Actor Tom Wilde dies at 88

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Actor Tom Wilde, who once played the Marlboro Man in a TV commercial and went on to teach, died last week from complications from a stroke. He was 88.

Wilde, who lived in Land Park, Calif., was a bomber pilot in the Pacific during World War II. He pursued an acting career after the war and appeared on TV shows such as "Dragnet" and "The Untouchables" and as the Marlboro Man in one TV spot, the Sacramento (Calif.) Bee reported Tuesday.

However, a throat injury in a 1964 car crash cut Wilde's acting career short. He returned to Sacramento, went to college and taught high school drama. Wilde also teamed with his late wife, Neva, to become a champion bridge player. In later years when he no longer could drive a car, Wilde would drive his scooter to a local bar to have an occasional beer.

"He was always so vibrant, enthusiastic, optimistic, so full of energy," his daughter, Stephanie Meeker, told the Sacramento Bee. "It's hard to believe he's gone."

Wilde died Jan. 22 from complications from a stroke.