Fred Eisley, a future stage, screen, and TV star, was born in Philadelphia with a real name that remains Fred Eisley. His father, a general sales manager and "troubleshooter" for a large company, kept the family on the move throughout Eisley's young life, traversing the East Coast.
As a student, Eisley's passion for acting was evident even in his school plays, and he knew he wanted to be an actor. However, without show-business connections, he felt his aspiration was futile. Eisley later pursued drama courses at the University of Miami, not because he believed he could become a successful actor, but because it was an easy way to obtain a degree.
Years later, Eisley finally pursued his lifelong ambition and landed a job with a stock company in Pennsylvania, where he worked alongside James Dunn in a stage production of "A Slight Case of Murder." This marked the beginning of his successful acting career, which included roles in long-running plays such as "Mister Roberts," "Picnic," and "The Desperate Hours."
Eisley's early film and television work included appearances in "Operation Pacific" (1951),"Fearless Fagan" (1952),and "Racket Squad" (1950). He eventually went on to achieve TV and exploitation movie stardom.
