Paul Langton

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

American actor (1913–1980)

title: "Paul Langton" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1913-births", "1980-deaths", "20th-century-american-male-actors", "american-latter-day-saints", "american-male-film-actors", "american-male-television-actors", "male-actors-from-greater-los-angeles", "male-actors-from-salt-lake-city", "metro-goldwyn-mayer-contract-players"] description: "American actor (1913–1980)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Langton" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American actor (1913–1980) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Paul Langton
image	Paul Langton in Till the Clouds Roll By.jpg
caption	Langton in Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
birth_date	April 17, 1913
death_date	April 15, 1980 (aged 66)
death_place	Burbank, California, U.S.
occupation	Actor
alma_mater	California School of Fine Arts
spouse	Elda Piva
::

Paul Langton (April 17, 1913 – April 15, 1980) was an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Leslie Harrington on the television series Peyton Place.

Early years

When Langton was 12 years old he moved from Salt Lake City to San Francisco to be with his father, Ernest Langton, a former vaudevillian who then worked in the mailing department of the San Francisco Examiner. He attended Lowell High School and the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California. He worked in the press rooms of The Salt Lake Telegram and the Examiner to finance his education.

Career

Langton's early stage experience included acting in productions of the Mountain Play Association in California and the Pasadena Playhouse. In 1950 he portrayed Biff in a touring company of Death of a Salesman. He performed on Broadway in Harbor Lights (1956).

Making his movie bow in 1941, Langton became a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, frequently appearing in war films. Later, Langton was seen in character parts or supporting roles in such films as The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). He also was a voice actor on Lux Radio Theatre from 1942 to 1954.

Langton began appearing on television in 1951 in a series called The Web. His first regular role was that of Walter Dennis on the daytime series The Brighter Day. He also made five guest appearances on Perry Mason from 1958 to 1962, three of which were as prosecuting attorneys. But it was the role of Leslie Harrington on the prime time serial Peyton Place (1964–68) that finally gave him a level of stardom. After he was written out of the series, he appeared in half a dozen other programs including It Takes a Thief (1968), Ironside (TV series) and, in his final role, Emergency!, before retiring due to ill health.

Personal life and death

Langton was married to Elda Piva. He died in Burbank, California on April 15, 1980, aged 66, two days before his 67th birthday. Langton was a Mormon.

Filmography

::data[format=table] | Films | Year | Title | Role | Notes | TV series | | Year | | Title | | Role | | Note | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1943 | We've Never Been Licked | Naval Officer | Uncredited | | | | | | | | First Comes Courage | Minor Role | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | The Cross of Lorraine | French Soldier | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | Destination Tokyo | 'Copperfin' Crewman / Barber | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | 1944 | Marriage Is a Private Affair | Soldier | Uncredited | | | | | | | | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo | Captain 'Ski' York | | | | | | | | | | The Thin Man Goes Home | Tom Clayworth | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | Dark Shadows | Peter Selkin, Suspect | Short crime drama film unrelated to later supernatural TV series; uncredited | | | | | | | | | Gentle Annie | Violet Goss | | | | | | | | | | 1945 | This Man's Navy | Minor Role | Uncredited | | | | | | | | The Hidden Eye | Barry Gifford | | | | | | | | | | Purity Squad | Mr. Winthrop | Short film, Uncredited | | | | | | | | | What Next, Corporal Hargrove? | Captain Drake | | | | | | | | | | They Were Expendable | Ensign 'Andy' Andrews | | | | | | | | | | 1946 | Magic on a Stick | John Walker | Short film, Uncredited | | | | | | | | The Hoodlum Saint | Bit Part | (scenes deleted) | | | | | | | | | Courage of Lassie | Minor Role | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | Till the Clouds Roll By | Oscar Hammerstein II | Fictionalized M-G-M musical biopic of composer Jerome Kern | | | | | | | | | 1947 | My Brother Talks to Horses | Mr. Gillespie | | | | | | | | | The Sea of Grass | Young Doctor | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | The Romance of Rosy Ridge | Tom Yeary | | | | | | | | | | For You I Die | Johnny Coulter | | | | | | | | | | 1948 | Fighting Back | Nick Sanders | | | | | | | | | A Song Is Born | Joe | | | | | | | | | | Trouble Preferred | Ed Poole | | | | | | | | | | 1953 | Big Leaguer | Brian McLennan | | | | | | | | | Jack Slade | Dan Traver | | | | | | | | | | 1954 | Return from the Sea | Lieutenant Commander Frank Manley | | | | | | | | | The Snow Creature | Dr. Frank Parrish | | | | | | | | | | 1955 | Dr. Harvey W. Wiley | Harvey W. Wiley | TV movie; episode of Hallmark Hall of Fame | | | | | | | | Murder Is My Beat | Ray Patrick | | | | | | | | | | To Hell and Back | Colonel Howe | | | | | | | | | | The Big Knife | Buddy Bliss | | | | | | | | | | 1957 | Utah Blaine | Rip Coker | | | | | | | | | The Incredible Shrinking Man | Charlie Carey | | | | | | | | | | Calypso Heat Wave | Mack Adams | | | | | | | | | | Chicago Confidential | Police Captain Jake Parker | | | | | | | | | | 1958 | Girl in the Woods | Luke Plummer | | | | | | | | | It! The Terror from Beyond Space | Lieutenant James Calder | | | | | | | | | | 1959 | The Cosmic Man | Colonel Matthews | | | | | | | | | Invisible Invaders | Lieutenant General Stone | | | | | | | | | | The Last Angry Man | Jack Vickery | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | 1960 | The Big Night | Spencer | | | | | | | | | Three Came to Kill | Agent Ben Scanlon | | | | | | | | | | 1963 | Dime with a Halo | Mr. Jones | | | | | | | | | Twilight of Honor | Air Force Sergeant Kelly | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | 4 for Texas | Beauregard | | | | | | | | | | 1964 | Man's Favorite Sport? | Jim Stern | Uncredited | | | | | | | | Advance to the Rear | Major Forsythe | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | Shock Treatment | Judge Knox | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | Youngblood Hawke | Glenn Hawke | Uncredited | | | | | | | | | 1951 | Tales of Tomorrow | | Season 1 Episode 7: "The Monsters" | | | | | | | | 1951–1954 | Danger | | Season 1 Episode 46: "Goodbye, Hannah" (1951) | | | | | | | | Suspense | Winters / Dave Delaney | Season 3 Episode 41: "The Call" (1951) | | | | | | | | | The Web | | Season 1 Episode 48: "Cops Must Be Tough" (1951) | | | | | | | | | 1951–1956 | Kraft Television Theatre | | Season 5 Episode 4: "Irish Eyes" (1951) | | | | | | | | 1952 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | | Season 2 Episode 30: "Troubled Sands" | | | | | | | | CBS Television Workshop | | Season 1 Episode 14: "Rainy Day on Paradise Junction" | | | | | | | | | Goodyear Television Playhouse | | Season 1 Episode 17: "The Lantern Copy" | | | | | | | | | The Doctor | | Season 1 Episode 4: "The Baker Story" | | | | | | | | | 1952–1953 | Chevron Theatre | Mark Tracey | Season 1 Episode 50: "My Brother's Wife" (1952) | | | | | | | | 1952–1955 | Studio One | (1) Marsh Huddleston (2) Mike Barnaby (3) John Temple | Season 5 Episode 1: "The Kill" (1952) as (1) | | | | | | | | 1953 | Fireside Theatre | Ben | Season 6 Episode 8: "Phantom of the Bridge" | | | | | | | | Your Jeweler's Showcase | Charlie Harris | Season 1 Episode 20: "Cell 14" | | | | | | | | | 1953–1955 | The Ford Television Theatre | Dr. Chuck Kennedy Frank Johnson | Season 1 Episode 35: "The Jewel" (1953) as Dr. Chuck Kennedy | | | | | | | | Letter to Loretta | (1) Fred Broc (2) Roy (3) Norvil Knox (4) Johnny Ames (5) Mark Hodges | Season 1 Episode 4: "Girl on a Flagpole" (1953) as (1) | | | | | | | | | 1954 | Cavalcade of America | Captain Joshua Patten | Season 2 Episode 32: "The Skipper's Lady" | | | | | | | | The Public Defender | Gil Wells | Season 1 Episode 16: "Youth Crime Ring" | | | | | | | | | The Lone Wolf | Steber | Season 1 Episode 15: "The Las Vegas Story" | | | | | | | | | 1954–1955 | The Lone Ranger | Clay Trowbridge Regis Bassett | Season 4 Episode 1: "The Fugitive" (1954) as Clay Trowbridge | | | | | | | | 1954–1957 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | (1) Mal Martin (2) Landry (3) Cochran (4) Pete Hunter (5) Stacey Harris | Season 3 Episode 45: "Rabbit Foot" (1954) as (1) | | | | | | | | 1955 | The Whistler | Max | Season 1 Episode 19: "Sleep My Pretty One" | | | | | | | | Damon Runyon Theater | Barney Reardon | Season 1 Episode 4: "The Lacework Kid" | | | | | | | | | City Detective | Philip | Season 2 Episode 30: "Case of the Beautiful Miss X" | | | | | | | | | Treasury Men in Action | Scottie Barrow | Season 5 Episode 35: "The Case of the Perfect Gentleman" | | | | | | | | | Front Row Center | Douglas Proctor | Season 1 Episode 9: "Guest in the House" | | | | | | | | | Celebrity Playhouse | Cowie Thomas | Season 1 Episode 3: "Showdown at San Pablo" | | | | | | | | | Four Star Playhouse | Garry Anchor | Season 4 Episode 3: "Let the Chips Fall" | | | | | | | | | Frontier | Fred Graham | Season 1 Episode 7: "King of the Dakotas, Part 1" | | | | | | | | | 1955–1956 | Lux Video Theatre | Carl / Matthews | Season 5 Episode 45: "Last Year's Snow" (1955) as Carl | | | | | | | | 1955–1959 | The Millionaire | John 'Jack' Martin Dr. Ralph Spencer | Season 1 Episode 16: "The Jack Martin Story" (1955) as John 'Jack' Martin | | | | | | | | 1956 | Navy Log | Tim Lansing | Season 1 Episode 36: "Night Landing" | | | | | | | | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Arthur Summers | Season 2 Episode 2: "Fog Closing In" | | | | | | | | | 1956–1958 | Matinee Theatre | Paul McLean Matt | Season 1 Episode 121: "In Dread of Winter" (1956) | | | | | | | | 1957 | The Gray Ghost | Gabe Travers | Season 1 Episode 11: "The Rescue" | | | | | | | | The Restless Gun | Adam Robie | Season 1 Episode 3: "Revenge at Harness Creek" | | | | | | | | | Telephone Time | Dr. Samuel Rinehart | Season 3 Episode 13: "Novel Appeal" | | | | | | | | | Code 3 | Tim Hayes | Season 1 Episode 38: "Sunset Strip" | | | | | | | | | 1957–1958 | Broken Arrow | Colonel Horn | Season 2 Episode 10: "Renegades Return" (1957) | | | | | | | | 1957–1959 | State Trooper | Hal Denton Charles Medford | Season 1 Episode 12: "The Cash Out" (1957) as Hal Denton | | | | | | | | 1958 | M Squad | Van Wert | Season 1 Episode 16: "The Cover-Up" | | | | | | | | Mike Hammer | Frank Beulah Lew Fallon | Season 1 Episode 3: "Hot Hands, Cold Dice" as Frank Beulah | | | | | | | | | The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen | Police Lieutenant Peter Maas | Season 1 Episode 6: "Cat of Many Tails" | | | | | | | | | Lawman | Matt Saint | Season 1 Episode 9: "Bloodline" | | | | | | | | | Playhouse 90 | Paul Newton | Season 3 Episode 10: "Free Weekend" | | | | | | | | | Steve Canyon | Major Martin | Season 1 Episode 12: "Pilot Error" | | | | | | | | | 1958–1961 | Gunsmoke | Major Evans Killion Rob Curtin | Season 4 Episode 3: "Gunsmuggler" (1958) as Major Evans | | | | | | | | 1958–1962 | Wagon Train | Father Martin Ralph Morse | Season 2 Episode 2: "The Juan Ortega Story" (1958) as Father Martin | | | | | | | | Perry Mason | (1) Harry Vance (2) Simon Atley (3) & (5) Deputy District Attorney Bertram Telford (4) Prosecutor Green | Season 1 Episode 24: "The Case of the Deadly Double" (1958) as (1) | | | | | | | | | 1959 | The Lineup | | Season 5 Episode 16: "The Frederick Freemont Case" | | | | | | | | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Tom Lamont | Season 3 Episode 20: "Deadfall" | | | | | | | | | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | Mr. Garrick | Season 1 Episode 8: "Premonition" | | | | | | | | | The Rough Riders | Rudabaugh | Season 1 Episode 32: "Forty-Five Caliber Law" | | | | | | | | | Men Into Space | Major Dr. Warnecke | Season 1 Episode 4: "Water Tank Rescue" | | | | | | | | | 1959–1963 | The Twilight Zone | Doctor / George | Season 1 Episode 1: "Where Is Everybody?" (series pilot) (1959) as Doctor | | | | | | | | 1960 | Tightrope | Lieutenant Harkness | Season 1 Episode 17: "Night of the Gun" | | | | | | | | Markham | Lieutenant Gromby | Season 1 Episode 31: "Sing a Song of Murder" | | | | | | | | | Hawaiian Eye | John O'Neil | Season 1 Episode 19: "Hong Kong Passage" | | | | | | | | | Tales of Wells Fargo | Frisbee / Leo Summers | Season 4 Episode 30: "Trading Post" as Frisbee | | | | | | | | | Law of the Plainsman | Sergeant Sean McGrath | Season 1 Episode 29: "Cavern of the Wind" | | | | | | | | | Not for Hire | Saunders | Season 1 Episode 30: "The General's Daughter" | | | | | | | | | Rawhide | Henry J. Porter | Season 2 Episode 30: "Incident of the Silent Web" | | | | | | | | | Shotgun Slade | Convict #1 | Season 1 Episode 36: "A Flower on Boot Hill" | | | | | | | | | The Chevy Mystery Show | Dr. Walter Halsey | Season 1 Episode 3: "The Summer Hero" | | | | | | | | | Bat Masterson | Marshal | Season 3 Episode 1: "Debt of Honor" | | | | | | | | | 1960–1962 | The Untouchables | Bob Wheaton Carleton Edmunds | Season 1 Episode 22: "The White Slavers" as Bob Wheaton | | | | | | | | 1961 | National Velvet | Reg Tolland | Season 1 Episode 19: "The Colt" | | | | | | | | Laramie | Sheriff | Season 2 Episode 16: "Killer Without Cause" | | | | | | | | | The Brothers Brannagan | Frankie Lyons | Season 1 Episode 17: "Overexposed" | | | | | | | | | Lassie | Sergeant Nolan | Season 7 Episode 22: "The Patriot" | | | | | | | | | Tallahassee 7000 | Todd | Season 1 Episode 7: "The Violent Night" | | | | | | | | | Adventures in Paradise | Dr. Stan Sandholm | Season 2 Episode 21: "Angel of Death" | | | | | | | | | The Roaring 20's | Lieutenant Michael Carey | Season 1 Episode 20: "War with the Nighthawkers" | | | | | | | | | Cheyenne | Clairmont Sheriff | Season 6 Episode 4: "The Young Fugitives" | | | | | | | | | Checkmate | The Architect | Season 2 Episode 9: "The Two of Us" | | | | | | | | | 77 Sunset Strip | Mark Evans | Season 4 Episode 15: "The Chrome Coffin" | | | | | | | | | 1962 | Ripcord | Haney | Season 1 Episode 34: "Log Jam" | | | | | | | | Bus Stop | Bob Pearson | Season 1 Episode 15: "Summer Lightning" | | | | | | | | | Alcoa Premiere | Sullivan | Season 1 Episode 26: "A Place to Hide" | | | | | | | | | The Eleventh Hour | Assistant District Attorney Walter Maylie | Season 1 Episode 7: "Angie, You Made My Heart Stop" | | | | | | | | | Mister Ed | Frank Gordon | Season 3 Episode 12: "Wilbur the Masher" | | | | | | | | | The Brighter Day | Walter Dennis | Unknown episode | | | | | | | | | 1963 | Leave It To Beaver | Mr. Bob Yeager | Season 6 Episode 18: "More Blessed To Give" | | | | | | | | Dr. Kildare | Dr. Tab Lamb | Season 2 Episode 14: "Love is a Sad Song" | | | | | | | | | The Virginian | Bartlett | Season 1 Episode 18: "Say Goodbye to All That" | | | | | | | | | The Fugitive | Sheriff | Season 1 Episode 10: "Fatso" | | | | | | | | | 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Sheriff Johnny Kyle | Season 1 Episode 11: "The Deep End" | | | | | | | | The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters | Beaufoy | Season 1 Episode 21: "The Day of the Lame Duck" | | | | | | | | | 1964-1968 | Peyton Place | Leslie Harrington | 219 episodes | | | | | | | | 1968 | The Outcasts | Gregg Jeremy | Season 1 Episode 3: "Three Ways to Die" | | | | | | | | It Takes a Thief | Preston Washburne | Season 2 Episode 11: "Glass Riddle" | | | | | | | | | 1970 | The Immortal | Walter Hiller | Season 1 Episode 1: "Sylvia" | | | | | | | | 1971 | Ironside | Judge | Season 4 Episode 24: "Lesson in Terror" | | | | | | | | My Three Sons | Father O'Hara | Season 12 Episode 12: "The Sound of Music" | | | | | | | | | 1972 | Emergency! | Myron Gilmore | Season 1 Episode 2: "Botulism" (final appearance) | | | | | | | ::

Notes

References

The Soap Opera Encyclopedia, Christopher Schemering
Performers' Television Credits, 1948–2000, David M. Inman

References

(2012). "The Complete Kay Francis Career Record: All Film, Stage, Radio and Television Appearances". McFarland.
(March 9, 1947). "Paul Langton Started at Lowell". The San Francisco Examiner.
(August 13, 1950). "'Salesman' Cast Enjoys Its Hobbies". The Los Angeles Times.
(September 6, 1950). "Paul Langton Takes Demanding Role in Play Due at Fox". Santa Barbara News-Press.
(April 11, 1940). "Mountain Play Casting Is Now On". San Anselmo Herald.
(January 20, 1950). "Salt Laker Scores on Stage". The Salt Lake Tribune.
"Paul Langton". The Broadway League.
Performers' Television Credits, 1948–2000
(2011). "Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010". McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.
(June 28, 1980). "Paul Langton". The Muscatine Journal.
"Biographies: Latter-day Saint and/or Utah Film Personalities: L".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::