Larry Gates
Lawrence Wheaton Gates (September 24, 1915December 12, 1996) was an American actor. His notable roles include H.B. Lewis on daytime's Guiding Light and Doc Baugh in the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). He played the role of H.B. from 1983 to 1996 and won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the 1985 awards.
Also recorded as Lawrence Wheaton Gates
Larry Gates

Trailer for "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) · Public domain
- Name
- Larry Gates
- Occupation
- Actor
- Birth Name
- Lawrence Wheaton Gates
- Born
- 24 September 1915
- Birthplace
- St.
- Died
- 12 December 1996
- Place of death
- Sharon, Connecticut, U.S.
- Spouse
- Tania Wilkof (1959 -?) Judith Gates (m. married 19??; his death 1996)
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- University of Minnesota
- Honours
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Lawrence Wheaton Gates (September 24, 1915December 12, 1996) was an American actor. His notable roles include H.B. Lewis on daytime's Guiding Light and Doc Baugh in the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). He played the role of H.B. from 1983 to 1996 and won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the 1985 awards.
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Larry Gates (1915–1996) was an American actor. Born in Saint Paul, the actor died in Sharon. Larry Gates studied at University of Minnesota. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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wikidata · Q749735 · wikipedia · Larry Gates
In this article
Biography
Biography
(He had previously played the role of District Attorney Eric Van Gelder on Guiding Light in 1977 and 1978.) Gates may be best remembered for his role in the 1967 film version of In the Heat of the Night, where his character Eric Endicott is part of a famous scene involving him slapping Sidney Poitier's face and getting slapped in return.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Larry Gates • Occupation — Actor • Birth Name — Lawrence Wheaton Gates • Born — 24 September 1915 • Birthplace — St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. • Died — 12 December 1996 • Place of death — Sharon, Connecticut, U.S. • Years Active — 1952–1996 • Spouse — Tania Wilkof (1959 -?) Judith Gates (m. married 19??; his death 1996)
Early years
Early years
Gates was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. As a chemical engineering student at the University of Minnesota, he acted in student plays. Some of his early acting experience came at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. His interest in acting led him to change his collegiate focus, and "he ultimately concluded his college career with a speech major".
Career
Career
Gates had a long career in film, television, and theater. He appeared in the Broadway productions of The Taming of the Shrew (1950), The Teahouse of the August Moon (1953), The Carefree Tree (1955), Bell, Book and Candle (1956), The Highest Tree (1959), A Case of Libel (1964), and First Monday in October (1978). Gates played Polonius opposite Sam Waterston in a New York revival of Hamlet. He starred in the 1976 Broadway play Poor Murderer, which is about an actor who questions whether or not he, who is playing Hamlet, actually killed the actor playing Polonius, or if it was just a dream. His films included Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952), Francis Covers the Big Town (1953), The Girl Rush (1955), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Strange One (1957), The Brothers Rico (1957), Some Came Running (1958), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959), One Foot in Hell (1960), Underworld U.S.A. (1961), The Young Savages (1961), Ada (1961), Toys in the Attic (1963), Cattle King (1963), The Sand Pebbles (1966), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Hour of the Gun (1967), Death of a Gunfighter (1969), Airport (1970), Lucky Luciano (1973), and Funny Lady (1975). On television, Gates had numerous roles on such anthology drama series as The Philco Television Playhouse, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, Goodyear Television Playhouse, Kraft Television Theatre, Studio One, and Playhouse 90. He continued to make dozens of guest appearances in a wide variety of primetime series, including Bonanza, The F.B.I., Route 66, The Defenders, Rawhide, and Twelve O'Clock High. He played the role of Secretary of State Dean Rusk in the 1974 teleplay The Missiles of October, and played President Herbert Hoover in the 1979 miniseries Backstairs at the White House.
Recognition
Recognition
In 1964, Gates was nominated for a Tony Award in the category Actor, Supporting or Featured (Dramatic), for his work in A Case of Libel.
Personal life and death
Personal life and death
Gates married Tania Wilkof in Huntington, Connecticut, on August 2, 1959. At the time of his death, he was married to Judith Gates. He died on December 12, 1996, in a Sharon, Connecticut, hospital, aged 81.
Filmography
Filmography
• Glory Alley (1952) - Dr. Robert Ardley • Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952) - Charles Blaisdell • Above and Beyond (1952) - Captain William 'Deak' Parsons, USN • Francis Covers the Big Town (1953) - Dan Austin • Take Me to Town (1953) - Marshal Ed Daggett • The Girl Rush (1955) - Hap Halliday • Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman • The Strange One (1957) - Major Avery • Jeanne Eagels (1957) - Al Brooks • The Brothers Rico (1957) - Sid Kubik • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) - Dr. Baugh • Some Came Running (1958) - Professor Robert Haven French • The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959) - Reverend Dr. Fielding • One Foot in Hell (1960) - Doc Seltzer • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 25: "Museum Piece") - Mr. Hollister • The Twilight Zone (1961) (Season 3 Episode 3: "The Shelter") - Bill Stockton • The Great Impostor (1961) - Cardinal • The Hoodlum Priest (1961) - Louis Rosen • Underworld U.S.A. (1961) - John Driscoll • The Young Savages (1961) - Randolph • Ada (1961) - Joe Adams • The Spiral Road (1962) - Dr. Kramer • Cattle King (1963) - President Chester A. Arthur • Toys in the Attic (1963) - Cyrus Warkins • The Sand Pebbles (1966) - Jameson • In the Heat of the Night (1967) - Eric Endicott • Hour of the Gun (1967) - John P. Clum • Death of a Gunfighter (1969) - Mayor Chester Sayre • Airport (1970) - Commissioner Ackerman • Lucky Luciano (1973) - Judge Herlands • Funny Lady (1975) - Bernard Baruch • Leonard Part 6 (1987) - Medusa Guard
Identity
Identity
Larry Gates is recorded as having received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1996
Larry Gates died in 1996 at Sharon.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Saint Paul.
Birth place
Sharon.
Death place
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of television shows, 1925 through 2007. McFarland. 623. 2009. 978-0-7864-3305-6.
- 2.Franks, Don. Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003, 3d ed. McFarland. 421. 2004. 9781476608068.
- 3.You Tube: "Heat of the Night" Slap
- 4.Gussow, Mel. Larry Gates, 81, Actor of Stage and Screen. The New York Times. December 14, 1996.
- 5.Levi, Linda. Entrance Not Staged. The Baltimore Sun. 21. December 4, 1968.
- 6.("Larry Gates" search results). Playbill Vault.
- 7.("Larry Gates" search results). Tony Awards.
- 8.Larry Gates, Actor, Weds. The New York Times. 28. August 7, 1959.
References
Citations
References
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People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
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Studied at
1- University of MinnesotaOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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