Trivia

For most of his life, he suffered with depression.

With his salary from St. Elsewhere (1982), he was able to purchase a ranch in Eureka, California.

Never retired from acting, despite his physical pain.

Actor and three-time Emmy winner Ed Flanders was best known as the kindhearted "Dr. Donald Westphall" on the '80s NBC series St. Elsewhere (1982).

A great part of his depression was a result of severe chronic back pain.

Flanders lost his mother, when he was age 14, in an automobile accident.

Was involved in a near-fatal car accident (1989).

Before he was a successful actor, served as an x-ray tech in the U.S. Army.

Won a Tony Award for playing "Phil Hogan" in "A Moon for the Misbegotten" on Broadway in 1974 and the first of his three Emmy Awards for the same role in 1976 for the televised version of the Eugene O'Neill play.

Just before his death, he worked with ex-St. Elsewhere (1982) co-star, Terence Knox, on The Road Home (1994), also produced by Bruce Paltrow.

Acting mentor of: Ed Begley Jr., Howie Mandel, David Morse, and Denzel Washington.

Met his second wife, Ellen Geer, when the two were skating in Milwaukee.

Had appeared in every episode of St. Elsewhere (1982), except 1, and for the final year.

Played U. S. President Harry S. Truman on film more times than any other single actor, and in more different productions.

Started acting when he was in high school.

Met Christina Pickles at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, who would later co-star opposite him on St. Elsewhere (1982).

Was drafted into the U.S. Army, his enlistment created an estrangement that ended his marriage and also subsequently separated him from his children for the next two decades.

Former member of the Globe Theatre Company in San Diego, where he made his stage debut in 'Mr. Roberts'.

Had 4 children: Scott Flanders, Suzanne Flanders, Ian Geer Flanders, and Evan Flanders.

In 1959, Flanders won the first of two Atlas awards (The Globe equivalent of the Tony) for his role as Banjo in The Man Who Came to Dinner. He won his second Atlas in 1960 for Golden Fleecing, a comedy.

Before he was a successful actor, he used to work at the Old Globe Theater.

Friends of: Norman Lloyd, William Daniels, Bonnie Bartlett, Bruce Paltrow, David Wayne, Herb Edelman, Paul Sand, Betty White, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Jack Lord, France Nuyen, Jack Dodson, Jane Wyatt, Christina Pickles and Stephen Elliott.

The lure of Shakespeare soon took him to the University of Michigan-based Association of Producing Artists, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ex-son-in-law of Will Geer and Herta Ware.

At Minneapolis's Patrick Henry High School, Flanders was voted 'Peppiest'... a trait that would also characterize his energy as an actor.

When he attended Patrick Henry High School, he was a part of the hockey team.

Had two siblings: Rene and Bud.

Graduated from Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1953.

Ex-brother-in-law of Kate Geer and Thad Geer.

Former neighbor of Mark Rowley.