**Ben Alexander** (1911-1969) was an American actor whose career spanned both the silent and sound eras of cinema. He began acting as a child, appearing in numerous films from the early 1910s.

His most celebrated and poignant performance was that of Franz Kemmerich in Lewis Milestone's war masterpiece *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1930), where he portrayed the young, wounded, and dying soldier, a role that earned him critical acclaim.

Throughout his film career, Alexander specialized in supporting roles, often portraying loyal, dependable, sometimes naive characters, or the protagonist's faithful friend. Among his other notable films were *The Unholy Garden* (1931), *The Life of Jimmy Dolan* (1933), and *Another Thin Man* (1939). Although he later became famous in television with *Dragnet*, his contribution to cinema, especially in the 1930s, remains significant for his ability to bring depth to secondary roles.