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Efrem Zimbalist Jr., an actor whose mellifluous voice and air of European sophistication left a distinctive stamp on two popular television crime series, died Saturday at his ranch in Solvang, Calif. He was 95.
His son, Efrem Zimbalist III, confirmed the death, saying that his father had been outside watering his lawn when a handyman found him lying in the grass.
“He was healthy, playing golf three days a week and always in his garden,†his son said.
Mr. Zimbalist personified the suave and unflappable leading man as an Ivy League-educated private eye on the lighthearted “77 Sunset Strip†and as a stalwart agent who always got his man on “The F.B.I.,†which ran for nine seasons and made him a household name. “The F.B.I.†was unquestioning in its support of the organization it depicted, and both on screen and off Mr. Zimbalist became its unofficial symbol.
His life imitated his art. Politically conservative, he was a strong defender of J. Edgar Hoover, the F.B.I.’s director, and a close friend of Ronald Reagan.
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Mr. Zimbalist’s later television work included a recurring role on the detective series “Remington Steele,†which starred his daughter Stephanie. He also provided voices for cartoon series like “Batman†(he was Alfred, the butler) and “Spider-Man†(he was Dr. Octopus).
He played a blind airline pilot in the feature film “Airport 1975†and spoofed his own sophisticated image in the comedy “Hot Shots!†(1991). His most memorable movie appearance was as Audrey Hepburn’s husband in the 1967 thriller “Wait Until Dark.â€
For being a "reluctant" actor, he certainly did play his characters well.
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