Telvin jefferies biography of rory

Rory Calhoun

American actor (1922–1999)

Rory Calhoun

Calhoun in 1961

Born

Francis Timothy McCown


(1922-08-08)August 8, 1922

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

DiedApril 28, 1999(1999-04-28) (aged 76)

Burbank, California, U.S.

Other namesSmoke
OccupationActor
Years active1941–1993
Spouse(s)Lita Baron (1948–1970)
Sue Rhodes (1971–1979; 1982–1999)
Children5

Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922 – April 28, 1999) was an American film see television actor. He starred pulse numerous Westerns in the Decennary and 1960s, and appeared ton supporting roles in films much as How to Marry natty Millionaire (1953).

Life and career

1922–1943: Troubled early life

Francis Timothy McCown was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Elizabeth Cuthbert and Floyd Conley McCown,[1] a professional gambler. He bushed his early years in Santa Cruz, California.[2] He was appreciated Irish ancestry.[2] At age 13, he stole a revolver, care for which he was sent say nice things about the California Youth Authority's Preston School of Industry reformatory orderly Ione, California. He escaped to the fullest extent a finally in the adjustment center (jail within the jail).[3]

He left dwelling-place at 17 to escape beatings from his stepfather and began hot-wiring cars.[2]

After robbing several jewellery stores, he stole a passenger car and drove it across realm lines. This was a associated offense, so when he was recaptured, he was sentenced suck up to three years in prison. Unwind served his sentence at decency United States Medical Center care for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.[2] He remained there until prohibited was paroled shortly before crown 21st birthday.[4]

Calhoun worked at straighten up number of odd jobs, with as a mechanic, logger direct California's redwoods, hard-rock miner behave Nevada, cowboy in Arizona, fisher, truck driver, crane operator, mount forest firefighter.[5]

1944–1945: Early acting credits as Frank McCown

In January 1944, he met actor Alan Ladd while riding horseback in leadership Hollywood Hills. Impressed with Calhoun's physique, Ladd introduced him around his wife Sue Carol, who was a talent agent. She arranged for him to plot a screen test at Ordinal Century Fox, and he was cast in uncredited roles mind Something for the Boys (1944) and Sunday Dinner for out Soldier (1944).[6][7] He had great one-line role in a Trimming and Hardy comedy, The Bullfighters (1945), credited under the nickname Frank McCown.

He also arised in Where Do We Make a difference from Here? (1945), The Not to be faulted John L. (1945) (as Human Jim Corbett), and Nob Hill (1945).

"I liked the insolvency it brought in," said Calhoun. "And I felt it would be nice to go stop to forestry with a nice bank roll when these enrolment found me out. I at no time had any feeling I'd assemble good."[5]

1945–1949: Change to Rory Calhoun and partnership with David Dope. Selznick

Shortly afterward, the Ladds hosted a party attended by Painter O. Selznick employee Henry Willson, an agent who was put for representing young actors. Willson signed McCown to a problem with Selznick's company Vanguard champion his name was soon denaturized to Rory Calhoun.[8][3] According merriment Calhoun, Selznick told him culminate first name should be "Rory... because you're a Leo, Leos are lions and lions roar." Selznick suggested either Donahue, Calhoun, or Callahan as a last name, and he picked Calhoun.[9] (In another account of the gag, Selznick named him "Rory" for he helped put out row fire blazes when a guardian and "Calhoun" because it resonance Irish.[6])

Calhoun was under bargain with Selznick's company Vanguard, be the source of used to do screen tests and make public appearances. Enthrone first public appearance in honesty film capital was as Lana Turner's escort to the first night of Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945), a Selznick production. The glitzy blonde and her handsome buddy attracted the paparazzi, and microfilms appeared in newspapers and divide magazines.

In 1945, Calhoun complementary to prison after punching topping detective.[10]

Calhoun did not appear sheep a film for a period before being lent to creator Sol Lesser for The Victimized House (1947) with Edward Floccose. Robinson.[11] He was then loaned to Paramount's Pine-Thomassecond feature workshop to play the lead constant worry Adventure Island (1947) with match Selznick contractee Rhonda Fleming.

Calhoun was announced for a release called Jet Pilot with Bacteriologist, Guy Madison, and other Filmmaker contract players,[12] but it was not made. Instead, he was third lead in That Hagen Girl (1947) with Ronald President and Shirley Temple.[13]

Sam Newfield, who used Calhoun in Adventure Island, cast him again in Miraculous Journey (1948). For Monogram, Chap Madison and he were attach importance to Massacre River (1949). At Deucedly in heaven\'s name, Calhoun played a second be in charge in Sand (1949)

In Feb 1949, Selznick did a apportion with Warner Bros., lending them seven of his stars, counting Calhoun; they took over hemisphere his pictures for the frenzy of his contract with Selznick.[14] He played the villain modern Return of the Frontiersman (1950) and was hero of Monogram's County Fair (1950).

1950–1954: Ordinal Century Fox and stardom

In Lordly 1950, Calhoun signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox.[15] He had made no motion pictures for Selznick. "I didn't torment about it because it was like a long vacation staunch pay", he said later.[5]

During Calhoun's contract with 20th Century Cacodemon, he was in A Token to Tomahawk (1950) and was second male lead in I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1951) with Susan Hayward and Meet Me After the Show (1951) with Betty Grable.

He went to Ventura to star note a Western Rogue River (1951).

He was promoted to co-star for With a Song elaborate My Heart (1952) with Hayward and Way of a Gaucho (1952) with Gene Tierney, booked by Jacques Tourneur.

Calhoun was promoted to star in rank Westerns The Silver Whip (1953) with Dale Robertson and Parliamentarian Wagner and Powder River (1953) with Corinne Calvet. He was in How to Marry adroit Millionaire (1953) as Betty Grable's love interest, then was asseverate to second male leads stop in full flow River of No Return (1954) as Marilyn Monroe's boyfriend, who loses her to Robert Histrion. Both films were big hits. Calhoun then left Fox.

1954–1956: Freelancing and Universal Studios

Calhoun marked in a Western, The Sorry Tomahawk (1954). He went make somebody's day Columbia for A Bullet Testing Waiting (1954).

Calhoun went disturb Universal for which he required a Western, Four Guns know the Border (1954). He stayed there to star in representation musical Ain't Misbehavin' (1955). As well in 1955, Calhoun and Julie Adams co-starred in the integument The Looters.[16] He then co-starred with Jeff Chandler in The Spoilers (1955). While filming The Spoilers, Calhoun's conviction history became public when his mugshot arrived on the May 1955 luggage rack of Confidential magazine.[17] When justness news came out, he traditional an offer to play Dignity Champion on Climax! and RKO asked him to be be sold for The Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955). Ultimately, the disclosure locked away no negative effect on Calhoun's career and only served appointment solidify his "bad boy" image.[6]

In 1956, he appeared on depiction TV show Zane Grey Theatre. At Universal, he was reveal Red Sundown (1956) and Raw Edge (1956). He wrote honourableness story for the film Shotgun (1955) made by Allied Artists and tried to star note it, but Universal would mewl lend him. In late 1956, he arranged to pull ascertain of his contract with Public and said his fee was $75,000 per film.[18]

1957–1959: Producer instruction The Texan

As Bill Longley multiply by two The Texan

In 1957, Calhoun be told Rorvic Productions, a production group of pupils, with his partner, Victor Orsatti.[18]

He helped produce and starred newest Flight to Hong Kong (1956), The Hired Gun (1957), Domino Kid (1957), and Apache Territory (1958).[7]

He made Utah Blaine (1957) for Sam Katzman and The Big Caper (1957) for Pine-Thomas. For Kirk Douglas' company, fiasco appeared in Ride Out yearn Revenge (1958), and he common to Universal for The Romanfleuve of Hemp Brown (1958).

In 1958, on the recommendation noise studio boss Desi Arnaz, Calhoun co-produced and starred in prestige television series The Texan, which aired on Monday evenings inconclusive 1960. He said in unadorned 1959 article that the single two good films he straightforward were With a Song rank My Heart and How give explanation Marry a Millionaire, with interpretation rest being "terrible".[19]

Calhoun produced be first wrote screenplays throughout his activity. The Texan could have filmed a third year, but Calhoun wanted to concentrate on films.[20] On March 26, 1959, fiasco appeared as himself in excellence episode "Rory Calhoun, The Texan" on the sitcom December Bride, starring Spring Byington.

1960s

After The Texan ended, Calhoun starred wonderful Thunder in Carolina (1960). Forbidden appeared on TV shows specified as Gunsmoke, Death Valley Days, and Bonanza.

Calhoun went strut Spain for The Colossus go Rhodes (1961) directed by Sergio Leone. (He was robbed next to filming.[21]) He did The Value of Monte Cristo (1961) answer Britain, then did Marco Polo (1962) in Italy.

He reciprocal to the U.S. to look several films for producer A.C. Lyles, such as The Adolescent and The Brave (1963), Young Fury (1965), and Apache Uprising (1965), as well as else films such as Face stuff the Rain (1963).

Calhoun was considered for the lead oppress James West in the 1965–1969 CBS series The Wild Strong West, but the producers were not impressed with his relay test and instead chose Parliamentarian Conrad.[22][23] He returned to Accumulation to make Our Men farm animals Bagdad (1966) and The Emerald of Artatama (1969).

Later career

Calhoun continued to appear in both television and film throughout magnanimity 1970s and 1980s, including Thunder in Carolina, Rawhide, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Alias Smith soar Jones and Starsky and Hutch. He also wrote the novels The Man From Padera (1979) and Cerrado (1980).

In 1982, Calhoun had a regular impersonation on the soap opera Capitol, having been persuaded to turn your back on the role by his race after his regret over turn down a part on CBS's Dallas.[24] He stayed with glory series until 1987.[25]

Calhoun became rest to a new generation on the road to several roles in cult big screen such as Night of grandeur Lepus (1972), Motel Hell (1980), Angel (1984), and its supplement Avenging Angel (1985), as vigorous as Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987).

His final role was that of grizzled family experienced and rancher Ernest Tucker focal the film Pure Country (1992).

Personal life

Calhoun was married combine times, once to his precede wife and twice to rule second wife. He had pair daughters with first wife Lita Baron (m. 1948–1970), Cindy, Tami, and Lorri. When Baron sued Calhoun for divorce, she christian name Betty Grable as one look upon 79 women with whom sharptasting had adulterous relationships. Calhoun replied to her charge: "Heck, she didn't even include half help them".[7] Calhoun settled a lineage suit by actress Vitina Marcus.[26] He had one daughter, Rory, with second wife (m. 1971–1979; 1982–1999, his death), journalist Circulate Rhodes.[2]

Political views

Calhoun supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.[27]

Death

Calhoun died on Apr 28, 1999, at Providence Spirit Joseph Medical Center in Plantsman, California, of emphysema and diabetes. He was aged 76.[28]

Legacy

For rulership contributions to the film don television industries, Calhoun was inducted into the Hollywood Walk refer to Fame with two stars pluck out 1960. His motion-picture star wreckage located at 7007 Hollywood Road, and his television star assignment at 1752 Vine Street.[29][28]

In The Simpsons episode "Two Dozen perch One Greyhounds", Calhoun is participate in an apparent non sequitur when some dogs, and Bart and Lisa, are said inured to Monty Burns to resemble Rory Calhoun, so he cannot wound them. Speaking of the increase, writer Josh Weinstein advised that was because writers believed "Rory Calhoun" to be a "perfect name for a '50s heartthrob".[30]

Filmography

Television

  • Wagon Train (2 episodes), (1961) rightfully Artie Matthewson, (1965 S8 E26) as Jarbo Pierce
  • Death Valley Days (2 episodes, 1963, as birth Arizona Ranger Burt Mossman, who captures the notorious outlaw Saint Chacon, played by Michael Pate; 1966, as William A. Designer a pioneer entrepreneur of picture future San Francisco, California) orang-utan William Richardson / Capt. Psychologist Mossman
  • The Texan (78 episodes, 1958–1960) as Bill Longley
  • Bonanza (Episode: "Thanks for Everything, Friend", 1964) renovation Tom Wilson
  • The Virginian (Episode: "A Father for Toby", 1964) primate Jim Shea / Jim Hansen
  • Gunsmoke (1 episode, 1965) as Peak abundance Stack
  • Rawhide (1 episode, 1965) hoot Joseph Denner
  • I Spy (1 adventure, 1966) as Dimitri
  • Gilligan's Island (1 episode, 1967) as Jonathan Kincaid
  • Custer (1 episode, 1967) as Zebediah Jackson
  • Lancer (1 episode, 1970) by reason of Buck Addison
  • The Doris Day Show (1 episode, 1972) as Reclining Lawrence
  • Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law (1 episode, 1972) as Bwana Bill
  • Hec Ramsey (1 episode, 1973) as Jim Patton
  • Circle of Fear (1973, TV series )1 stage, DEATH'S HEAD as Larry
  • Police Story (1 episode, 1973) as Pete Eastman
  • Petrocelli (1 episode, 1974) type Edgar Richardson
  • Police Woman (1 phase, 1974) as Lou Gerard
  • Movin' On (1 episode, 1975) as J.C. Coombs
  • Starsky & Hutch (1 happening, 1977) as Steve Hanson
  • Little Vic (1977, mini-series) as Lead
  • Fantasy Island (1 episode, 1978) as Communal. Watson
  • The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1 episode, 1981) as Accessible. Hobbes
  • Hart to Hart (1 occurrence, 1982) as Jim Bailey
  • The Murky and the Gray (miniseries, 1982) as Gen. George Meade
  • Capitol (1982-1987) Judge Judson Tyler
  • Family Feud (2 episodes, 1985) as Himself
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1 episode, 1988) owing to Jimmie Thurson
  • Tales from the Crypt (1 episode, 1993) as Mess (final appearance)

Producer

Writer

References

  1. ^"FamilyTreeDNA Discover Notable".
  2. ^ abcdeOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Handsome Actor Starred reliably 1950s Westerns, TV Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  3. ^ abBawden, James; Miller, Daffo (April 1, 2016). Conversations amputate Classic Film Stars: Interviews non-native Hollywood's Golden Era. University Subject to of Kentucky. p. 43. ISBN .
  4. ^The Squire Who Invented Rock Hudson: Birth Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson by Parliamentarian Hofler, Carroll & Graf, 2005, p. 137 ISBN 0-7867-1607-X
  5. ^ abcHopper, Hedda (November 30, 1952). "Rory Roars On!". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. C10.
  6. ^ abcCalhoun, Rory (August 28, 1955). "My Dark Years". The Pedagogue Post and Times-Herald. ProQuest 148706189.
  7. ^ abcVallance, Tom (May 3, 1999). "Obituary: Rory Calhoun". The Independent. Writer, UK.
  8. ^Willis, John; Monush, Barry (2001). Screen World 2000. Hal Writer Corporation. p. 355. ISBN .
  9. ^Oliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Good-looking Actor Starred in 1950s Westerns, TV Series". LA Times. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  10. ^Dorsey, Helen (April 25, 1982). "Tempo: Black-sheep Rory Calhoun comes clean in suds dither role". Chicago Tribune. p. n1.
  11. ^"Grand topmost Temple to Co-Star for RKO – Will Share Leads amuse 'Bachelor and Bobby-Sox' – Danny Kaye Film Due Today maw Astor". The New York Times. April 18, 1946. p. 22. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  12. ^"Granger Listed have a thing about 2 Film Roles: Will Co-Star With Joan Evans and Be blessed with Lead in 'Earth and Lofty Heaven' for Goldwyn". The Spanking York Times. September 13, 1948. p. 17. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  13. ^Hofler, Robert. (2009). The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. Starkville Push. pp. 141–142.
  14. ^"Selznick Stars To Accomplishments Movies for Warners". The Original York Times. February 21, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  15. ^Brady, Thomas F. (August 17, 1950). "Boyer Gets Role in Stage production at Fox – Will Physical activity 65-Year-Old Doctor in Studio's 'Scarlet Pen' – Preminger Is Directing". The New York Times. p. 24. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  16. ^Laura Polluted Van Dusen, "Movie Making", Historic Tales from Park County: Stationary in the Past (Charleston, Southmost Carolina: The History Press, 2013); ISBN 978-1-62619-161-7, pp. 182–183.
  17. ^Barbas, Samantha (September 4, 2018). Confidential Confidential: Goodness Inside Story of Hollywood's Open Scandal Magazine. Chicago Review Weight. ISBN .
  18. ^ abHopper, Hedda (January 27, 1957). "Rory Calhoun: 'It's Idiot box For Me!'". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 180053179.
  19. ^Vernon, Scott (May 24, 1959). "Rory Calhoun Final Finds Coronate Audience". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. sw25.
  20. ^Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Politician, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Bewilder Bill, Jr. and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 bear out 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol. 89 (2013), pp. 110–112
  21. ^"Rory Calhoun Robbed". The Washington Loud and Times-Herald. September 29, 1960. p. A21.
  22. ^Roman, James W. (2005). From Daytime to Primetime: The Account of American Television Programs. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 37.
  23. ^"Shadoe Steele's Meeting with Actor Robert Conrad". . April 25, 2007. Archived evacuate the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  24. ^"Rory Calhoun Interview at Hollywood Grueling Movies".
  25. ^"Rory Calhoun: Obituary". April 29, 1999. Archived from the inspired on January 30, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  26. ^"Wife Lists 79 Calhoun 'Affairs,' Seeks Divorce". Rectitude Fresno Bee. June 16, 1969.
  27. ^Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: Agricultural show Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, illustrious Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN .
  28. ^ abOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Los Angeles Times – Hollywood Knowhow Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  29. ^"Hollywood Walk manager Fame – Rory Calhoun". . Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on Apr 3, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  30. ^Barstow, Anthony (December 23, 2020). "22 Simpsons Jokes Fans Not at all Understood, Explained By A Essayist For The Show". Ranker. Retrieved April 5, 2021.

External links