Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. is an American actor known for his starring roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. He is also known as recurring character "Dandy Jim Buckley" in the series Maverick and as the voice behind the character Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series and its numerous spin-offs. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was born in New York, New York, the son of famed violinist Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. , born in the southwestern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and operatic soprano Alma Gluck , who had been born as Reba Feinsohn in Iaşi, Romania. Zimbalist attended Yale... University in the late 1930s, worked as a page for NBC radio in New York, and served in the army for five years during World War II, where he became friends with Garson Kanin. Following the war, Zimbalist returned to New York and had a stage career as both actor and producer. His producing successes included bringing Gian Carlo Menotti operas to Broadway. In 1956, Zimbalist was put under contract by Warner Brothers and moved to Hollywood.
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