Emerging from Brooklyn's immigrant community, Mantell-originally Joseph Mantel, son of a Galician-born butcher-served in World II before turning to acting, later altering his surname’s spelling and pronunciation. He broke into television through Paddy Chayefsky dramas on The Philco Television Playhouse, notably portraying Angie, the best friend in the 1953 live broadcast of Marty, a role he repeat…
