Spoiler : He was the father of the world famous actor, Sean Penn!

Spoiler : Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts 8/27/1921; died 9/5/1998 of lung cancer at the St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Married to actress Eileen Ryan (1958-98 his death). Father of musician Michael, actors Sean and Christopher Penn. Penn was educated at Dartsmouth College and studied drama at the University of California in Los Angeles. Served as a bombardier in the Army Air Corp during WWII. Signed a movie contract with Paramount in 1945. Screen debut in The Undercover Man (1949). Studio refused to renew his contract because of his support for the Hollywood 10, and he was black-listed during the McCarthy era.

Spoiler : Jerry Green on The Gertrude Berg Show for CBS-TV (1961-1962). Director of over 400 hours of prime-time television programs including episodes of Ben Casey on ABC (1961-1962); I Spy on NBC (1965-1968); Police Story on NBC (1973-1977); Kojak on CBS (1973-1978); Matlock on NBC (1986- 92); St. Elsewhere on NBC (1982-1988). Emmy Award in 1973 for directing Any Port in a Storm on Columbo for NBC.