Gene Shaffer?

Bill Nye, the Science Guy?

Not Gene or Bill ..

The entertainment provided by the TV commercials in which he starred was noteworthy...

Orville Redenbacher

Yes!

Off to you, Cliffg37 ...

1. I was born in the Midwest
2. I served my country by enlisting in the U.S. Marines.
3. I was married five times.

Randolph Scott

Not Randolph...

4. I was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal.

Gary Burghoff

Not Gary.

5. My post-military career got a huge boost when I appeared in a movie with some high-level performers.

Audie Murphey.

Nope, not Audie.

6. I thought after that big blockbuster, that my movie career would take off. It did not. I even wrote my own screenplay to appear in, and it was never produced.

7. Soon I turned to work in Television; I began to get roles to play.

OJ Simpson?

..

George Peppard? ...

Jack Palance?

Nice Arthur, but no, not Jack.

This one goes back to Joseph. George Peppard, it is.

8. In my most successful mid-career role, I received an award from the "Polish-American Congress" for portraying a Pole in a positive light.
9. I was offered a third-year renewal of the role but chose to walk away so my second ex-wife would get less alimony. (This began my rep as hard to work with)
10. I was known in that role for spouting silly made-up "Old polish sayings."
11. I learned to fly a plane for a role I had.
12. I hit the skids for a while and turned to the bottle.
13. Late in life, I began to help other boozer actors as I could.
14. I beat John Forsythe for the role of Blake Carrington in dynasty, but I was soon fired as I was bad-mouthing the show.
15. I left the Marines as a corporal, but my biggest success was waiting for me playing a green beret colonel.
16. When a costar became more famous than I, I refused to talk to him off-set.
17. I thought I beat lung cancer. (I smoked for years)
18. I passed away from pneumonia after my lungs were weakened from cancer.

I was born in connecticut ...

I was an author, publisher and philanthropist..

I founded a weekly newspaper before moving to New York City ...

I think probably way out there, again awhile since I read his bio, and the clue sounds more modern, but... Benjamin Franklin?

No, Laurie .. It is a little later ..

I had several businesses over the years, including a general
store, a book auctioning trade, real estate speculation,
and a statewide lottery network.

My roof was transformed to a strolling garden with a view of
the city, where I launched hot-air balloon rides daily...