Though Anthony Zerbe took a job acting in Harry O for fairly simple reasons, his understanding of the series was anything but simple.

Zerbe played Lt. Trench in the popular crime series and won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role.

During an interview with The Lowell Sun, Zerbe admitted that he originally accepted the role of Lt. Trench in an effort to fund his theatre career. “I took it for the money, and it’s good money,” said Zerbe during an interview with The Lowell Sun.

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Zerbe’s true passion was starring in plays, though a theatre career wasn’t nearly as lucrative as a starring role in television. Despite this, Zerbe approached his role with the utmost professionalism, though he did have some initial hesitations regarding his co-stars.

“The money was there, but I was concerned about what the relationship would be between me and David (Janssen),” said Zerbe. “I had never worked with him, and I don’t watch much TV - I had seen him in a couple of Fugitives and one or two of those shows in which he played a treasury agent.”

These fears were quickly assuaged, as the two actors actually became close friends. “It turns out we are getting along fine, and I have a great deal of respect for him as an actor. And what’s more, we’re having fun. When it’s just the two of us in a scene, we can really cut loose and enjoy ourselves.”