http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...bit_melvin

LOS ANGELES - Allan Melvin, a character actor best known for playing Sam the Butcher on "The Brady Bunch," has died. He was 84.

I liked that guy! RIP.

i loved sam and alice's banter

Damn!

The only guy that was man enough to give Alice the meat.

he also played on the Phil silvers show aka Sgt.Bilko

Mars23 said:

This should go on the tombstone

RIP

'Brady Bunch' Actor Allan Melvin Dies
Jan. 18, 2008, 11:39 PM EST

Allan Melvin, a character actor best known for playing Sam the Butcher on "The Brady Bunch," has died. He was 84.

Melvin died of cancer Thursday at his home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, said Amalia Melvin, his wife of 64 years.

The jowly, jovial Melvin spent decades playing a series of sidekicks, second bananas and lovable lugs, including Archie Bunker's friend Barney Hefner on "All in the Family," and Sgt. Bilko's right-hand man Cpl. Henshaw on the "Phil Silvers Show."

But his place in pop culture will be fixed as butcher and bowler Sam Franklin, the love interest of Brady family maid Alice Nelson, who was played by Ann B. Davis. Melvin played the role from 1970 to 1973.

Born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1923, Melvin grew up in New York and attended Columbia University.

He was appearing on Broadway in "Stalag 17" when he began his decades-long television career with "The Phil Silvers Show," playing a role his wife said was always his favorite.

"He was proudest of that show," Amalia Melvin said. "I think the camaraderie of all those guys made it such a pleasant way to work. They were so relaxed."

He saw steady employment as a voice actor from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, most famously providing the voice of "Magilla Gorilla" for the Hanna Barbera cartoon of the same name.

His other credits include several guest appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show," "Gomer Pyle: USMC," and "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

In addition to Amalia, Melvin is survived by daughter Jennifer Hanson and grandson Jon Hanson Jr. A daughter, Mya, died in 1970.


We'll miss you, Sam!

I don't know this guy. I assumed he was some WWE wrestler when I read the thread title. Seems a notable loss, though, as many people did seem to know and very much like him. May he rest in peace.

I am so sad to hear this...

We had cocktails with he and his wife Amelia here.

They had a cottage here and I did several arrangements for them...

What a lovely man...just like us...funny and down to earth. He will be dearly missed.

Many prayers

Sam the Butcher was still alive?

pippet said:

That's that you knew him personally.

RIP

psychodelicide said:

He was such a sweetheart...Had many great conversations with he and his wife.

Funny , funny man.

pippet said:

He seemed like a real nice guy.