You know that face. Even if the name Herb Edelman doesn't immediately ring a bell, the second you see that tall frame and that famously bald head, you recognize him. To most of us, he’s Stan Zbornak—the yutz in the toupee who spent seven seasons bugging Dorothy on The Golden Girls. But honestly, if you only know him as "Stan the Man," you’re missing out on one of the most prolific and weirdly versatile careers in Hollywood history.
Herb Edelman was everywhere. Seriously. Between 1964 and 1996, he racked up over 120 credits. He wasn't just a sitcom foil; he was a Neil Simon favorite, a Broadway veteran, and a guy who could speak about eight different languages fluently. He was the ultimate "Hey, it’s that guy!" actor.
The Fateful Taxi Ride That Changed Everything
Most actors struggle for years, but Edelman’s big break sounds like something out of a cheesy movie. He was a Brooklyn guy who originally wanted to be a farmer—he even went to Cornell to study agriculture for a bit. Life had other plans, though. After a stint in the Army, he found himself driving a taxi in New York City to pay the bills while trying to find acting work.
One night, he picked up a fare: director Mike Nichols.
Imagine that. You’re driving a yellow cab, and the guy in your backseat is about to become one of the biggest directors on the planet. They chatted, Nichols liked his vibe, and next thing you know, Edelman is cast as the telephone repairman in the original 1963 Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park. That one ride basically launched his entire career.
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He eventually moved into herb edelman movies and tv shows that defined the era, often playing the put-upon "regular guy" or the neurotic New Yorker. He reprised that repairman role in the 1967 film version alongside Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, and he fit into that Neil Simon world so perfectly that he became a staple of Simon's projects, including the 1968 film The Odd Couple where he played Murray the Cop.
Herb Edelman Movies and TV Shows: The 1970s Workhorse
If you grew up watching TV in the 70s, Edelman was basically a member of your family. He was a guest star on every show imaginable. Happy Days? He played a burglar who gets trapped in a closet by Ron Howard. The Partridge Family? He was there. Kojak, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Charlie’s Angels—if a show had a guest spot for a character actor with great comedic timing, Herb got the call.
But he also had his own starring moments. You might not remember The Good Guys (1968–1970), where he starred alongside Bob Denver (post-Gilligan’s Island), but it was a solid sitcom about two buddies running a diner. Later, in 1976, he starred in a Saturday morning show called Big John, Little John. It was a weird, charming premise: he played a science teacher who drinks from the Fountain of Youth and randomly turns into a 12-year-old. It was exactly as chaotic as 70s TV sounds.
He wasn't just doing fluff, though. He showed some serious range in The Yakuza (1974), a neo-noir thriller where he played alongside Robert Mitchum. People forget he wasn't just a "funny guy." He had a gravity to him, even when he was playing a schlemiel.
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Why We Still Talk About Stan Zbornak
Let’s be real: we have to talk about Stan. When The Golden Girls premiered in 1985, Edelman was cast as Stanley Zbornak, Dorothy’s cheating, novelty-item-selling ex-husband. He was only supposed to be a guest, but the chemistry with Bea Arthur was just too good to ignore.
Stan was a loser. We know this. He wore bad hairpieces and came up with schemes like "the Zbornak Potato Peeler." Yet, Edelman played him with this weirdly endearing vulnerability. You kind of felt for the guy, even when Dorothy was slamming the door in his face for the 50th time. It earned him two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series (1987 and 1988).
He brought a specific kind of "Brooklyn energy" to the show that grounded it. While the four women were the stars, Stan was the bridge to their pasts. He appeared in 26 episodes, which is a lot for a "guest" character. He even popped up in the spin-off, The Golden Palace, because you just can't keep a good Stan down.
Key Highlights of Herb Edelman's Career
- Barefoot in the Park (1967): The role that started it all.
- The Odd Couple (1968): Playing Murray the Cop, the most relatable guy at the poker table.
- The Way We Were (1973): He played Bill Verso, working with Barbra Streisand.
- St. Elsewhere (1984-1988): A recurring role as Richard Clarendon that showed his dramatic side.
- Murder, She Wrote: He was a favorite of the producers, appearing as various characters but most notably as NYPD Lieutenant Artie Gelber.
The Man Behind the Characters
Herb Edelman wasn't just an actor; he was a bit of a Renaissance man. He was famously a gifted linguist. He could speak Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, Yiddish, Hebrew, German, and Russian. Think about that next time you see him acting like a bumbling ex-husband. He was also a talented painter and sculptor.
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He worked right up until the end. His final role was on an episode of Burke's Law in 1995. He passed away in 1996 from emphysema at the age of 62, leaving behind a body of work that is surprisingly deep if you take the time to look past the "Stan" of it all.
What to do next if you're a fan:
If you want to see Herb at his comedic peak outside of Miami, go find a copy of the 1968 film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!. He plays Peter Sellers' business partner, and it’s a perfect capsule of late-60s counterculture humor. Alternatively, check out his episodes on Murder, She Wrote on streaming—it’s a great way to see him play a more "procedural" role that highlights his natural screen presence without the laugh track.