Maurice Lionel Gosfield was born on January 28, 1913, in New York City, but spent his early years in Philadelphia and later Evanston, Illinois, where he began his acting career with the Ralph Bellamy and Melvyn Douglas Players.
He joined the summer stock theater circuit in 1930 and made his Broadway debut as Manero in the play Siege in 1937, appearing in notable productions such as The Petrified Forest, Three Men on a Horse, and Room Service.
During World War II, Gosfield served in the U.S. Army as a Tech 4 in the 8th Armored Division.
From 1955 to 1959, he played the iconic role of Pvt. Duane Doberman in The Phil Silvers Show, originally titled You'll Never Get Rich in its first season. The show's creator, Nat Hiken, praised Gosfield's unique appearance and talent, saying that he was the perfect fit for the role.
Gosfield's performance earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1959. He also lent his voice to the animated cartoon series Top Cat, which was partially based on the Sergeant Bilko series, from 1961 to 1962.
Tragically, Gosfield's life was cut short when he suffered a heart attack on October 17, 1964, while performing in a play at the New York Theatre. Despite his condition improving, he suffered a second and fatal heart attack just two hours later, on October 19, 1964.
