Herb Edelman as an announcer for Armed Forces Radio, he enrolled in Brooklyn College as a theater student, but eventually dropped out. He later worked as a hotel manager and as a taxicab driver. One of his fares was director Mike Nichols, who in 1963 cast Edelman in his breakthrough Broadway role, as the bewildered telephone repairman in Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park". Edelman reprised his role in the 1967 film version (starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda). He appeared in the movie versions of Simon's "The Odd Couple" (1968) and "California Suite" (1978). He also appeared in an installment of
Horton Foote ... So in other words, you have to get both our permissions to do it." Playwright Lillian Hellman adapted his play for the 1966 film "The Chase", with Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford. Foote provided the voice of Jefferson Davis for Ken Burns' critically acclaimed documentary, "The Civil War" (PBS, 1990), and adaptations of his plays "The Habitation of Dragons" (TNT, 1992) and "Lily Dale" (Showtime, 1996) preceded the Showtime production of "Horton Foote's Alone" (1997). His final work was the screenplay for "Main Street", a 2010 dramatic film. Foote was awarded an honorary doctorate from Carson-Newman University.