[1] From 1951 to 1957, Whitman had a streak working in mostly bit parts in films, including When Worlds Collide (1951),[2] The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951),[3] Barbed Wire (1952),[4] and The Man from the Alamo (1952).
[5] On television, Whitman guest-starred in series such as Dr. Christian, The Roy Rogers Show, and Death Valley Days, and also had a recurring role on Highway Patrol.
[7] Whitman, now in the lead cast, acted in Darby's Rangers (1958),[8] China Doll (1958),[9] Ten North Frederick (1958),[10] The Decks Ran Red (1958),[11] Hound-Dog Man (1959),[12] These Thousand Hills (1959),[13] The Story of Ruth (1960),[14] Murder, Inc. (1960),[15] The Comancheros (1961),[16] and The Mark (1961),[17] the latter of which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
[18] Some of Whitman's subsequent roles included The Longest Day (1962),[19] Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965),[20] Cimarron Strip (1967),[21] Night of the Lepus (1972),[22] etc.
Whitman also acted regularly on television, with some of his credits including Fantasy Island,,[23] The Streets of San Francisco,[24] Love, American Style, Quincy, M.E.,[25] The Pirate,[26] Condominium, Knight Rider,[27] Matt Houston,[28] A-Team,[29] S.W.A.T.,[30] Murder, She Wrote,[1] Once Upon a Texas Train,[31] Knots Landing,[1] The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.,[32] and Walker, Texas Ranger.