Burt Mustins acting career began at age 67

Burt Mustin's face is unforgettable

Burt Mustin's face continues to be on television screens more than 4 decades after his death. The talented actor did not begin his career in entertainment until age 67 but he certainly made his mark and never lacked for work. Thanks to retro networks like MeTV and streaming services Mustin can be seen almost weekly in one of the movies or television shows that he had a role in.

Many actors as well as those of other professions are thinking about retiring when they enter their 60s but Mustin's journey through Hollywood only began when he was heading towards his seventh decade on the earth. Mustin was born on February 8, 1884, and had roles in more than 150 television shows and films. He did some amateur acting in his early years but it was after retiring he sought and received his big break.

Burt Mustin's career began in 1951

In 1925 Mustin traveled with a Berber Shop Quartet to California for a competition. The men and their wives toured Hollywood but Mustin was not interested in a career at that time because he enjoyed his life back in Pittsburg. Director William Wyler saw him in a stage production of Detective Story in Arizona where Mustin had moved after retiring, Wyler asked Mustin to look him up if he ever decided to pursue a screen career. Mustin contacted Wyler, who cast him in the 1951 film version of Detective Story.

Mustin's acting career then began taking off and he moved to Los Angeles because he was landing so many roles in and television and films. The actor began his television career in 1951 in the Western series The Adventures of Kit Carson. From the start to the end of his career, the actor portrayed older men. His tall "scarecrow frame, bald head, and beaked nose", led to his becoming one of the most familiar faces and busiest elderly character actors ever.

Burt Mustin's television and film roles

His television appearances include The Twilight Zone, Peter Gunn, The Outer Limits, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Monkees, Cimarron Strip, My Three Sons, Batman, All in the Family, The Brady Bunch, Maverick, and Bewitched.

The actor's film roles include Cat Balou, The Strongest Man in the World, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, Herbie Rides Again, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Sex and the Single Girl. Marstin married Frances Robina Woods in 1915 and they remained together for 54 years until her death in 1969. The couple did not have any children. Mustin's last continuing role was on the television series Phyllis, where he portrayed the suitor, who later became the husband, of Sally "Mother" Dexter. a role he played until shortly before his death.

Burt Mustin and The Andy Griffith Show

Mustin is beloved by fans of The Andy Griffith Show where he had multiple roles. His most popular was Jud Fletcher an elderly Mayberry citizen. Burt "Jud" was in nine episodes and is unnamed in two others. In three additional episodes, Mustin plays characters with different names.

Burt Mustin's final years

The talented actor passed away on January 28, 1977, at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California and died less than two weeks before his 93rd birthday. Muslin was featured in a 2000 tribute by TV Land to the unnamed actors whose faces are so familiar to the viewing audience by creating a series of commercials. The greatest honor for this familiar face was probably the fact that he was respected, sought after, and allowed to continue in his craft despite his age.