Monte Markham (born June 21, 1935) is an American actor. He has appeared in films, television series, and on Broadway.
Markham was born in Manatee County, Florida, one of four sons of Millie Content (née Willbur) and Jesse Edward Markham Sr., who was a merchant. He attended Palm Beach State College before graduating from the University of Georgia with a master's degree in theater. Markham also served 10 years as an officer in the United States Coast Guard.
Markham played the dual roles of Luke and Ken Carpenter in the 1967âÂÂ1968 ABC sitcom The Second Hundred Years, and portrayed Harry Kellem in the original Hawaii Five-O. In 1969âÂÂ70, he starred in the television series Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, based on the 1936 movie of the same name.
Markham had the title role in The New Perry Mason (1973âÂÂ1974). This casting took him out of consideration for the lead role of cyborg Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man, which debuted the same year. He instead appeared in two episodes of the series, as a race-car driver who also becomes a cyborg following an accident (first named Barney Miller, then Barney Hiller), in episodes aired in 1974 and 1975.
In 1975, Markham played the dual roles of Vince Barrett and Rick Hatfield in the Barnaby Jones episode "Doomed Alibi" and portrayed the criminally insane character Pike in the episode "Power Play" in the revival of The Invisible Man.
Markham appeared as Blanche Devereaux's gay brother, Clayton Hollingsworth, on the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls, in two episodes. From 1989âÂÂ1992, he played the role of Captain Don Thorpe, senior lifeguard on Baywatch. He narrated several documentary series that appeared on the History Channel in the mid to late 1990s and served as a consultant, director, producer, and narrator for A&E's Classroom, The Great Ships and Air Combat.
One of his earliest stage experiences was at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the summer of 1961, where he played Horatio in Hamlet. Markham made his Broadway debut in 1973 in Irene, for which he won the Theatre World Award. He also appeared on Broadway in Same Time, Next Year (1975).
Markham's film work includes Hour of the Gun, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, Midway, Airport '77, and We Are Still Here. Ginger in the Morning 1974