Born March 8, 1923 in Portland, Oregon, Booth Colman was an American film, television and stage actor known for playing older authority figures such as doctors and lawyers. He started out as a child actor and later moved to radio. He later attended the Universities of Washington and Michigan, later joining the Army during World War Two.
After his military service, Colman had a long career in Broadway theater, first appearing in a production of Irwin Shaw's war drama, "The Assassin." He continued to act on stage as a part of Maurice Evans' acting company, later getting an uncredited role in "The Big Sky," directed by Howard Hawks.
Colman appeared on television several times during the Sixties and the Seventies including "Perry Mason," "Gilligan's Island", "McCloud," "The Monkees" and later recent shows like "Frasier." His film roles include "Norma Rae," "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "Intolerable Cruelty." In 1974, he took over the role of Dr. Zaius from actor Maurice Evans, his former teacher, in the short-lived TV series, "Planet of the Apes," even wearing the same costume that Evans wore in "Planet of the Apes" and 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes."
In Detroit, Colman played Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" several times on stage at the Meadow Brook Theatre. He died in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on December 15, 2014.