co-stars part eight
Born Robert Charles Duran Mitchum, August 6, 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USARobert Mitchum was an underrated American leading man of enormous ability, who sublimated his talents beneath an air of disinterest. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Ann Harriet (Gunderson), a Norwegian immigrant, and James Thomas Mitchum, a shipyard/railroad worker. His father died in a train accident when he was two, and Robert and his siblings (including brother John Mitchum, later also an actor) were raised by his mother and stepfather (a British army major) in Connecticut, New York, and Delaware. An early contempt for authority led to discipline problems, and Mitchum spent good portions of his teen years adventuring on the open road. He later claimed that on one of these trips, at the age of 14, he was charged with vagrancy and sentenced to a Georgia chain gang, from which he escaped. Working a wide variety of jobs (including ghostwriter for astrologist Carroll Righter), Mitchum discovered acting in a Long Beach, California, amateur theater company. He worked at Lockheed Aircraft, where job stress caused him to suffer temporary blindness. About this time he began to obtain small roles in films, appearing in dozens within a very brief time. In 1945, he was cast as Lt. Walker in Story of G.I. Joe (1945) and received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor. Robert appeared in two movies with John, Picture from El Dorado 1966. Robert passed away on July 1, 1997 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.
Born Odette Quignard on 28 June 1898 in Paris, France, Owned and operated a popular restaurant in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Odette Myrtil married at one time to Bob Adams 1948, one of the singing duo "The Two Bobs", an American novelty team which traveled to England in 1912 and started a new rage for ragtime, introducing such songs as "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Casey Jones". Odette appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Fighting Kentuckian 1949, Odette passed away on 18 November 1978 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA.
Born Hein van der Niet on 30 September 1905 in Scheveningen, 's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, Philip Dorn a former matinee idol in Holland and Germany, he fled to America before WWII and portrayed anti-Nazi patriots and continental romancers in Hollywood. Forced to retire after suffering an injury while on stage in Holland 1955, he lived out the rest of his life in relative seclusion. Dogged by ill health in post-war years. Philip appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Fighting Kentuckian 1949, Philip passed away on 9 May 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Jack O'Shea on 6 April 1906 in San Francisco, California, USA, Born two weeks before the great San Francisco earthquake, Jack O'Shea held down a variety of jobs before entering films in 1938. Nearly always cast as swarthy, mustachioed Western villains, he more than earned his billing as "Black Jack O'Shea" and "the Man You Love to Hate." An able stunt man, he doubled for such stocky performers as Lou Costello, Leo Carrillo, and Orson Welles. Retiring from films in the mid-'50s, Jack O'Shea kept busy as the proprietor of an antique shop in Paradiso, CA, where he briefly served as honorary mayor (given his unsavory screen image, one wonders if he fixed the election). Jack appeared in eight movies with John Wayne, Picture from Flame of the Barbary Coast 1945, Jack passed away on 1 October 1967 in Paradise, California, USA.
Born James Westerfield on 22 March 1913 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, Character actor James Westerfield made comparatively few films, as his first love was the stage; he produced, directed and acted in a number of Broadway productions, and was the recipient of two New York Drama Critics awards. In films from 1941 (he's easily recognizable as a traffic cop in Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons), he was generally cast as villains, notably as a recurring rapscallion on the 1963 TV series The Travels of Jamie McPheeters. Disney fans will remember Westerfield as the flustered small-town police officer (variously named Hanson and Morrison) in such fanciful farces as The Shaggy Dog 1959, The Absent Minded Professor (1960) and Son of Flubber 1963. James Westerfield was married to actress Fay Tracy. James appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Sons of Katie Elder 1965, James passed away on 20 September 1971 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Michael Joseph Anderson, Jr. on August 6, 1943 in Hillingdon, Greater London, England, The son of a noted British filmmaker, Michael Anderson Jr. began his career as an actor in 1957. Playing leading roles in British and American films and television during the '60s, Anderson later continued playing co-leads and supporting roles. Michael appeared in only one movie with John Wayne. Picture from The Sons of Katie Elder 1965.
Born Michael James Vijencio Gubitosi on 18 September 1933 in Nutley, New Jersey, USA, Robert Blake began acting at the age of two. At ten he appeared in the Academy Award-winning classic The Treasure Of Sierra Madre, and played a young John Garfield in Humoresquee. Thirty years later he would turn in one of film's most chilling performances as real-life murderer Perry Smith in the screen adaptation of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. He also played a stockcar racer in Corky, an Arizona motorcycle cop in Electra Glide In Blue, and a fugitive Indian in Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here. In the late seventies, Blake starred as a tough New York cop in the popular television series Baretta, for which he won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and three People's Choice Awards. In 1983, he received critical praise for his work as Hoffa in the TV movie Blood Feud. In 1993, he earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in Judgment Day: The John List Story. Last year, Blake appeared with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in Joseph Ruben's Money Train. Robert appeared in two movies with John Wayne.
Born Lowell Gilmore on 20 December 1906 in Minnesota, USA, A suave-looking, wavy-haired supporting actor who always seemed more British than American despite his Midwest origins, Lowell Gilmore had appeared in a host of successful Broadway productions, including Autumn Crocus 1932 and the 1935 Theatre Guild revival of The Taming of the Shrew, before making his screen debut as Gregory Peck's second-in-command in Days of Glory 1944. Often cast as a cad, Gilmore added numerous television guest appearances to his list of credits in the 1950s, including the role of Pontius Pilate in the "Crucifixion and Resurrection" episode of The Living Christ Series 1951. Lowell appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Sea Chase 1955, Lowell passed away on 31 January 1960 in Hollywood, California, USA.
Born Betty Jeanne Grayson on 5 October 1925 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA, Even as an infant, Gail Davis was "playing" characters younger than herself; she won the Most Beautiful Baby in Arkansas contest at the ripe old age of two. While a student at Texas University, Davis performed in a camp show, where she caught the eye of visiting celebrity Gene Autry. Placed under contract by Autry, she co-starred in 15 of his films and twice as many episodes of his various TV series, often cast as a pre-teen tomboy. From 1952 to 1956, she was starred on the Autry-produced TV's Annie Oakley. Even when production ceased on this series, Davis remained under contract to Autry, performing in his travelling rodeo as a rider, roper, and trick shooter. During this period, she was forbidden to cut off her trademarked Annie Oakley pigtails; it wasn't until 1959 that she was able to let down her hair, so to speak, as a guest star on The Perry Como Show. After a few more TV appearances, Gail Davis retired from acting; she later became a partner in a company that managed other celebrities. Gail appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from Flying Leathernecks 1951, Gail passed away on 15 March 1997 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Finis Dean Smith on 15 January 1932 in Breckenridge, Texas, USA, Dean Smith was raised by his paternal grandmother and grandfather after his mother died when he was two. Dean grew up watching westerns at the local theaters and dreamed of following in his many western hero’s footsteps to be apart of Hollywood and make westerns. He was an outstanding athlete in Graham High School making Look Magazine’s All American in the 100 yard dash. He went on to have an outstanding career at the University of Texas in track and football. He won eight Southwest Conference titles and won every major relay in the US including the National Championships. He went to the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki Finland and won the gold in the 400 meter relay. He got beat in the 100 meters in the closest finish in Olympic history. He did two years in the Army and played for the LA Rams. His Olympic roommate J.W. Mashburn introduced him to his good friend James Garner. Garner helped Dean get into the business and he made a name doing stunts and doubling many leading men like Dale Robertson, Robert Redford, so many in fact they are too numerous to count. Dean appeared in 10 movies with John Wayne. Picture from Rio Lobo 1970.
Born John H. Lebzelter on 18 September 1920 in Newark, New Jersey, USA, Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, at the age of 17, young Jack Lebzelter was expelled from Louisville's Du Pont Manuel High School for repeatedly fighting. Good with his fists, he turned professional, boxing as a welterweight under the name "Johnny Costello", adopting his mother's maiden name. (In an interview, Jack Warden said that his mother had tried to suppress his identification with Judaism, possibly out of a misguided sense of having him avoid the then-prevalent anti-Semitism of American society. However, as he got older, his Jewish heritage became more important to him.) The purses were poor, so he soon left the ring. Signing up with the U.S. Navy in 1938. He served in China for with the Yangtzee River Patrol for the best part of his three year hitch before joining the Merchant Marine in 1941. Though the Merchant Marine paid better than the Navy, Warden was dissatisfied with his life aboard ship on the long convoy runs and quit in 1942 in order to enlist in the U.S. Army. He became a paratrooper with the elite 101st Airborne Division, and missed the June 1944 invasion of Normandy due to a leg badly broken by landing on a fence during a night time practice jump shortly before D-Day. He was demobilized with the rank of sergeant and decided to pursue an acting career on the G.I. Bill. He moved to New York City to attend acting school, then joined the company of the Dallas Alley Theater in 1947 as a professional actor, taking his father's middle name as his surname. Jack appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from Donovan's Reef 1963, Jack passed away on 19 July 2006, New York, New York, USA.
Born Loren Janes on 1 October 1931 in Sierra Madre, California, USA, One of the key figures in the development of modern cinematic stunt design, improved safety procedures and co-founder of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures & Televsion, Loren Janes ranks alongside Dar Robinson, Hal Needham and Yakima Canutt for his contributions to movie stunt work. Janes has lent his athletic skills to many amazing stunt sequences in over 130 feature films, and has doubled for some of Hollywood's biggest stars including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson and even Debbie Reynolds in a career spanning nearly half a century. He has contributed his talents to such spectacular films as Ten Commandments, The 1956, Spartacus 1960, Magnificent Seven, The 1960, Planet of the Apes 1968, Towering Inferno, The 1974 and Beverly Hills Cop 1984. Ruggedly handsome, Janes has also had minor acting roles in over a dozen Hollywood feature films. In 2001, well known western actor L.Q. Jones presented Loren Janes with the Golden Boot Award for his lifetime contribution to the western film genre. Loren appeared in two movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Sons of Katie Elder 1965, but did stunts in a few besides. Loren passed away on 24th June 2017, Los Angeles.
Born Cedric Webster Hardwicke on 19 February 1893 in Lye, Worcestershire, England, UK, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, one of the great character actors in the first decades of the talking picture, was born in Lye, England on February 19, 1893. Hardwicke attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his stage debut in 1912. His career was interrupted by military service in World War I, but he returned to the stage in 1922 with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, distinguishing himself as Caesar in George Bernard Shaw 's "Caesar and Cleopatra", which was his ticket to the London stage. For his distinguished work on the stage and in films, he was knighted by King George V in 1934, a time when very few actors received such an honor. Hardwicke first performed on the American stage in 1936 and emigrated to the United States permanently after spending the 1948 season with the Old Vic. Hardwicke's success on stage and in films and television was abetted by his resonant voice and aristocratic bearing. Cedric only appeared in one movie with John, Picture from Tycoon 1947, Cedric passed away on 6 August 1964 in New York, New York, USA.
Born Olaf Wieghorst on 30 April 1899 in Viborg, Denmark, Olaf Wieghorst was a child acrobatic performer from the age of nine when he began appearances at Tivoli Theatre in Copenhagen and later toured Europe. In 1918, he arrived in the United States, having worked as a cabin boy on a steamer. He served in the 5th U.S. Cavalry on the Mexican border in the days of Pancho Villa. He also learned horseback riding working on a stock farm, and horses became a major focus of his admiration and later his painting. Olaf appeared in two movies with John, Picture from El Dorado 1966, Olaf passed away on 27 April 1988 in El Cajon, California, USA.
Born George Chesebro on 29 July 1888 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, He was an American character actor who, after a few leading roles in silent films, became an omnipresent bit player in "B" westerns. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chesebro became involved in traveling stock theater productions before the age of 20, and by 1911 was a seasoned performer. He played in a musical spectacular that toured Asia for two years, then returned to America and played in stock and vaudeville. Moving to Los Angeles in 1915, Chesebro began to supplement his vaudeville career with movie work and quickly began moving up the ladder of film success. World War I interrupted his work (sources differ as to whether he served in the US Navy or US Army). Following the war he resumed his movie career, starring in several popular serials. His popularity and the size of his roles waned during the 1920s, and with the arrival of talkies he was most often seen as heavies, henchmen and cops in a huge number of westerns and crime dramas, most of them low-budget. He became a fixture in "B" westerns, rarely billed but always familiar, and finished out his career in the 1950s with the demise of the B-Western. George appeared in three movies with John, George passed away on 28 May 1959 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Harrison Greene on 18 January 1884, Portland, Oregon, USA, Burly stage comedian and dialectician Harrison Greene came to Hollywood in 1933. In features, Greene was usually cast as a diplomat or aristocrat with a foreign accent to fit every occasion. He was seen to better advantage in short subjects, starring in the Pete Smith specialty Attention Suckers 1933 and essaying such supporting roles as exterminator A. Mouser in the Three Stooges' Ants in the Pantry 1936 and Bustoff the wrestler in another Stooge opus, Grips Grunts and Groans 1937. Elsewhere, Harrison Greene could be found playing slightly sinister foreigners in all three of Republic's Dick Tracy serials. Harrison appeared in three movies with John, Picture from Frontier Horizon 1939, Harrison passed away on 28 September 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.