Bruce Gordon

Along with Marilyn Monroe and Paul Valentine, actor Bruce Gordon was given an "Introducing" credit in the 1949 Marx Brothers opus Love Happy. The swarthy, cleft-chinned Gordon played one of the henchmen of villainess Ilona Massey (the other henchman was Raymond Burr). After spending the 1950s in "heavy" film roles, Gordon was shown in a rare heroic light as American intelligence agent Matson on the 1958 TV series Behind Closed Doors. One year later, Gordon first essayed the role with which he will forever be associated: Frank Nitti, scowling second-in-command of Al Capone (Neville Brand) on the weekly TVer The Untouchables. Thereafter, Bruce Gordon was almost invariably cast as a mobster -- though often with a morbidly humorous streak, as witness his characterization of media-savvy syndicate boss Mr. Devere on the 1966 sitcom Run, Buddy, Run.