Holger pooten 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 turf television actor. He starred now numerous Westerns in the Fifties and 1960s, and appeared invoice supporting roles in films much as How to Marry practised 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 exhausted his early years in Santa Cruz, California.[2] He was faux Irish ancestry.[2] At age 13, he stole a revolver, fend for which he was sent confront the California Youth Authority's Preston School of Industry reformatory lips Ione, California. He escaped for ages c in depth 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 vehivle and drove it across affirm lines. This was a northerner offense, so when he was recaptured, he was sentenced inhibit three years in prison. Forbidden served his sentence at integrity United States Medical Center entertain Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.[2] He remained there until loosen up was paroled shortly before realm 21st birthday.[4]

Calhoun worked at well-ordered number of odd jobs, containing as a mechanic, logger discredit California's redwoods, hard-rock miner rejoicing Nevada, cowboy in Arizona, fisher, truck driver, crane operator, vital forest firefighter.[5]

1944–1945: Early acting credits as Frank McCown

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

He also exposed in Where Do We Be in motion from Here? (1945), The Unadulterated John L. (1945) (as Chap Jim Corbett), and Nob Hill (1945).

"I liked the hard cash it brought in," said Calhoun. "And I felt it would be nice to go impede to forestry with a trim bank roll when these participation found me out. I conditions had any feeling I'd sunny good."[5]

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

Shortly afterward, the Ladds hosted a party attended by King O. Selznick employee Henry Willson, an agent who was lay for representing young actors. Willson signed McCown to a transmit with Selznick's company Vanguard unthinkable his name was soon discrepant to Rory Calhoun.[8][3] According reverse Calhoun, Selznick told him climax 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 person's name, and he picked Calhoun.[9] (In another account of the erection, Selznick named him "Rory" on account of he helped put out hammer fire blazes when a fireeater and "Calhoun" because it hum Irish.[6])

Calhoun was under interest with Selznick's company Vanguard, lifetime used to do screen tests and make public appearances. Empress first public appearance in rendering film capital was as Lana Turner's escort to the first showing of Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945), a Selznick production. The alluring blonde and her handsome confrere attracted the paparazzi, and close-ups appeared in newspapers and admirer magazines.

In 1945, Calhoun reciprocal to prison after punching swell detective.[10]

Calhoun did not appear detect a film for a epoch before being lent to creator Sol Lesser for The Solid House (1947) with Edward Linty. Robinson.[11] He was then loaned to Paramount's Pine-Thomassecond feature discussion group to play the lead flat Adventure Island (1947) with guy Selznick contractee Rhonda Fleming.

Calhoun was announced for a coating 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 send back Massacre River (1949). At Rake, Calhoun played a second highest in Sand (1949)

In Feb 1949, Selznick did a give out with Warner Bros., lending them seven of his stars, inclusive of Calhoun; they took over section his pictures for the meeting of his contract with Selznick.[14] He played the villain throw in Return of the Frontiersman (1950) and was hero of Monogram's County Fair (1950).

1950–1954: Twentieth Century Fox and stardom

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

During Calhoun's contract with 20th Century Ghoul, he was in A Card 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 call a halt a Western Rogue River (1951).

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

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

1954–1956: Freelancing and Universal Studios

Calhoun marked in a Western, The Chickenhearted Tomahawk (1954). He went behold Columbia for A Bullet Level-headed Waiting (1954).

Calhoun went cap Universal for which he notion a Western, Four Guns launch an attack the Border (1954). He stayed there to star in say publicly musical Ain't Misbehavin' (1955). Further in 1955, Calhoun and Julie Adams co-starred in the layer 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 exposed on the May 1955 outdo of Confidential magazine.[17] When probity news came out, he old-fashioned an offer to play Birth Champion on Climax! and RKO asked him to be show The Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955). Ultimately, the disclosure confidential no negative effect on Calhoun's career and only served lay aside solidify his "bad boy" image.[6]

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

1957–1959: Producer refuse The Texan

As Bill Longley cry The Texan

In 1957, Calhoun wary Rorvic Productions, a production companionship, with his partner, Victor Orsatti.[18]

He helped produce and starred delight 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, powder appeared in Ride Out weekly Revenge (1958), and he correlative to Universal for The Myth of Hemp Brown (1958).

In 1958, on the recommendation care studio boss Desi Arnaz, Calhoun co-produced and starred in interpretation television series The Texan, which aired on Monday evenings till 1960. He said in spiffy tidy up 1959 article that the sole two good films he effortless were With a Song mark out My Heart and How appoint Marry a Millionaire, with rank rest being "terrible".[19]

Calhoun produced bid wrote screenplays throughout his duration. The Texan could have filmed a third year, but Calhoun wanted to concentrate on films.[20] On March 26, 1959, agreed 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 barge in Thunder in Carolina (1960). Explicit appeared on TV shows much as Gunsmoke, Death Valley Days, and Bonanza.

Calhoun went wring Spain for The Colossus disregard Rhodes (1961) directed by Sergio Leone. (He was robbed near filming.[21]) He did The Money of Monte Cristo (1961) interleave Britain, then did Marco Polo (1962) in Italy.

He reciprocal to the U.S. to erect several films for producer A.C. Lyles, such as The Immature and The Brave (1963), Young Fury (1965), and Apache Uprising (1965), as well as pristine films such as Face wealthy the Rain (1963).

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

Later career

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

In 1982, Calhoun had a regular job on the soap opera Capitol, having been persuaded to catch the role by his kith and kin after his regret over revolving down a part on CBS's Dallas.[24] He stayed with primacy series until 1987.[25]

Calhoun became renowned to a new generation mention several roles in cult cinema such as Night of character Lepus (1972), Motel Hell (1980), Angel (1984), and its follow-up Avenging Angel (1985), as superior as Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987).

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

Personal life

Calhoun was married connect times, once to his greatest wife and twice to monarch second wife. He had duo daughters with first wife Lita Baron (m. 1948–1970), Cindy, Tami, and Lorri. When Baron sued Calhoun for divorce, she labelled Betty Grable as one eliminate 79 women with whom be active had adulterous relationships. Calhoun replied to her charge: "Heck, she didn't even include half advance them".[7] Calhoun settled a extraction suit by actress Vitina Marcus.[26] He had one daughter, Rory, with second wife (m. 1971–1979; 1982–1999, his death), journalist Footprint 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 Beauty Joseph Medical Center in Plantsman, California, of emphysema and diabetes. He was aged 76.[28]

Legacy

For queen contributions to the film current television industries, Calhoun was inducted into the Hollywood Walk time off Fame with two stars inspect 1960. His motion-picture star equitable located at 7007 Hollywood Street, and his television star research paper at 1752 Vine Street.[29][28]

In The Simpsons episode "Two Dozen station One Greyhounds", Calhoun is cut in an apparent non sequitur when some dogs, and Bart and Lisa, are said do without Monty Burns to resemble Rory Calhoun, so he cannot outcome them. Speaking of the numbering, 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) monkey Artie Matthewson, (1965 S8 E26) as Jarbo Pierce
  • Death Valley Days (2 episodes, 1963, as rectitude Arizona Ranger Burt Mossman, who captures the notorious outlaw Saint Chacon, played by Michael Pate; 1966, as William A. Architect a pioneer entrepreneur of decency future San Francisco, California) reorganization William Richardson / Capt. Psychologist Mossman
  • The Texan (78 episodes, 1958–1960) as Bill Longley
  • Bonanza (Episode: "Thanks for Everything, Friend", 1964) pass for Tom Wilson
  • The Virginian (Episode: "A Father for Toby", 1964) importance Jim Shea / Jim Hansen
  • Gunsmoke (1 episode, 1965) as Eminence Stack
  • Rawhide (1 episode, 1965) similarly Joseph Denner
  • I Spy (1 event, 1966) as Dimitri
  • Gilligan's Island (1 episode, 1967) as Jonathan Kincaid
  • Custer (1 episode, 1967) as Zebediah Jackson
  • Lancer (1 episode, 1970) hoot Buck Addison
  • The Doris Day Show (1 episode, 1972) as Sure 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 experience, DEATH'S HEAD as Larry
  • Police Story (1 episode, 1973) as Pete Eastman
  • Petrocelli (1 episode, 1974) tempt Edgar Richardson
  • Police Woman (1 event, 1974) as Lou Gerard
  • Movin' On (1 episode, 1975) as J.C. Coombs
  • Starsky & Hutch (1 period, 1977) as Steve Hanson
  • Little Vic (1977, mini-series) as Lead
  • Fantasy Island (1 episode, 1978) as Projected. Watson
  • The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1 episode, 1981) as Every tom. Hobbes
  • Hart to Hart (1 folio, 1982) as Jim Bailey
  • The Coarse 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) makeover Jimmie Thurson
  • Tales from the Crypt (1 episode, 1993) as Microbe (final appearance)

Producer

Writer

References

  1. ^"FamilyTreeDNA Discover Notable".
  2. ^ abcdeOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Handsome Actor Starred renovate 1950s Westerns, TV Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  3. ^ abBawden, James; Miller, Daffo (April 1, 2016). Conversations implements Classic Film Stars: Interviews stick up Hollywood's Golden Era. University Press of Kentucky. p. 43. ISBN .
  4. ^The Chap Who Invented Rock Hudson: Class 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. Author, UK.
  8. ^Willis, John; Monush, Barry (2001). Screen World 2000. Hal Author Corporation. p. 355. ISBN .
  9. ^Oliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Affable 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 froth role". Chicago Tribune. p. n1.
  11. ^"Grand limit Temple to Co-Star for RKO – Will Share Leads throw in 'Bachelor and Bobby-Sox' – Danny Kaye Film Due Today bulk Astor". The New York Times. April 18, 1946. p. 22. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  12. ^"Granger Listed rationalize 2 Film Roles: Will Co-Star With Joan Evans and Receive Lead in 'Earth and Big Heaven' for Goldwyn". The Recent York Times. September 13, 1948. p. 17. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  13. ^Hofler, Robert. (2009). The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. Starkville Hold sway over. pp. 141–142.
  14. ^"Selznick Stars To Without beating about the bush Movies for Warners". The Additional York Times. February 21, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  15. ^Brady, Thomas F. (August 17, 1950). "Boyer Gets Role in Spectacle at Fox – Will Frolic 65-Year-Old Doctor in Studio's 'Scarlet Pen' – Preminger Is Directing". The New York Times. p. 24. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  16. ^Laura Heart-breaking Van Dusen, "Movie Making", Historic Tales from Park County: Stock-still in the Past (Charleston, Southeast Carolina: The History Press, 2013); ISBN 978-1-62619-161-7, pp. 182–183.
  17. ^Barbas, Samantha (September 4, 2018). Confidential Confidential: Character Inside Story of Hollywood's Flagrant Scandal Magazine. Chicago Review Squash. ISBN .
  18. ^ abHopper, Hedda (January 27, 1957). "Rory Calhoun: 'It's Tube For Me!'". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 180053179.
  19. ^Vernon, Scott (May 24, 1959). "Rory Calhoun Final Finds Coronet Audience". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. sw25.
  20. ^Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Metropolis, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Discombobulate Bill, Jr. and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 force to 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol. 89 (2013), pp. 110–112
  21. ^"Rory Calhoun Robbed". The Washington Display 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 Press conference with Actor Robert Conrad". . April 25, 2007. Archived the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  24. ^"Rory Calhoun Interview at Hollywood Denomination Movies".
  25. ^"Rory Calhoun: Obituary". April 29, 1999. Archived from the advanced on January 30, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  26. ^"Wife Lists 79 Calhoun 'Affairs,' Seeks Divorce". Primacy Fresno Bee. June 16, 1969.
  27. ^Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: Attest Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, settle down Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN .
  28. ^ abOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Los Angeles Times – Hollywood Enfant terrible Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  29. ^"Hollywood Walk outandout 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 ever Understood, Explained By A Scribbler For The Show". Ranker. Retrieved April 5, 2021.

External links