Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. honored by FBI

Google News ^ | 8 June 2009

[mkjessup]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Efrem Zimbalist Jr. finally got his badge. The actor who portrayed cool and canny Inspector Lewis Erskine on the TV series "The F.B.I." was named an honorary special agent Monday — the FBI's highest civilian honor.

[mkjessup]

Searched for any mention of this and found nothing on FR, Efrem Zimbalist Jr is looking pretty good at 91, check the pics at the URL.

[Vor Lady]

I loved that show as a kid and he always got to park right in front of the building!

[raybbr]

Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr, watches on during a ceremony honoring him by the FBI at the Federal building in Los Angeles Monday, June 8, 2009. The 90-year-old Zimbalist , who starred in the TV show,`The FBI'' from 1965 to 1974, was honored for his historic contributions to the FBI. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Quite the looker for a man in his 90’s.

[Tax-chick]

I’ve always thought “Zimbalist” sounded like a religious cult.

[mkjessup]

I loved that series, and the theme music was some of the most inspiring I’ve ever heard, written and conducted by Stanislaw Kaper, you only had to hear it once, and you never forgot it.

It has been rumored for decades that J. Edgar Hoover personally approved the selection of Zimbalist for the starring role in the ‘F.B.I.’.

One of the good guys, Zimbalist is a devout Christian and a true American patriot.

[mkjessup]

I’ve always thought “Zimbalist” sounded like a religious cult.

Ironically, before Efrem Zimbalist Jr accepted Christ, he was known as a practitioner and promoter of Transcendental Meditation (TM), which certainly qualifies as a cult-like teaching, lol

Good that he saw the Light.

[umgud]

Efrem Zimbalist Jr is looking pretty good at 91.....

Gee, he looked pretty young back when I was watching his show.

[paulycy]

I’ve always thought “Zimbalist” sounded like a religious cult.

The Zimbalist almost always stands next to the bass drummer.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

http://efremzimbalist.tv-website.com/
“Just before serving in World War II (in which he earned a Purple Heart), ...”

---

Wow, I did not know this.

[Tax-chick]

How interesting - and it’s nice that he’s now a Christian.

[Tax-chick]

LOL!

[mkjessup]

he always got to park right in front of the building!

And did you notice that he always drove a fashionable new (at that time) Ford Mustang?

[Automobiles provided for the F.B.I. by Ford Motor Company in every episode, lol]

[presently no screen name]

You’re right - he looks great for 91. He looks strong, not frail in any way. He is a Godly man.

[iowamark]

Loved that show when I was a kid.

[Clioman]

IIRC, E. Zimbalist Sr. was a very accomplished violinist...so maybe it’s in the genes.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

a great man.. the first show that my dad and I watched together when I was old enough(6 years old)to know what a real man’s show was all about.. my sister and mother couldn’t care less about the show but my dad and I watched it religiously together

[mkjessup]

He looks strong, not frail in any way. He is a Godly man.

Yes indeed. Not sure if I would look that good at his age, I've been thinking Jesus will be coming back before then, so I won't have to get that old, lol

[Vor Lady]

I was 6 in ‘64 so I didn’t appreciate the cars then. I’d love to get my hands on a ‘65 Mustang!

[mkjessup]

Me too FRiend, I remember my Dad and I watching that show every week without fail, and I recall that at the end of some episodes, Efrem Zimbalist Jr would occasionally ask for the help of the public in assisting the F.B.I. with a particular case. He impressed me then, as he does now. God Bless him.

[Vor Lady]

The show was on in ‘65 when I was 7. Gotta read slower.

[originalbuckeye]

I watched this show with my dad, my mom and my older brother. You didn’t have to be a male to enjoy it!

[cubreporter]

And well deserved too. He was the best. He played that role as he should have. Professionally, fairly and...he was clean cut looking, sharply dressed and believeable. Congratulations to Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. Kudos.

[wafflehouse]

Also important note: his daughter is Stephanie Zimbalist, who was the incredibly hot detective chick in Remington Steele

[cubreporter]

He always was. Just look at his eyes and you can see his quiety dignity.

[mkjessup]

The show was on in ‘65 when I was 7. Gotta read slower.

It's ok, it was all that finely aged testosterone smiling at you from those pictures, now wasn't it? lol

[OKSooner]

I can hear the theme music right now.

A Quinn-Martin production...

[mkjessup]

Also important note: his daughter is Stephanie Zimbalist, who was the incredibly hot detective chick in Remington Steele

Oh absolutely, I read that Efrem Zimbalist Jr. had a recurring role on Remington Steele but I honestly don't remember seeing him (i'm embarrassed now), PROBABLY because I was checking out Stephanie.

In a wholesome, clean living way of course. (don't want to dis the daughter of Inspector Lewis Erskine now!)

[lafroste]

I was 6 in ‘64 so I didn’t appreciate the cars then. I’d love to get my hands on a ‘65 Mustang!

I was 6 in '64 also. I remember asking my dad to buy me a '65 Mustang convertible and put into storage until I was old enough to drive. He laughed. Years later he told me he wished he had bought that stupid car.

I have owned 18 65 and 66 Mustangs, in all flavors and conditions. To this day I could dismantle one blindfolded.

[ArrogantBustard]

Stephanie ...

Yep. Recognised the name immediately, and looked it up. He's her dad.

[FourPeas]

*groan*

[mkjessup]

I have owned 18 65 and 66 Mustangs, in all flavors and conditions. To this day I could dismantle one blindfolded.

I can see that you (like me) have blood that runs FoMoCo Blue in your veins, I salute you!

[wtc911]

[Automobiles provided for the F.B.I. by Ford Motor Company in every episode, lol]

________________________________

Both my father and one of his brothers were Special Agents, back when it meant something. My father told us a couple of times that Hoover had some deal with Ford. Every official Bureau car was a Ford. He also told me that they took out the Ford engines and replaced them with Chrysler power plants. The Ford cars simply lacked muscle.

Another story from the "old FBI". About 1951 two Special Agents were observed having a beer with their lunch. They were unemployed by the end of the day by Hoover's decree. An Agent had to have an impeccable public image....in those days.

[Erasmus]

The Zimbalist almost always stands next to the bass drummer

Of course, his dad sat closer to the bass.

≤}B^)

[paulycy]

*groan*

Ba-dum-bump. Cshhh....

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I remember watching 77 Sunset Strip when I was a little girl. Dates me, huh?

[Maine Mariner]

Well in 1966, my parents bought the AMC version of the Mustang. The Marlin. Still have it; plan to drive it to the 50 year high school reunion in 2017.

[mkjessup]

You and me both, LOL

[gridlock]

You can’t play Sousa without a Zimbalist who is up on his game...

[mkjessup]

That Marlin is going to be worth more than any Mustang, IMHO, if only due to the dwindling numbers of them! AMC built some really tough cars during the Muscle Car Era, I particularly loved the '71 AMC Javelin SST:

[newfreep]

TBN runs snippets of his reading the Bible - nice!

[capt. norm]

When I was a teenager, my favorite TV show was "77 Sunset Strip" featuring Efrem Zimbalist, Roger Smith and Ed "Kookie" Byrnes.

* I forgot to mention Roscoe the street-wise gambler. I have often wished that it would turn up on a cable re-run channel like TVland.

[paulycy]

You can’t play Sousa without a Zimbalist who is up on his game...

Very little patriotic music is complete without the work of a competent Zimbalist!

[presently no screen name]

Jesus will be coming back before then so I won't have to get that old

YES! Me too! Jesus is the REAL Hope and Change!

[isom35]

He was on the old Maverick show a few times as Dandy Jim Buckley.

[Maine Mariner]

I had a 1970 Red Javelin. It turned out to be a lemon. But I did enjoy the car for the first few years. I don’t think it was the SST.

We liked the AMC dealer in Moorhead, MN and my parents bought their first Rambler (station wagon) in 1960. It was the first new car they owned. At that time you could go to the plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin and pick up your car. Ours was not ready, but the dealer liked my parents-so he paid them $100.00 and train fare to go to Kenosha and pick up two cars for him. Needless to say, we were loyal customers for 30 years.

[Maine Mariner]

I had a 1970 Red Javelin. It turned out to be a lemon. But I did enjoy the car for the first few years. I don’t think it was the SST.

We liked the AMC dealer in Moorhead, MN and my parents bought their first Rambler (station wagon) in 1960. It was the first new car they owned. At that time you could go to the plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin and pick up your car. Ours was not ready, but the dealer liked my parents-so he paid them $100.00 and train fare to go to Kenosha and pick up two cars for him. Needless to say, we were loyal customers for 30 years.

[Bookie1066]

Kind of insulting it took the FBI so long to give it to him. Should have happened decades ago.

He also played a pretty good bad guy on Babylon 5. Trying to save humanity from the coming telepath war.

[LucyJo]

Glad I saw your post. Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. is a great actor. He is still handsome after all these years. : )

I loved everything he did on television, including The F.B.I.

Theme Song to The F. B. I.

F.B.I. Show Opening

[LucyJo]

It’s worth it to have enjoyed those shows back in the day, isn’t it??? : )