Mel Prestidge

{{short description|American police officer and television actor}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Mel Prestidge

|image = Mel_Prestidge_in_Hawaiian_Eye_c._1960.jpg

|caption = Prestidge in Hawaiian Eye, c. 1960

|birth_name = Melvin Prestidge

|birth_date = {{birth date|1928|11|20}}

|birth_place = Hawaii, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2011|01|25|1928|11|20}}

|death_place = Panorama City, Los Angeles, U.S.

|occupation = Police officer, television actor

|years_active = 1956–1978

|spouse = Evangeline Prestidge{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99504179/melvin-prestidge-obituary-1928-2011/|title=Melvin Prestidge Obituary (1928-2011)|work=Los Angeles Times|location=Los Angeles, California|date=January 30, 2011|access-date=April 10, 2022|page=32|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

|children = 5

}}

Melvin Prestidge (November 20, 1928 – January 25, 2011) was an American police officer and television actor.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nqRkAAAAMAAJ|title=Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters: All Regular Cast Members in American Crime and Mystery Series, 1948-1959|page=443|first=Everett|last=Aaker|publisher=McFarland|date=2006|isbn=9780786424764|via=Google Books}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/760985509/|title=Deputy Sheriff In Real Life Plays Television Police Role|first=Joseph|last=Fiwigav|work=Evansville Courier and Press|location=Evansville, Indiana|date=December 7, 1961|access-date=December 12, 2021|page=36|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} He was known for playing the roles of Lt. Danny Quon in the American detective television series Hawaiian Eye and Jackie-Jackie in the syndicated television series Captain David Grief.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tnZyDwAAQBAJ|title=Encyclopedia of Unaired Television Pilots, 1945-2018|first=Vincent|last=Terrace|publisher=McFarland|date=October 9, 2018|isbn=9781476633497|via=Google Books}}

Born in Hawaii,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/506630453/|title=Deputy Gets Leave To Do TV Film|work=The Windsor Star|location=Windsor, Ontario, Canada|date=December 15, 1962|access-date=December 12, 2021|page=17|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} Prestidge worked as a police officer in Los Angeles County, California.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/41414539/|title=Actor Puts Some People in Prison On a Personal Basis|first=Joseph|last=Finnigan|work=The Warren County Observer|location=Warren, Pennsylvania|date=October 12, 1961|access-date=December 12, 2021|page=17|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} He also worked on Warner Bros. sound stages.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/118044069/|title=TV's Mel Prestidge Deputy In Real Life|work=Arizona Republic|location=Phoenix, Arizona|date=October 12, 1961|access-date=December 12, 2021|page=64|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}}