 His first film role was in the 1942 film "You're in the Army Now".Erwin acted in productions at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Laguna Beach Playhouse, the La Jolla Playhouse, and other venues in the Los Angeles area.In the late 1950s, Erwin was in such films as "Man from Del Rio" (1956) and "The Night Runner" (1957), before playing Jack Nicholson's father in "The Cry Baby Killer", Nicholson's first starring role in 1958.