co-stars part three
Barry Fitzgerald born on 10 March 1888 in Dublin, Ireland, One of Hollywood's finest character actors and most accomplished scene stealer, Barry Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1930. He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way 1944. In an Academy first, he was also nominated for the Best Actor Award for the same role, the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry appeared in two movies with the Duke, Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin on 14 January 1961. Picture from The Quiet Man 1952.
Jennifer Jones born on 2 March 1919 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, When Jennifer Jones arrived in Hollywood in 1939 she still called herself Phyllis Isley. Her first outing in front of the camera this was a typical short 57 mins. formulaic film from the budget minded Republic Studios in the John Wayne western New Frontier 1939 .It is interesting only because it was the first attempt at film stardom for Phyllis Isley, aged 20 at the time, whose name was changed in 1942 to the better known, Jennifer Jones. Her face and especially her eyes drew the attention of the producer David O. Selznick who did not only allow her a great career but also fell in love with her and finally married Jennifer Jones in 1949. For her role in "The song of Bernadette 1943" she gained an oscar as best actress. Jennifer passed away on 17 December 2009, Malibu, California, U.S.A.
Christopher Mitchum born on 16 October 1943 Los Angeles, California, USA, He was the second son of actor Robert Mitchum destined to follow in the footsteps of his father. Chris grew up avoiding the limelight and was educated at Dublin's Trinity College, attaining a BA at the University of Arizona before developing an interest in movie-making. He began as an extra in two of his father's westerns in 1969, then got a big break when his dad's good pal, John Wayne, cast him as a earnest tenderfoot in his rugged westerns Rio Lobo, Chisum, and Big Jake 1971. With such a strong foundation now formed, Chris ventured off on his own and found himself an assured action lead. The films, however, have been mostly cheapjack and violent in nature -- poor imitations indeed of his father's sturdy work in westerns and war pictures with such obvious titles as Bigfoot 1970, Savage Harbor 1987, SFX Retaliator 1987, Aftershock 1990, Striking Point 1995 and Lycanthropy 1999. Picture from Rio Lobo 1970.
Arthur Shields born on 15 February 1896 in Dublin, Ireland. The younger brother of Irish actor Barry Fitzgerald Arthur Shields joined Fitzgerald at Dublin's famed Abbey as a Player in 1914, where he directed as well as acted. Though in films fitfully since 1910, Shield's formal movie career didn't begin until he joined several other Abbey veterans in the cast of John Ford Plough and the Stars 1936. He went on to appear in several other Ford films, generally cast in more introverted roles than those offered his brother. Unlike his sibling, Shields was not confined to Irish parts; he often as not played Americans, and in 1943's Dr. Renault's Secret, he was seen as a French police inspector. Never as prominent a film personality as his brother, Arthur Shields nonetheless remained a dependable second-echelon character player into the 1960s. Arthur appeared in three movies with the Duke, Arthur died on 27 April 1970 in Santa Barbara, California, USA. Picture from The Quiet Man 1952.
Don Collier born 17 October 1928 in Santa Monica, California, USA, After Van Nuys High School, he enlisted in the Navy and saw action in the last days of World War II. Receiving his discharge, he headed to Oregon, working on a ranch and in a sawmill before enlisting in the Merchant Marine. On his first tour to Japan, he was called home by the illness of his only sister, who passed away when she was 13 from surgery she had. He then started his career in the picture business. It initially began when he joined his father as a cowboy working for the legendary actor Francis Lederer on his cattle ranch in Canoga Park. Don's first role was that of an extra in the 1948 movie "Massacre River", which starred Rory Calhoun and Guy Madison. It was released theatrically in 1949. In 1950, he got another job as an extra in "Davy Crockett, Indian Scout" with close friend George Montgomery. Some accounts list "Fort Apache" with John Wayne in 1949 as his second movie, but Don himself says it was Indian Scout. In both of these films, Don said he was used in many of the scenes, but he had no speaking parts. Don appeared in the T.V series The High Chaparral which premiered on the 10 September 1967 and ran for four years, his character's name was Sam, Don appeared in three movies with John Wayne. Picture from The War Wagon 1967.
Johnny Crawford born on 26 March 1946 in Los Angeles, California, USA Johnny Crawford came from a theatrical family. As a child , he began a T.V career as one of Walt Disney's original Mouseketeers. It wasn't long before he landed the role of Mark McCain in ABC-T.V's popular Western Series "The Rifleman" starring Chuck Connors. The shows debut was in 1958, on Tuesday nights. Johnny's recordings of the song "Cindy's Birthday, Rumors and Patti Ann", just to name a few are still remembered to this day by teenagers who grew up with him. After graduating from Hollywood High School in 1964, Johnny continued to appear in tons of television shows and movies. He learned how to ride and rope on The Rifleman set so he rode the professional rodeo circuit for two years. He was then drafted into the army, were he spent two years making training movies. When he was discharged he returned to acting and singing. After being a bachelor for many years, Johnny was reunited with his high school sweetheart in 1990. Johnny & Charlotte were married in 1995 and they live in a 1927 house in the Hollywood Hills, surrounded by musical instruments and guarded by their family of rescued animals. Johnny appeared in two films with the Duke. Picture from El Dorado 1966.
Bob Steele was born Robert Adrian Bradbury on 23 January 1907 in Pendleton, Oregon, USA, American Western star and character actor whose career spanned six decades, he was the son of director Robert N. Bradbury. He appeared in vaudeville with his parents and with his twin brother Bill Bradbury appeared as a child in a series of 16 semi- documentary short films directed by their father, The Adventures of Bob and Bill. As Bob Bradbury Jr., he played juvenile roles in silent films, then took the stage name Bob Steele in 1927. He appeared in scores of films during the Thirties, rising to B-Western stardom and an apparently solid position as one of Republic Studios' top draws. He appeared in six films with the Duke, Bob passed away on 21 December 1988 in Burbank, California, USA. Picture from The Commancheros 1961.
Jim Davis was Born Marlin Davis on 26 August 1909 in Edgerton, Missouri, USA. A tall, rangy character actor in many westerns and outdoor dramas. Born and raised in Missouri, Jim Davis' relaxed, easygoing manner and Southern drawl typified the image of the cowboy, and he spent many years at Republic doing just that. He alternated between good-guy and villain roles, one of his better roles being that of the devious, murderous fur trapper working for Kirk Douglas' competition in The Big Sky 1952. He was best remembered as Jock Ewing in Dallas, he also appeared in three movies with The Duke, Jim passed away on 26 April 1981 in Northridge, California, USA. Picture from Big Jake 1971.
Born Beulah Bondy on 3 May 1888 in Chicago, Illinois, USA . A small, pleasantly homely woman, Bondi infused many of her roles with great spirit and determination. She'd made her stage debut at the age of seven, and spent several decades on stage, in stock, and repertory theatre, before moving to Broadway. Often cast as mothers, grandmothers, and hardy pioneer women-both sweet and vicious-she snagged Oscar nominations for her performances in The Gorgeous Hussy 1936 and Of Human Hearts 1938. Beulah appeared in two movies with John. Beulah passed away on 1 January 1981 in Hollywood, California, USA. Picture from The Sheperd Of The Hills.
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Stevens, on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. She went to work at the local telephone company for $14 dollars a week, but she had the urge to somehow enter show business. Dreams, that was all it was. When not working, she pounded the pavement in search of dancing jobs. The persistence paid off, Barbara was hired as a chorus girl for the princely sum of $40 a week. This was so much better than the wages she was getting from the phone company. She was 17, and she was going to make the most out of the opportunity that had been given her. In 1928, Barbara moved to Hollywood where she was about to start out on one of the most lucrative career filmdom had ever seen. She was an extremely versatile actress, who could adapt to any role, it was a film career that lasted for 59 years. She appeared in only one film with John Wayne "Baby Face 1933", Barbara passed away on 20 January 1990 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Shelley Winters was born Shirley Schrift on 18 August 1920 in East St. Louis, Illinois, USA, Shelley Winters one of the most respected actresses of the golden age of Hollywood. Although she didn't have stunning looks, she competed against the best of them. She proved to everyone that great work would never go unnoticed. She wrote several tell all biographies that ruffled a few feathers throughout the industry. She is known for being very vocal about her opinions, even if that means offending a few people. She studied at The Actor's Studio in New York. Shelley appeared in two films with the Duke. Shelley passed away on January 14, 2006 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Ray Teal on 12 January 1902 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA . Ray Teal was one of the most versatile character actors in the business. In his almost 40-year career he played everything from cops to gunfighters to sheriffs to gangsters to a judge at the Nuremberg War Crimes trials. He could play a kindly grandfather in one film and a bullying, sadistic killer in the next, and be equally believable in both roles. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he was a musician who worked his way through college playing the sax in local bands. At UCLA in the 1920s he formed his own band and led it until 1936. He appeared in several films in minor bit parts, and it wasn't until 1938 that he had a somewhat more substantial part, in Western Jamboree 1938. Best remembered as the no-nonsense Sheriff Roy Coffee on the long-running western series "Bonanza" 1959. Roy appeared in two movies with The Duke. Roy passed away on 2 April 1976 in Santa Monica, California, USA. Picture from Chisum 1970.
Jeffrey Hunter was Born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr. on 25 November 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. was an only child. His parents met at the University of Arkansas, and when he was almost four his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In his teens he acted in productions of the North Shore Children's Theatre, and from 1942 to 1944 performed in summer stock with the local Port Players, along with Eileen Heckart, Charlotte Rae and Morton DaCosta, and was a radio actor at WTMJ, getting his first professional paycheck in 1945 for the wartime series "Those Who Serve". After graduation from Whitefish Bay High School, where he was co-captain of the football team, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and underwent training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, in 1945-1946. On the eve of his transfer to duty in Japan, however, he took ill and received a medical discharge from the service. He was in the cast of a UCLA production of "All My Sons" in May 1950, and on opening night talent scouts for Paramount and 20th Century-Fox in the audience zeroed in on the tall, blue-eyed and impossibly good-looking Hunter. He made a screen test with Ed Begley in a scene from "All My Sons" at Paramount (where he met Barbara Rush, his future wife), but after an executive shake-up at that studio derailed his hiring, he was signed by 20th Century-Fox (where he remained under contract to 1959) and almost immediately sent on location in New York for Fourteen Hours 1951, all before the month was over. Hunter was kept fairly busy in pictures, working his way from featured roles to starring roles to first billing within two years in Single-Handed 1953. His big break came with The Searchers 1956, he also appeared in The Longest Day 1962, Jeffery passed away on May 27, 1969 in Los Angeles, California, USA, Picture from The Searchers 1956.
Buffalo Bill Jr. was born Jay Wilsey on 6 February 1896 in Hillsdale, Missouri, USA, Missouri-born cowboy Jay Wilsey was yet another youngster furnished with a catchy moniker, Buffalo Bill Jr., by enterprising Poverty Row producer Lester F. Scott Jr. and then left to fend for himself in the already overcrowded independent Western field of the mid-'20s. Newly renamed, Buffalo Bill Jr. (kids bought the deception hook, line, and sinker) starred in a series of fast-paced shoot-'em-ups with little in the way of production values but plenty of hard riding. Titles such as Hard-Hitting Hamilton 1924 and Quicker'n Lightnin' told the story and although never a mainstream Western star like Tom Mix, Wilsey gained enough of a following for Universal to star him in two late-silent serials, A Final reckoning and Pirate of Panama both 1929. As Jay Wilsey, the screen cowboy enjoyed steady employment in talkies as well, headlining in extremely low-budget oaters and doubling for Columbia star Charles Starrett. Wilsey's work is remembered only by die-hard Western fans, but for a short time in history, the name Buffalo Bill Jr. stood for non-stop action and excitement to rural audiences, who made this former cowboy a star despite his limited acting prowess. Jay appeared in five B western movies with Wayne, Jay passed away on 25 October 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born William Bryant on 31 January 1924 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. American general purpose actor William Bryant kept busy in outdoors films. He was featured in such westerns as Ride Beyond Vengeance 1966, Heaven with a Gun 1969 and John Wayne's Chisum 1970. His additional non-western credits include McQ 1974, Gable and Lombard 1976, Mountain Family Robinson 1977 (in a leading role) and Corvette Summer 1977. From 1976 through 1978, William Bryant costarred as Lieutenant Shilton on the Robert Wagner/Eddie Albert TV detective series Switch, and also appeared for a time as Lamont Corbin on the daytime American serial General Hospital. He also appeared in two movies with John, Bryant passed away on 26 June 2001 in Woodland Hills, California, USA. Picture from McQ 1974.
Don 'Red' Barry was born Donald Barry De Acosta on 11 January 1912 in Houston, Texas, USA, A college football star, Don next went from the stage to the screen. After 4 years of playing the heavy at a number of studios, Don got the role that would change his image. That role was as Red Ryder in the Republic serial Adventures of Red Ryder 1940. Although he had appeared in westerns for two years or so, this was the one that would keep him there. He would acquire the nickname 'Red' from his association with the Red Ryder character. After that he starred in a number of films as other characters such as the Cyclone Kid and the Tulsa Kid. Short in stature with an athletic build, he looked like Cagney, but could not act like Cagney. He continued to star in Westerns throughout the 40s, but his career stopped by 1950. After that, he would still appear in Westerns, but he would be in a supporting roles. By the 70s he was cast in small parts in cheaply made movies. Don appeared in two movies with John. Don passed away on 17 July 1980 in Hollywood, California, USA. Picture from Rio Lobo 1970.