''. Parfrey acted almost entirely on
Broadway or regional stage in the late 1940s and 1950s, turning to television and film substantially in the 1960s. He played the unbalanced informer Herbert Gelman on
Broadway in the original production of
Advise and Consent (1961), for which he won the
Fanny Kemble Award. Though usually a supporting player, he played many focal television guest-star roles, mainly in the late 1960s when fantasy and spy shows relied heavily on distinctive guest players. He appeared five times on
The Man from U.N.C.L.E., more than any other guest star except
Jill Ireland, who also appeared five times. In 1962 Parfrey appeared as Joe Darby on the TV western
The Virginian in the episode titled "The Accomplice". In 1962 he played the part of the murderer George Pickson in
Perry Mason, "The Case of the Bogus Books". In 1963, he played the part of George Moffgat in
Perry Mason, "The Case of the Drowsy Mosquito". In 1967 he appeared as Brock in the fourth season of the science fiction TV show
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea in the episode "Fatal Cargo". He later appeared as storekeeper Ike Godsey in
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), the TV movie pilot for
The Waltons (1971);
The Moneychangers (1976);
Backstairs at the White House (1979); and, in his only regular role, the short-lived 1979
CBS series
Time Express. Parfrey scored a few big A-movie parts, most notably as a prisoner in
Papillon (1973). Parfrey's frequent association with that film's director,
Franklin Schaffner, also included his role as
Maximus, one of the three "
See No Evil"
orangutan judges in
Planet of the Apes (1968). Later he would appear as a chimpanzee prefect on the
television series based on the film franchise. Parfrey also appeared routinely in films directed by
Don Siegel and
Clint Eastwood, including noted roles in Siegel's
Charley Varrick (1973) and Eastwood's
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976). His many film credits also include parts in
Cattle King (1963),
The War Lord (1965), ''
The King's Pirate (1967), How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life (1968), Madigan (1968), Sam Whiskey (1969), Cold Turkey (1971), Dirty Harry (1971), Oklahoma Crude (1973), Stay Hungry (1976), The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979), Carny (1980), Bronco Billy (1980), Used Cars (1980), The Seduction (1982), Frances (1982) and Jinxed'' (1982). == Personal life ==