His father was a naval officer and his mother encouraged his study of the theatrical arts; he followed both paths successfully. First, he was a member of the second graduating class of New York's High School of Performing Arts and, having won a 4-year Navy scholarship to Yale, he majored in history and the arts and letters. After graduation, he served in the Navy for 3 years, then became a full-time actor who worked continuously in that profession for over 50 years.