John Archer (May 8, 1915 – December 5, 1999) was a dependable American actor of radio, film, and television, best known for his starring role in the landmark science-fiction film Destination Moon (1950) and as the father of actress Anne Archer.
After winning a talent contest that led to a film contract, Archer became a reliable leading man in B-movies and a solid supporting actor in A-list productions. He played a key role as an undercover agent in the classic James Cagney gangster film White Heat (1949) and was the star of the influential, Oscar-winning sci-fi epic Destination Moon, one of the first films to realistically portray space travel.
He transitioned seamlessly to television, where he became one of the most prolific and familiar faces of the 1950s and 60s. He made guest appearances on a vast number of popular shows, including Perry Mason, Bonanza, Sea Hunt, and Maverick, cementing his legacy as a true Hollywood workhorse.
