"He played the nicest guy in town named Tom Riley," said Ryan, a fellow cast member, adding that when "a really sleazy character" was added to the show several years after the start, "Walker did that character as well.
"It was fun because sometimes there'd be a page or two of dialogue between the two of them."
As an actor, Edmiston also appeared frequently in episodes of shows such as "Gunsmoke," "The Big Valley," "Mission: Impossible," "Batman," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "Knots Landing."
Edmiston was born Feb. 6, 1926, in St. Louis, Mo., where he was involved in community theater groups in high school.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1947 and took acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse.
While appearing in a play in Hollywood, someone overheard one of his celebrity impressions. That led to an introduction to Lantz.
Edmiston's daughter, his only survivor, said he continued working until he became very ill in January.
Evelyn, Edmiston's wife of 48 years, died in 1998. His other daughter, Andria, died in 1987.
A memorial service is pending.
dennis.mclellan@latimes.com
