With the passing of Betty White just hours before the New Year, it gave fans the chance to reminisce on some of her most memorable work.

I was one of those thousands of fans digging through Betty White's acting credits, and during that search, I happened upon a different story. This was the story of a male actor, who had passed in 2010, but had more than 200 credits in his illustrious acting career.

It was the story of a man from Schenectady, and that man was named Harold Gould.

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Harold Gould Was a Capital Region Native

Born on December 10, 1923, Harold Vernon Goldstein was born in Schenectady, and raised in Colonie. After graduating as his high school's valedictorian, Gould (his stage surname) spent two years at Albany Teachers College, which would later become the University at Albany.

Gould would leave the institution after two years, enlist in the Army and fight in World War II, before returning to the Teachers College to finish his degree. He would complete his doctorate degree at Cornell University. Gould graduated in 1953, and moved down to Virginia, where he began his career not as a full-time actor, but as a professor. He also began work as a theater actor, landing his first role in 1955.

It wasn't until 1962 that Gould landed his first film credit, and it was from there that his career took off.


Harold Gould Had Over 200 Acting Credits in His Career

Before his first film credit, Gould went through a year of television credits, first appearing as a credited actor in Cain's Hundred as a bookkeeper. He had three more credits in 1961, including a two-episode arc on The Gertrude Berg Show that concluded in 1962.

In 1963, however, Gould had 10 acting credits that year alone. He was here to stay.

By the mid-1960s, Gould's television credits were growing steadily. His one and two-episode arcs were becoming five and six episodes at a time, and his on-screen presence was growing. He played a small role in the hit comedy series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which led to a more significant arc on its spinoff series, Rhoda.

Gould truly came to fame playing Miles Webber, the significant other of Betty White on The Golden Girls. Gould and White had instant chemistry on-screen, joining the list of "America's Sweethearts" that have graced the television screen.

Opening Of The Saban Center For Health And Wellness
Harold Gould / Getty Images
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Gould held that role until 1992, and continued to act until his death in 2010. He passed away from prostate cancer, leaving his wife of 60 years, Lea, and three children behind.

The term "storied career" is thrown around quite a lot in the entertainment (and sports) industry, sometimes frivolously. For Schenectady native Harold Gould, a storied career is nearly an understatement.

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