Alvy Moore
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
"Several times I have been in the verge of giving up acting entirely, and dedicating myself to manufacturing." --Moore in a 1954 LOS ANGELES TIMES interview
Biography
A comic player of feature films and TV, Alvy Moore will always be remembered as county agent Hank Kimball on the long-running CBS sitcom "Green Acres" (1965-71). Wearing a trademark hat, Hank Kimball made Eddie Albert's life nuts by never quite knowing the answer to any agricultural question, but hedging the situation with double-talk.
Moore studied drama in his native Indiana before serving in the Marines during WWII, during which he participated in the battle for Iwo Jima. Post-war, he furthered his training at the Pasadena Playhouse. Moore succeeded David Wayne in the role of Ensign Pulver opposite Henry Fonda's "Mister Roberts" on Broadway, and later toured with the play. As if life were following art, he made his screen debut playing the quartermaster in "Okinawa" (1952). For much of the 1950s, he was relegated to small roles in features, like his turns opposite Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) and as Mitzi Gaynor's boyfriend in "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954). Frustrated by his stalled career, Moore supplemented his income by purchasing an interest in an iron foundry that made tile tabletops and considered abandoning his dream. He had one of his better roles as the wisecracking member of a group out to rob a casino in the crime caper "Five Against the House" (1955), co-starring Brian Keith and Kim Novak. While he appeared in support of stars like Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall in "Designing Woman" (1957) and Jack Lemmon in "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" (1961), his roles remained decidedly supporting. He remained active in features into the 1980s, generally in small parts such as a gas station mechanic in a sheriff in "Dr. Minx" (1975), and a chili salesman in "The Horror Show" (1989), among others. With L Q Jones, he formed a producing partnership that resulted in the above-average thriller "The Brotherhood of Satan" (1971), about a town overtaken by a coven of witches, and the futuristic black comedy "A Boy and His Dog" (1975), starring Don Johnson. Moore also reprised the voice for Grandpa in "Here Comes the Littles" (1985), a feature based on the 1983 ABC animated series.
Moore found his greatest success on the small screen. In 1955, he was the narrator for the ABC series "Border Collie" and that same year appeared as a reporter in the "What I Want To Be" segments of "The Mickey Mouse Club" (ABC). He amassed numerous guest credits on series, including "My Little Margie," "Pete and Gladys," "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "The Andy Griffith Show." Moore remained active into the 1990s, with guest appearances on "Frasier" (NBC, 1994, as a patient) and "The Pursuit of Happiness" (NBC, 1995, as a wedding guest).
In TV longforms, Moore played a distraught father in "Cotton Candy" (NBC, 1978) and the first mayor in "Little House: The Last Farewell" (NBC, 1989). He also revived the character of Hank Kimball in "Return to Green Acres" (CBS, 1990).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1952
Made screen debut in "Okinawa"
1954
Was partner in an iron foundry
1955
Had first TV series role as a reporter on "What I Want To Be", a segment of "The Mickey Mouse Club"
1955
Served as narrator for the ABC series "Border Collie"
1964
Served as associate producer on "The Devil's Bedroom"
1965
Co-starred as Hank Kimball on the CBS sitcom "Green Acres"
1971
Produced first feature film, "The Brotherhood of Satan"
1975
Produced feature "A Boy and His Dog"
1978
Made TV-movie debut, "Cotton Candy" (NBC)
1983
Played Grandpa in the animated series "The Littles" (ABC)
1985
Voiced Grandpa Little in the feature "Here Come the Littles"
1990
Reprised role of Hank Kimball in the CBS TV-movie "Return to Green Acres"
1997
Made last public appearance signing autographs at Hollywood Collectors Show weeks before death
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"Several times I have been in the verge of giving up acting entirely, and dedicating myself to manufacturing." --Moore in a 1954 LOS ANGELES TIMES interview
