Foster H. Phinney

Known for ActingBorn 1916-04-29Died 1985-10-01Columbus, Ohio, USA

Foster Phinney dedicated much of his life to the motion picture business. Fresh out of high school, his suave and sophisticated appearance made it possible for him to break into the film business. He started appearing in scenes that required dress extras while still collecting an occasional paycheck as a soldier. Phinney faces an unusual problem, his elegant appearance made him an unlikely candidate to appear in the trenches in Hollywood's war time films but it enabled him to appear in socialite scenes that usually required much older men. This led him to garnering work as a stand-in in films in the 1940s and 1950s. By the time the 1950s rolled around, Phinney got his big break. He became the regular stand-in for Kirk Douglas. Douglas was so kind to him that Douglas considered him his good luck charm and gave him little roles in all of his films. While his work was steady, it was Douglas who got Phinney steady work as an assistant director. This began a second career where he worked as the assistant director on many shows including The Beverly Hillbillies where he had a character named after him. In the late 1970s, Phinney decided to retire leaving behind a multifaceted career which included being an extra, a bit part actor, an assistant director, and even a director.Read more

Movies & web series

Banacek

All About Eve

Opening Night

Monsieur Verdoux

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

The Death of Richie

The Woman I Love

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

It's Always Fair Weather

The Country Girl

Humoresque

High Society

Deception

Don't Bother to Knock

Bedlam

Wallflower

Guys and Dolls

Louisa

Living It Up

Affair in Trinidad

The Merry Widow

Iron Man

Two O'Clock Courage

The Crooked Web

A Walk in the Sun

Let's Make It Legal

The Colossus of New York

Experiment Perilous

The Bamboo Blonde

Little Cigars

Twilight for the Gods