Lambert was born in El Paso, Texas and has served as a lieutenant in the Second World War. His first big on-screen role was in Spartacus in 1960 (with Jean Simmons, Peter Brocco, John Hoyt, Arthur Batanides, William Blackburn, Dick Crockett, Seamon Glass and narration by Vic Perrin). Lambert also played in the 1976 drama All the President's Men, alongside Stephen Collins, F. Murray Abraham, Richard Herd, Nicholas Coster and Gene Dynarski. He was also a stage actor and occasional director for stage plays. Lambert passed away in 1997 at the age of 74 in Santa Monica, California.