Al Markim was an actor best known for his role on the 1950s science-fiction, action/adventure series Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Set in the 24th century, the series featured the cadets of the Space Academy, traveling around the solar system aboard the ship Polaris. Markim played Astro, a young engineer from Venus, who was one of the cadets training to become a "Solar Guard."

The series aired from 1950 to 1955 and was broadcast live from a studio in New York. It holds the rare distinction of appearing on CBS, ABC, NBC and DuMont, all four networks of the time. The stories, which began as 15-minute television installments, were also depicted in radio, books, comic books and strips, and other media in the early to mid 1950s.

In front of the camera, Markim worked exclusively in television, including roles on the series The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, The Big Story and Studio One in Hollywood.

He later worked at MGM behind the scenes, most notably on famed director Sidney Lumet’s 1964 film The Pawnbroker, starring Rod Steiger. Markim was credited on the film as an executive in charge of production. He also served as an associate producer on the 1965 film The Fool Killer, starring Anthony Perkins.

Additionally, Markim was a pioneer in the home video industry. In 1968, he cofounded Teletronics, a video duplication firm. From there he began a partnership with Sony, and his company later became Video Corp. of America, and merged with Technicolor.

He was inducted into the Video Hall of Fame in 1996.

Markim died November 24, 2015. He was 88.