Background
Fell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 24, 1924, to a Jewish family.
Fell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 24, 1924, to a Jewish family.
He attended Central High School of Philadelphia. He studied drama at Temple University after serving as a tail gunner on a B-25 Mitchell in the United States Army Air Forces during World World War World War II
He later honed his craft at The Actors Studio. Aside from Fell"s best-known television work, he also played minor character roles in several films, including the original Ocean"s 11, lieutenant"s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, PT 109, The Graduate, Bullitt and Catch-22 (as Sergeant Towser). He appeared alongside Ronald Reagan in Reagan"s last film, The Killers.
From 1961 to 1962, he portrayed Meyer Meyer in the television series Editor McBain"s 87th Precinct.
From 1977 to 1979, he portrayed the main characters" hardnosed landlord Stanley Roper on the hit sitcom, Three"s Company (a role with some similarities to Mr McCleery in The Graduate). Helen, on The Ropers, a spin-off which lasted a year.
His final television appearance was a cameo as Mr. Roper on an episode of the sitcom Ellen in 1997.
Fell died of cancer in Los Angeles on December 14, 1998, and was interred at the Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery.
He was 74.