Walter Reed

February 10, 1916 – August 20, 2001

Fort Ward, Washington, USA

Walter Reed (born Walter Reed Smith), was an American stage, film and television actor. Reed was born in 1916 in Fort Ward, Washington. Following a stint as a Broadway actor, Reed broke into films in 1941. He appeared in several features for RKO Radio Pictures, including the last two Mexican Spitfire comedies (in which Reed replaced Buddy Rogers as the Spitfire's husband). Perhaps his most memorable role was as the spineless wagon driver husband of Gail Russell in the western Seven Men from Now. Reed also appeared in the very first Superman theatrical feature film Superman and the Mole Men in 1951. In 1951, Reed made two film serials for Republic Pictures; Reed strongly resembled former Republic leading man Ralph Byrd, enabling Republic to insert old action scenes of Byrd into the new Reed footage. Republic wanted to sign Reed for additional serials but Reed declined, preferring not to be typed as a serial star. After appearing in 90 films and numerous television programs, such as John Payne's The Restless Gun, Reed changed careers and became a real estate investor and broker in Santa Cruz, California in the late 1960s.