1936 – 2009

Del Monroe was born in 1936 in Santa Barbara, California—a truly fitting place since the city was also the home of the fictional Nelson Institute of Marine Research—the headquarters of “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s” famed nuclear sub The Seaview.

Delbert became interested in acting strangely enough while he was in the peacetime Army.   After his discharge, he enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse where he acted in many of the plays seen by casting directors and producers.

His first movie acting roles were in 2 very low-budget films from 1959: teen drama “The Girl in Lovers Lane” and the Ed Wood-penned western “Revenge of the Virgins.”   His first TV role was in 1960 in “Wyatt Earp” with Hugh O’Brian. 

In 1961, Irwin Allen cast him (Delbert Monroe) in the major motion picture “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” as Seaman "Kowski."  Appearing with seasoned performers Walter Pigeon, Robert Sterling, Peter Lorre, Frankie Avalon, and Barbara Eden, novice Monroe might have been a bit nervous.  On one of his first days of shooting, he accidentally fell into the lagoon, halting production.  A bit embarrassing for the young actor!   But Monroe said that as he was escorted off the set to be checked, changed, and dried off, he noticed that the grins of the more experienced actors were at least warm and good-natured.  They knew these things could happen!!

But in his small role, Delbert acquitted himself nicely among the veterans especially in a scene where the stressed-out crew was nearing a mutiny.    The science fiction tale was a hit and Del would be appreciated and remembered by producer Irwin Allen three years later.