John Richard Basehart (August 31, 1914 – September 17, 1984) was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.

Biography

Basehart was married three times. After the death of his first wife Stephanie Klein, he wed Italian actress Valentina Cortese (whose name was spelled Cortesa in American films), with whom he had a child, Jack Basehart. After their divorce, Basehart married Diana Lotery, with whom he founded the charity Actors and Others for Animals. The charity was created after Basehart saw a small dog get thrown from a fast-moving vehicle on a Los Angeles freeway. He was reportedly so emotionally moved by the tragedy that he started the non-profit organization.

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