co-stars part four
Natalie Wood was born on July 20, 1938 in San Francisco, California with the birth name of Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko. Her parents were Russian émigrés who hardly spoke any comprehensible English, but they changed the family name to Gurdin after becoming US citizens. When she was just four years old, Natalie appeared in her first film called Happy Land 1943 which was released in 1943. A production company had come to Santa Rosa where the Gurdins were living at the time and she won a bit part of a crying little girl who had just dropped her ice cream cone. With stars in her eyes for her daughter, Mrs. Gurdin packed the family and moved south to Los Angeles in the hopes that more films would come her daughter's way. Unfortunately, they did not, at least not at first and the family continued to scrape by much as they had done in Santa Rosa. She continued playing the roles of young girls until the age of 17, where she landed the role of 'Judy' in the legendary film Rebel Without a Cause 1955. This role showed Hollywood and the world that she had grown up into a beautiful and very talented young woman. For this role she was nominated for her first Academy Award. Natalie dated many big names in the entertainment business: James Dean Elvis, Raymond Burr and Dennis Hopper. However, on December 28th, 1957 Natalie married the love of her life 'Robert Wagner' They divorced in 1962, later to remarry. Natalie once commented about their divorce saying they were both scared, insecure and listened to others that their marriage wouldn't work. In the 1960s Natalie's career boomed and she was nominated for two more Academy Awards. Natalie only appeared in one memorable movie with John. Picture from The Searchers 1956, On November 29, 1981, Natalie was sailing on the yacht she shared with her husband, Robert Wagner, and their friend Walken, when Natalie drowned while trying to board the dinghy tied up alongside the yacht.
Born Constance Mary Towers on 20 May 1933 in Whitefish, Montana, USA, Trained at Julliard and the American Academy of Dramatic Art, actress Constance Towers made her first impression on the public as a film actress. Towers was seen as the resourceful Southern-belle leading lady of John Ford's The Horse Soldiers 1959, then essayed a similar characterization in Ford's Sergeant Rutledge 1960. For a brief period in the early 1960s, she was the pet actress of director Samuel Fuller, who effectively cast her in extremely demanding roles in Shock Corridor 1963 and The Naked Kiss 1965. With several film and TV appearances to her credit, Towers finally made her professional stage debut in a 1960 production of Guys and Dolls; one year later, she made her Broadway bow as star of Anya, a musicalization of Anastasia. Most closely associated with musicals, she has made hundreds of appearances in revivals of such Rodgers and Hammerstein classics as South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959.
Born on 29 October 1916 "Big" John Hamilton, Burly, stentorian-voiced John Hamilton worked on Broadway and in touring theatrical companies for many years prior to his 1930 film debut. He was in the original Broadway company of "Seventh Heaven" and would appear in the film remake (Seventh Heaven 1937 in 1937. He starred with Donald Meek in a series of short mysteries based on S.S. Van Dine stories for Warner Bros. He was often typecast as prison wardens, judges and police chiefs, but played various types of characters in an almost limitless number of films from the 1930s to the 1950s. He became famous when he was cast as Daily Planet newspaper editor Perry White in the 1950s TV classic "Adventures of Superman" 1952. Hamilton is often confused with John F. Hamilton, a British actor who made a few films in the US during the same period, and with several other actors of the same name.Was part of a group of actors that John Wayne regularly used in his films John appeared in four of the Dukes movies, Picture from McLintock 1963, Hamilton passed away on 5 December 1984 in Bexar County, Texas, USA.
Lloyd Whitlock born on 2 January 1891 in Springfield, Missouri, USA, The quintessential silent screen villain, mustachioed Lloyd Whitlock is perhaps best remembered as one of the kidnappers in Mary Pickford's Sparrows 1926 and for playing innumerable blackguards in B-Westerns and serials of the 1930s and 1940s. Trained as a civil engineer, Whitlock toured with several stock companies prior to making his screen debut with New York's Biography company in the very early 1910s. By the mid-1910s, he had become a featured actor for Kleine, Kalem, and Universal and was already more often than not cast as lecherous blackmailers, crooked lawyers, medical hacks, and the like. He made the transition to sound with ease but quickly began showing up in Poverty Row productions and is memorable as the airline manager in the John Wayne serial Hurricane Express 1932 and as the boss villain in four of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns for Monogram. Although his roles greatly diminished in importance from the mid-'30s on, Whitlock remained a busy supporting actor through the 1940s. Lloyd appeared opposite John Wayne in seven of his early movies, Picture from Hurricane Express 1932, Lloyd passed away on 8 January 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Lucile Browne born on 18 March 1907 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Pretty, blue-eyed Lucile Browne started out, like many another Hollywood actress, as a model. Unlike other models, however, she didn't go directly from there to films; she joined a theatrical troupe in Chicago, and spent time gaining experience before she headed to Hollywood, where in 1930 she was signed by Fox Film Corp. After parts in a few comedies and romance pictures, she found her niche in westerns and action serials. Her pretty, girl-next-door looks made her a natural to be menaced by sundry villains and rescued by stout-hearted heroes, and she proceeded to do just that for many studios, both major and minor. It was on the set of a 1932 Universal serial that she met actor James Flavin they soon married and stayed together for more than 40 years, until his death. Lucile basically retired from films in 1938 to raise her family, Lucile appeared in three movies opposite Wayne. Picture from Texas Terror 1935. She appeared in only a few films until her death on 10 May 1976 in Lexington, Virginia, USA.
Danny Borzage born on 24 December 1896 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Brother of director Frank Borzage and assistant director Lew Borzage. Danny actually had a separate, successful screen career beginning in the late '30s, closely associated with John Ford, starting in The Grapes of Wrath and Stagecoach, in both of which he played an accordion. Danny appeared alongside Wayne in nine of his movies, Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959. Danny passed away on 17 June 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Birth name Neil Russell born on 5 May 1926 in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. Probably best known for his role of the sheriff in "Bonanza" and Robert in The Magnificent Seven. Nicknamed "Bing" his notoriety on a national level was as the owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. Helming the only independent team in the class A Northwest League, Russell was an innovator. Russell kept a 30 man roster because he believed that some of the players deserved to have one last season. He hired the first female general manager in professional baseball, and the following year hired the first Asian American GM/Manager. His motto was simply one three lettered word - not WIN - although the Mavericks did that - no, the word was FUN. His team set a record for the highest attendance in Minor league history, and went on to win the pennant. Bing appeared in two movies with Wayne, Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959. Bing passed away on 8 April 2003 in Thousand Oaks, California, USA.
Born Edgar Washington Blue on 12 February 1898 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Negro character actor who tipified Hollywood's racist views of blacks in the 1930s as an easily frightened, wide-eyed, menial type. His career declined as the image of the black person became more respectful in an increasingly race-conscious age. Appeared in several films of the legendary director John Ford, Blue appeared in four movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Wings Of Eagles 1957, Blue passed away on 15 September 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Alberta F. Vaughn on 27 June 1904 in Ashland, Kentucky, USA. Sister to Ada Mae Vaughn. I can't find any information on this early actress, but she appeared in two movies with the Duke. The first being a silent movie called "The Drop Kick" 1927 with Duke playing the role of a U.S.C Football Player. The other movie is "Randy Rides Alone" one of his early B Movie Westerns, Picture from Randy Rides Alone 1934, Alberta passed away on 26 April 1992 in Studio City, California, USA.
Artie Ortego born on 9 February 1890 in San Jose, California, USA. There is no information on this character actor yet he appeared in fourteen of John Wayne's early westerns. His roles were eight times as a Henchman, three times as a Deputy, one as a Saloon Brawler, one as a Indian. The last movie he appeared in with Wayne his role was a Lordsburg bar patron in "Stagecoach" 1939, Artie passed away on 24 July 1960 in Burbank, California, USA.
Cecilia Parker born on 26 April 1905 in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. Daughter of a British army officer, moved with her family to Hollywood when she was a child. After graduation from high school she got a job as an extra. She did extra work for about a year before she was noticed by Fox executives, who signed her to a contract in 1931. Her career went along steadily if not spectacularly until 1937, when she was signed by MGM to play the older sister of Mickey Rooney in the "Andy Hardy" series. Although she had worked in everything from westerns to jungle serials, it is this part that people remember her for. She must have given MGM some trouble at one point, because in 1941 she was loaned out to ultra-cheapjack studio P.R.C for one picture, a fate that usually befell actors who displeased the higher-ups at the studios. All was apparently forgiven, though, as she made five more pictures at MGM before she retired in 1942. She returned in 1958 for one final Andy Hardy film, but went back to the real estate business with her husband. she only appeared in one movie with the Duke, Picture from Riders of Destiny 1933, Cecilia passed away on 25 July 1993 in Ventura, California, USA.
Born Charles John Conklin on 16 July 1880 in San Francisco, California, USA, I can't find any information on Heinie Conklin but he has appeared in numerous movies in his lifetime ranging from. Drama's, Comedy and Westerns, Though no relation to comedian Chester Conklin, Charles "Heinie" Conklin spent his early film years at Chester's alma mater, Mack Sennett's Keystone studios; in later years, Heinie claimed to be one of the original Keystone Kops. Heinie's silent-screen makeup consisted of heavy eyebrow lining and a thinnish, upside-down, painted-on variation of Kaiser Wilhelm's moustache. In areas where anti-German sentiments still ran high during the post-World War 1 era, Conklin was billed on screen as Charlie Lynn. One of Conklin's first talkie appearances was as the addled military hospital patient in All Quiet on the Western Front 1930. He spent most of his sound career in microscopic bit roles, often appearing at Columbia studios in support of such 2-reeler stars as The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, Hugh Herbert and Harry Langdon. Significantly, Heinie Conklin's last billed performance was in 1955's Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops. Heinie only appeared in two movies with the Duke, Picture from Riders of Destiny 1933, Heinie passed away on 30 July 1959 in Hollywood, California, USA.
Born Charles Edward Peil on 18 January 1883 in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, Enjoying a screen career that began in 1908 and lasted until the early '50s, Edward Peil Sr. remains one of those faces every lover of classic Hollywood movies knows so well but just cannot quite place. A barnstormer of the old school, Peil supported legendary stage diva Helena Modjeska in road companies of such theatrical classics as The Witching Hour and Brewster's Millions. Although he had dabbled in motion picture acting as early as 1908 (probably with the Philadelphia-based Lubin company), Peil came into his own with D.W. Griffith, who cast him as Evil Eye in Broken Blossoms 1919 and Swan Way in Dream Street (1921), not exactly characterizations that will endear him to modern, more politically correct moviegoers. Peil, whose last name was often misspelled "Piel," performed more evil-doing later in the decade, although age had a mellowing effect and he increasingly began playing gentleman ranchers, the heroine's father/uncle, decent lawmen, and the like, carving out a whole new career for himself in the field of B-Westerns. According to genre expert Les Adams, Peil made a total of 104 sound Westerns and 11 serials, adding the "Sr." to his name when his namesake son dropped his previous moniker of Johnny Jones. Father and son made one film together: the 1941 aviation drama I Wanted Wings. Edward appeared in eight movies with John Wayne, Picture from Blue Steel 1934, Peil passed away on 29 December 1958 in Hollywood, California, USA.
Eddy Chandler born on 12 March 1894 in Wilton Junction, Iowa, USA. Character actor who made his film debut on the East Coast in October 1911. After serving in WWI, continued with his film and stage career. Also appeared in vaudeville as a comedian and singer; when his act completed its run in Los Angeles, signed with Thomas Ince's 101 Ranch Productions. First appearing in westerns and silent comedies, he was later frequently cast as detectives and police officers. Was related through marriage to actor 'Philip Morris (I)', both being married to sisters of the same family. He appeared in two movies with the Duke, Picture from The Desert Trail 1935, Eddy passed away on 23 March 1948 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Ernest Edward Kovacs on 23 January 1919 in Trenton, New Jersey, USA. One of the great innovators in the TV medium, Kovacs wasn't nearly as well served by the cinema, where his multifarious talents were pretty much ignored and what work he did get was mainly as a character actor. As that, though, he was able to make something of an impression, especially in the witchcraft comedy Bell, Book and Candle 1958 and in a role as a somewhat menacing Cuban in Our Man in Havana 1960. Kovacs' other films include Operation Mad Ball 1957, his first, North to Alaska 1960, and Sail a Crooked Ship 1961. His best work, though, was seen on the small screen; his TV series combined his offbeat humour with pioneering special effects in a way that was practically surrealistic. A car crash took his life at the height of his career. His two daughters by his first wife also died in auto accidents, actress Mia Kovacs died in an auto accident on May 8, 1982. Kippie Kovacs died in an auto accident on July 28, 2001. Daughter. Ernie appeared in only one Wayne movie, Picture from North To Alaska 1960, Ernie passed away on 13 January 1962 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Marion Burns born on 9 August 1907 in Los Angeles, California, USA, A stage actress from the age of ten (when she appeared as Joan of Arc in a Red Cross benefit), brunette Marion Burns appeared on stage with Frederic March in The Royal Family of Broadway in 1928 and in The Front Page. Contracted by Fox, Burns was more often than not lent to independent B-Western producers, to appear opposite the likes of Bill Cody and John Wayne, a fact that may have shortened her screen career considerably. Divorced from actor Bruce MacFarlane, she later married Kane Richmond, her co-star in the jungle melodrama Flirting With Danger 1934. They were re-teamed nine years later for the Columbia serial Brenda Starr, Reporter 1945, Burns' final film performance, she was born in the same year as Wayne. Marion appeared in two movies with John, Picture from The Dawn Rider 1935, Marion passed away on 22 December 1993 Laguna Niguel, California, USA
Polly Ann Young born on 25 October 1908 Denver, Colorado, USA, There is no information on this actress as well except she is Aunt of Judy Lewis and Christopher Lewis, sister-in-law of Grant Withers, half-sister-in-law of Ricardo Montalban. Her sisters are Sally Blane and Loretta Young, Polly appeared in one film with the Duke Picture from The Man from Utah 1934, Polly passed away on 21 January 1997 in Los Angeles, California, USA.