Maurice Gosfield

Maurice Lionel Gosfield (January 28, 1913 – October 19, 1964) was an American stage, film, radio and television actor, best remembered for his portrayal of Private Duane Doberman on the sitcom The Phil Silvers Show (1954–1959) and voicing Benny the Ball in Top Cat (1961–1962).

Gosfield was born in New York City, but partly raised in Philadelphia and, later, in Evanston, Illinois.^{[citation needed]}

In 1937, he made his Broadway debut as Manero in the play Siege. Other theatre credits from the late 1930s include The Petrified Forest, Three Men on a Horse and Room Service. He also made several appearances on radio programs.

In September 1941, Gosfield joined the cast of the Broadway play Keep Covered.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army as a Technician fourth grade (T/4) in the 8th Armored Division.

In early 1951, Gosfield acted in the play Darkness at Noon, which ran for 156 performances from January to June 1951, and in September 1951, he joined the cast of Out West of Eighth, which closed after only four performances.

From October to November 1952 he had a comedic role as "A Turkish Gentleman" in the play In Any Language, his performance being singled out as the funniest of the play by reviewers of the show. From late 1954 to early 1955, he acted in A Stone for Danny Fisher, which ran off-Broadway at the Downtown National Theater.

From 1955 to 1959, Gosfield played Private Duane Doberman in The Phil Silvers Show (titled You'll Never Get Rich in its first season). Doberman was written as the most woebegone soldier. The actor originally hired for the part was Maurice Brenner, but Brenner was recast as Private Irving Fleischman. The show's creator Nat Hiken's biography details the casting for the role and the effect that Gosfield had on him, the producer and Phil Silvers when he appeared in front of them: