- He would express frustration when fans asking for autographs would only seem to remember him falling backwards down the stairway in Psycho (1960). He felt there were so many other challenging roles he would rather be remembered for. Always charming, he simply smiled and provided the signature, just the same.
- Made his film debut in the Actors Studio-dominated film On the Waterfront (1954).
- He was the first to record the voice of the computer HAL-9000 in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), but was passed over in favor of Douglas Rain because Kubrick thought that Balsam's voice sounded "too colloquially American" for HAL.
- He has appeared in six films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: On the Waterfront (1954), 12 Angry Men (1957), Psycho (1960), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Little Big Man (1970) and All the President's Men (1976).
- Studied Monkey Kung Fu as a hobby.
- He made guest appearances on both The Twilight Zone (1959) and The Twilight Zone (1985).
- Appears to have died of natural causes. A maid found him lying on the floor near his bed in the upscale Residenza Di Ripetta while he was vacationing in Italy.
- Played Carroll O'Connor's Jewish business partner for a couple of seasons on Archie Bunker's Place (1979). Previously they had performed together in the The Sacco-Vanzetti Story on Sunday Showcase (1959).
- Continued to return to the Actors Studio periodically in later years.
- He appeared in three films directed by Sidney Lumet: 12 Angry Men (1957), The Anderson Tapes (1971) and Murder on the Orient Express (1974).
- Worked as a waiter and as an usher at Radio City Music Hall in New York during his early years of struggle.
- Father of actress Talia Balsam, from his marriage to Joyce Van Patten.
- He played the husband of his real life ex-wife Joyce Van Patten in St. Elmo's Fire (1985).
- Broadway columnist Earl Wilson dubbed him "The Bronx Barrymore".
- A veteran of the famous Actors Studio in New York.
- Part of the drama club at DeWitt Clinton High School, he studied dramatics at The New School in New York City and then served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
- Born in The Bronx in New York City, to Jewish parents Albert Balsam, a manufacturer of ladies sportswear, and Lillian (née Weinstein). He was the eldest of three children.
- Appeared in four Oscar Best Picture nominees: On the Waterfront (1954), 12 Angry Men (1957), A Thousand Clowns (1965) and All the President's Men (1976), with the first of these the only winner.
- He appeared in two productions which concerned the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941: The Time Element (1958) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970). He played Dr. Gillespie in the former and Admiral Husband Kimmel in the latter.
- Played fictional characters based on Louis B. Mayer in both "The Carpetbaggers" and "Harlow", two films released in consecutive years (1964 and 1965), both produced by Joseph E. Levine for Paramount, both written by John Michael Hayes and both starring Carroll Baker.
- Won Broadway's 1968 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running."
- Played a psychiatrist in Rod Sterling's The Time Element (1958), which dealt with a patient who kept dreaming that he was back in the time just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), he played Admiral Kimmel the naval commander of Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japanese attack.
- Graduated DeWitt Clinton High School in New York. (1938)
- Father of a son, Adam Balsam and a daughter, Zoe Balsam, from his marriage to Irene Miller.
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