Jonathan Harris (born Jonathan Daniel Charasuchin; November 6, 1914 – November 3, 2002) was an American character actor whose career included more than 500 television and movie appearances, as well as voiceovers. Two of his best-known roles were as the timid accountant Bradford Webster in the television version of The Third Man and the fussy villain Dr. Zachary Smith of the 1960s science fiction series Lost in Space. Near the end of his career, he provided voices for the animated features A Bug\'s Life and Toy Story 2.\n', '

The second of three children, Harris was born on November 6, 1914, in the Bronx, New York City, to Sam and Jennie Charasuchin, poor Russian-Jewish immigrants. His father worked in Manhattan\'s garment district. The family lived in a six-story tenement, and his mother often took in boarders to make ends meet, giving them Jonathan\'s room and bed and relegating him to sleep on the dining room chairs. By age 12 he was working in a pharmacy as a stockboy.\n', '

While there was little money for luxuries, Jonathan\'s father made an effort to expand his son\'s cultural horizons with occasional trips to see Yiddish Theatre and by listening to opera on the dining room radio. Young Jonathan was enthralled. Although he could seldom afford tickets to them, Broadway plays were also an early interest. He detested his Bronx accent and by high school cultivated an English one in its place, watching British B-movies at the arts theatre. He also developed interests in archaeology, Latin, romantic poetry and Shakespeare.\n', '

Return to Jonathan Harris Autograph Profile