Robert Jack Stein

 Robert Jack Stein, known by his stage name Bobby Van (December 6, 1928 – July 31, 1980)

Van was a musical actor, best known for his career on Broadway, in films and television from the 1950s thru 1970s. He was also a game show host and panelist. He was born Robert Jack Stein to Jewish vaudeville parents in The Bronx, New York City, and grew up backstage, witnessing many memorable Depression-era acts. In the early 1950s, Van received a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and appeared in several films including the title role in The Affairs of Dobie Gillis in 1953 and roles in the musicals Because You're Mine and Kiss Me, Kate. Hal Erickson noted that "Van will always be remembered as the ecstatic young fellow who made like a human pogo stick during an expansive production number in Small Town Girl (1953)." In the 1960s, Van did comedy work with Mickey Rooney in films and television. He appeared in three episodes of Rooney's Mickey sitcom on ABC in the role of a freeloading brother-in-law. Van later appeared with his second wife, Elaine Joyce, on 1970s game shows like Tattletales and Match Game. Van starred in the 1971 Broadway revival of No, No, Nanette, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. In 1973 he appeared in the musical remake of Lost Horizon. In 1979, he appeared in the original Battlestar Galactica episode "Greetings from Earth" as the robot Hector, working along veteran song and dance man Ray Bolger (Vector). In 1979, Van was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. After a year-long battle with cancer, he died in Los Angeles in 1980 and is interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles.