365 Days of Columbo: April 9th

Happy Birthday Murph!

Arthur Batanides (April 9, 1923 – January 10, 2000) was an American actor with a prolific career in film and television. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Batanides found his passion for acting after performing stand-up routines for fellow GIs in Europe during World War II. 

Batanides appeared in a variety of television series, including “Crusader,” “Tombstone Territory,” “Zorro,” “Combat!,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Bonanza,” and “Happy Days.” His film credits include “The Unearthly” (1957), “Violent Road” (1958), “The Leech Woman” (1960), and “Brannigan” (1975). He is perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Kirkland in Police Academy.

Batanides guest-starred on “Columbo.” as Murph the mechanic in the episode “Mind Over Mayhem,” which aired on February 10, 1974. 

Arthur Batanides retired from acting after his final appearance in “Police Academy 6: City Under Siege” (1989). 

He passed away on January 10, 2000, in Los Angeles, California.