Veteran actor, writer and long- time Malibu local Paul Mantee died on Thurs., Nov. 7. He was 82 years old.
Mantee’s first claim to fame was a starring role in the film “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” in 1964. En route to amassing more than 120 film and televi- sion credits, he appeared in shows such as “Mission: Impossible,” “Batman,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” “The A-Team” and “LA Law.” He was also a series regular on “Cagney and Lacey” in the 1980s.
Born in San Francisco in 1931, Mantee attended San Mateo Junior College with a major in journalism. Next, he served in the Navy for 4 years during the Korean War. After his service, he enrolled
at UC Berkeley and completed his degree. He began his acting career in Hollywood in the 1950s, and eventually moved to Malibu in the 1960s.
After retiring from acting, Mantee delved back into one of his passions—writing. He wrote two books, “In Search of the Perfect Ravioli” and “Bruno of Hollywood.” He contributed a column in The Malibu Times for many years.
Mantee was also a huge fan of cooking, raised in a family that ownedoneofthecountr y’soldest Italian restaurants, Fior d’Italia in San Francisco.
He is survived by wife Suzy Davis Mantee, his wife of eight years and partner since 1998. He also leaves behind stepson Ian, daughter-in-law Brooke, grandsons Connor and Chase McCloud, stepdaughter Jolie and her husband Greg Harrison, and grandchildren Grant and Alexia Harrison, and several other extended family members and beloved cats Lady Jane, Poppet and Duchess.
A memorial service in Malibu is pending for sometime in early 2014.