Peter Whitney's imposing physique, swarthy complexion, bushy eyebrows, and maniacal gaze in his eye made him a formidable character actor in 1940s-60s film and television.
Born on May 24, 1916, in New Jersey to German ancestry, Peter King Engle was educated at Exeter Academy. He later relocated to the Los Angeles area and honed his skills at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, gaining valuable experience in summer stock theater. He began his pursuit of a film career in the early 1940s, deciding to use his wife Adrienne's middle name, Whitney, as his stage name. He believed his real name, Engle, sounded too German and might harm his career during World War II. He and Adrienne went on to have three children.
Whitney's mammoth features and soft, rounded face resembled those of Charles Laughton without table manners.
He started his supporting career at Warner Bros. during the outbreak of America's involvement in World War II, showcasing his potential in films such as Underground (1941),Nine Lives Are Not Enough (1941),and Blues in the Night (1941),playing various henchmen, cronies, and mean characters. He appeared in "A"-quality casts, including Action in the North Atlantic (1943) and Mr. Skeffington (1944). Whitney played two of his most notorious roles at the end of the war, Mert and Bert Fleagle, the murderous hillbilly twins in the comedy Murder, He Says (1945),and as Peter Lorre's seedy partner in the film noir Three Strangers (1946).
After breaking with Warner Bros. in the post-war years, Whitney continued to deliver fine performances in "B"-grade films, such as The Notorious Lone Wolf (1946),Blonde Alibi (1946),and an unusual, romantic role as Lt. Gates in the creepy Rondo Hatton thriller The Brute Man (1946).
In the mid-1950s, television became a significant part of his career. His imposing visage appeared in numerous popular western and crime dramas, including "Gunsmoke," "Wagon Train," "Rawhide," "The Rifleman," "Bonanza," "Perry Mason," and "Peter Gunn." He eventually relaxed and spoofed his gruff, rustic image with guest appearances on lighthearted series such as "Petticoat Junction" and "The Beverly Hillbillies," the latter playing a greedy, rustic character named Lafe Crick in four episodes.
Whitney's obesity contributed to an early fatal heart attack at the age of 55 in 1972, depriving Hollywood of a uniquely unappetizing and scurrilous character actor. In addition to his wife and three children, Whitney was survived by four grandchildren.
