Howard Freeman (December 9, 1899 – December 11, 1967) was an American character actor of stage, film, and television who, after a long career on Broadway, became one of Hollywood’s most reliable players of stuffy, pompous, and comically flustered authority figures.
After making his film debut in his early 40s, Freeman became a fixture in supporting roles. He is well-remembered by Western fans for his role as the slick town boss Ed Balder in the Randolph Scott classic Abilene Town (1946).
His other notable film work includes an appearance in the classic Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake film noir, The Blue Dahlia (1946). In the 1950s, he transitioned to television, where he became a prolific guest star on dozens of popular shows, cementing his legacy as a familiar and dependable character actor of the era.
