Horacio Paul Picerni (December 1, 1922 – January 12, 2011) was an American actor in film and television, perhaps best known today in the role of Federal Agent Lee Hobson, second-in-command to Robert Stack's Eliot Ness, in the ABC hit television series, The Untouchables.

Early years Picerni was born in New York City to an Italian family. Raised in Corona, Queens, he was an Eagle Scout in his youth and adolescence. After high school, Picerni studied drama at Loyola University.

Military service Picerni joined the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and served as a B-24 Liberator bombardier in the China-Burma-India Theater. He flew twenty-five combat missions with the 493rd Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Group and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was part of a mission that attacked and destroyed the actual bridge made famous in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). After the Japanese surrendered, Picerni became a Special Services officer in India. Following his discharge, he enrolled at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Film As a young actor returning from the war, Picerni appeared in military pictures: in Twelve O'Clock High (1949) as a bombardier and as Private Edward P. Rojeck in Breakthrough. This led to a Warner Brothers contract and a succession of roles at that studio including a Portuguese Socialist "Red" agitator in 1952's The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima and the hero of the 1953 horror classic House of Wax. After his departure from Warners, he appeared with Audie Murphy in Universal Studio's To Hell and Back.

Television Regular roles

After Italian organizations began to complain about the use of Italian gangsters on ABC's The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack as G-man Eliot Ness, Picerni joined the cast in 1960 as Ness's number-one aide, Lee Hobson, a role that he played for the duration of the series. (He was also seen in the program's pilot, playing Tony Liguri.) He also portrayed Ed Miller on O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1971–1972)Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc.; . pg. 783. and was featured as Dan Garrett on The Young Marrieds (1964–66)

Guest appearances In 1954, Picerni was cast as the outlaw Rube Burrow in the syndicated western television series Stories of the Century, starring and narrated by Jim Davis. That same year, he had a role in the pilot episode for the 1957-58 NBC detective series, Meet McGraw.

Picerni appeared in two episodes, "Gun Hand" and "Badge to Kill" of the syndicated western series 26 Men (1957–59). He also appeared in the episode "Gypsy Boy" of Tales of the Texas Rangers. In 1957, he played a deserter in an episode of the syndicated Boots and Saddles.

Between 1957 and 1960, Picerni was cast three times in different roles, the last as Duke Blaine, on the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Colt .45, starring Wayde Preston.

In 1958, Picerni played a milkman on the ABC sitcom, The Donna Reed Show. He also portrayed a police detective in the episode "The Quemoy Story" of Behind Closed Doors.

Picerni made three guest appearances on Perry Mason during its nine-year run on CBS. In 1958 he played Charles Gallagher in "The Case of the One-Eyed Witness", and defendant Army Sgt. Joseph Dexter in "The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant". In 1963, he played murderer Walter Jefferies in "The Case of the Bouncing Boomerang". In 1964, he appeared in The Fugitive, in the episode "Search in a Windy City".

In 1967, Paul appeared with his daughter Gina Picerni in the episode "The Chameleon" of My Three Sons. He also made a featured appearance as a POW who tries to betray the other prisoners by selling damning information to the Nazis, in the "One in Every Crowd" episode of Hogan's Heroes (season 3, episode 10, first broadcast November 11, 1967). He also appeared as "Brown" in the Batman (TV series) episode "Catwoman goes to College"

Book His autobiography, Steps to Stardom: My Story, written with the help of Tom Weaver, was published by BearManor Media in 2007.

Personal life and death Picerni married former ballet dancer Marie Mason, in 1947. They settled in Tarzana, California to raise their family; they had eight children and ten grandchildren. Two of Picerni's children predeceased him.

He died from a heart attack in Palmdale, California, on January 12, 2011, at the age of 88. Picerni is interred at the Roman Catholic San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1946 In Fast Company Street Extra Uncredited 1946 Don't Gamble with Strangers Gambling Casino Patron Uncredited 1948 Beyond Glory Second Detective Uncredited 1949 Twelve O'Clock High Bombardier Uncredited 1949 D.O.A. Assistant Photographer Uncredited 1950 When Willie Comes Marching Home Kerrigan Scenes deleted 1950 The Secret Fury Dr. Roth Uncredited 1950 A Lady Without Passport Italian Uncredited 1950 Saddle Tramp Denver 1950 I'll Get By Marine Sergeant Uncredited 1950 Three Secrets Sergeant Uncredited 1950 Dial 1119 Interpreter-Detective Uncredited 1950 Breakthrough Private Edward P. Rojeck 1950 The Killer That Stalked New York Health Department Investigator Uncredited 1951 Operation Pacific Jonesy 1951 I Was a Communist for the FBI Joe Cvetic 1951 Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison Jeff Riordan 1951 Fort Worth Joe Castro 1951 Force of Arms Sheridan 1951 Jim Thorpe – All-American Man on Speaker's Platform Uncredited 1951 The Tanks Are Coming Danny Kolowicz 1952 Mara Maru Steven Ranier 1952 The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima 'Red' Agitator Uncredited 1952 Cattle Town Pepe 1952 Operation Secret Captain Armand Dupree 1953 She's Back on Broadway Jud Kellogg 1953 House of Wax Scott Andrews 1953 The System David Wiley 1953 The Desert Song Hassan 1953 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Trailer Commentator Uncredited 1953 The Charge at Feather River Sergeant Scenes deleted 1954 His Majesty O'Keefe Spanish Ship Owner Uncredited 1954 Drive a Crooked Road Carl 1954 Riding Shotgun Bob Purdee Uncredited 1954 Pushover Masher in Ann's Hallway Uncredited 1954 The Shanghai Story Mr. Emilio De Verno 1954 The Bounty Hunter Jud 1954 The Adventures of Hajji Baba Nurel-Din 1955 Dial Red O Norman Roper 1955 Hell's Island Eduardo Martin 1955 Lord of the Jungle Paul Cabot 1955 Wiretapper Herbie 1955 To Hell and Back Valentino 1955 Bobby Ware Is Missing Alfred Gledhill 1956 Miracle in the Rain Priest 1956 The Come On Jannings, Assistant District Attorney 1956 Flight to Hong Kong Michael Quisto 1957 The Shadow on the Window Bigelow 1957 The Big Caper Harry 1957 Operation Mad Ball Private Bullard Uncredited 1957 Omar Khayyam Commander 1957 The Brothers Rico Gino Rico 1958 The Deep Six Merchant Marine Uncredited 1958 Return to Warbow Deputy Sheriff Uncredited 1958 Marjorie Morningstar Philip Berman 1958 The Man Who Died Twice George 1958 Torpedo Run Lieutenant Burt Fisher 1959 The Young Philadelphians Louis Donetti 1960 The Apartment Patron in bar 1960 Strangers When We Meet Arthur Gerandi 1962 Pages of Death Lead Cop Short film 1964 The Age of Violence Gangster 1968 The Scalphunters Frank 1969 Che! Hector 1970 Land Raiders Carney / Arturo (as H.P. Picerni) 1970 Airport Dr. Compagno 1970 Kelly's Heroes M.P. Sergeant Scenes deleted 1971 Kotch Dr. Ramon Caudillo 1971 The Fearmaker Kent Davis 1978 Capricorn One Jerry 1979 Escape to Athena Zeno's Man 1979 Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Kurt 2007 Three Days to Vegas Jim

Television