‘McHale’s Navy’ actor Carl Ballantine dies at age 92

Posted Nov 5, 2009 by Walt Belcher

Updated Nov 6, 2009 at 11:38 AM

Character actor and comic magician Carl Ballantine, best known for his role as Lester Gruber on 1960s sitcom “McHale’s Navy,” passed away from natural causes Tuesday at his home in Hollywood Hills. He was 92.

Born Meyer Kessler on Sept. 27, 1922, in Chicago, Kessler took his stage name from a bottle of Ballantine Whiskey that he saw in an advertisement. He billed his magic act as “Ballantine, the World’s Greatest Magician.” But the joke was that none of his tricks worked. He appeared often on variety shows such as “Ed Sullivan,” and “Steve Allen.”

In addition to “McHale’s Navy,” Ballantine guest starred in a slew of sitcoms over the years including “That Girl,” “The Monkees,” “Mayberry R.F.D.,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Partridge Family,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Alice,” “Night Court” and “The Cosby Show.”  His final role was three years ago in a feature film about Aimee Semple McPherson.