Alliance
1916
Short
In Cinderella's Shoes
1916
Short
Tom (as Victor Rottman)
A Smoky Adventure
1916
Short
Dick
The Bogus Ghost
1916
Short
Ted (as Victor Rottman)
The Artful Dodger
1916
Short
Tommy (as Victor Rottman)
Not What the Doctor Ordered
1916
Short
Brown (as Victor Rottman)
Romeo of the Coal Wagon
1916
Short
Jack's Substitute
Counting Out the Count
1916
Short
Count de Wigglesby (as Victor Rottman)
Their Taking Ways
1916
Short
The Valet (as Victor Rottman)
Fashion and Fury
1916
Short
The Hubby's Accomplice (as Victor Rottman)
Trapping the Bachelor
1916
Short
Jack Williams (as Victor Rottman)
The Trailing Tailor
1916
Short
Gerald (as Victor Rottman)
Ham and the Hermit's Daughter
1916
Short
The Autoist (as Victor Rottman)
When Hubby Forgot
1916
Short
Ethel's Hubby (as Victor Rottman)
A Riddle in Rascals
1916
Short
Raffles Jr. (as Victor Rottman)
Earning His Salt
1916
Short
Denton (as Victor Rottman)
Cupid Entangled
1915
Short
The Rube
Could a Man Do More?
1915
Short
The Blood of Our Brothers
1915
Short
Loot - another Renegade Soldier (as Victor Rottman)
Rhoda's Burglar
1915
Short
Steve Wells (as Victor Rothman)
Under Two Flags
1915
Short
Baroni's son (as Victor Rottman)
A Romance of Old California
1915
Short
The Don's Blind Son (as Victor Rottman)
Man and His Master
1915
Short
Italian Immigrant (as Victor Rottman)
Wooed by a Wildman
1915
Short
Hairy Chest - a Suitor (as Victor Rottman)
The Hicksville Tragedy Troupe
1915
Short
Vincent (as Victor Rottman)
A Model Wife
1915
Short
Lockwood - a Sculptor (as Victor Rottman)
Fatty's Echo
1915
Short
Hungry Ike - Fatty's Pal (as Victor Rottman)
The Last Chapter
1914
Jack Hilton (as Victor Rottman)
Ham and the Villain Factory
1914
Short
Desperate Gus - Manager of the Factory (as Victor Rottman)
The Slavery of Foxicus
1914
Short
Crookus - a Stockbroker (as Victor Rottman)
Ham the Lineman
1914
Short
Spud Murphy - Red's Pal (as Victor Rottman)
Don't Monkey with the Buzz Saw
1914
Short
Professor Orbs - the Hypnotist (as Victor Rottman)
The Bingville Fire Department
1914
Short
Schnitzel - Chief of Police (as Victor Rottman)
Fleeing from the Fleas
1914
Short
Chief of Police Schnitzel (as Victor Rottman)
An Elopement in Rome
1914
Short
Sportus - Cleo's Father (as Victor Rottman)
A Darktown Wooing
1914
Short
Rastus - Sambo's Rival (as Victor Rottman)
The Girl and the Gondolier
1914
Short
Signor Vermicelli - Spaghetti's Rival (as Victor Rottman)