
Mantee was born Paul Marianetti in San Francisco, California. A journalism major at San Mateo Junior College, Mantee enlisted in the U.S. Navy for four years during the Korean War that made him decide on acting as a career. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.
His stage name was changed from an Italian-sounding name to the name of Humphrey Bogart's character in The Petrified Forest. He made a great number of guest appearances in well-known television shows and starred in a handful of films, including a cult classic, Robinson Crusoe on Mars. A restored version of the film was released in 2007 by The Criterion Collection. Mantee authored two novels, In Search of the Perfect Ravioli (Ballantine Books, 1991) and a semi-autobiographical Bruno of Hollywood (Ballantine Books, 1994).
Mantee, a longtime Malibu resident, died November 7, 2013 at a rehabilitation center in Canoga Park, California. He was survived by his wife, Suzy Davis Mantee.

Apollo 13
1995 · as Reporter

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
1993 · as Doctor

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
1969 · as Jiggs

Helter Skelter
1976 · as Sgt. O'Neal

The Manitou
1978 · as Dr. McEvoy

Lionpower from MGM
1967 · as Self - Dick Dagger (archive footage) (uncredited)

Breakout
1975 · as Cable

The Greatest
1977 · as Carrara

First Strike
1985

The Great Santini
1979 · as Col. Virgil Hedgepath

Day of the Animals
1977 · as Roy Moore

That Man Bolt
1973 · as Mickey

Robinson Crusoe on Mars
1964 · as Commander Christopher Draper

Promises to Keep
1985 · as Mike

Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · as Ordway

An American Dream
1966 · as Shago Martin

Framed
1975 · as Frank

Call to Danger
1973 · as Adams