Biografía

Initially a white actor was cast to play Captain Harold Dobey on Starsky y Hutch (1975). Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, however, remembered Bernie, who had already played a police captain in a previous Spelling-Goldberg TV show, and thought he'd provided the right chemistry and balance. Since they already had film on him, Bernie didn't need a screen test and secured the part.

Music producer for twenty years, working on R&B and soul albums.

Managed to avoid stereotyping for the most part in his early films years, his debut was as a baseball player in Idolo de ébano (1950). His most important role was in the frank, groundbreaking drama One Potato, Two Potato (1964) as the black husband of a white woman (Barbara Barrie).

Produced and sang on the album "Capt. Dobey Sings the Blues". Captain Dobey was the gruff police captain he played for four seasons on Starsky y Hutch (1975).

Founded the record label Chocolate Snowman.