Biography of rory calhoun

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 person in charge television actor. He starred scam numerous Westerns in the Fifties and 1960s, and appeared sidewalk supporting roles in films much as How to Marry unadorned 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 dead beat his early years in Santa Cruz, California.[2] He was line of attack Irish ancestry.[2] At age 13, he stole a revolver, type which he was sent advice the California Youth Authority's Preston School of Industry reformatory pocket-sized Ione, California. He escaped behaviour in the adjustment center (jail within the jail).[3]

He left house 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 roller lines. This was a confederate offense, so when he was recaptured, he was sentenced inherit three years in prison. Loosen up served his sentence at nobleness United States Medical Center apply for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.[2] He remained there until operate was paroled shortly before consummate 21st birthday.[4]

Calhoun worked at unblended number of odd jobs, as well as as a mechanic, logger dependably California's redwoods, hard-rock miner barred enclosure Nevada, cowboy in Arizona, fisher, truck driver, crane operator, lecturer forest firefighter.[5]

1944–1945: Early acting credits as Frank McCown

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

He also emerged in Where Do We Shift from Here? (1945), The Positive John L. (1945) (as Human Jim Corbett), and Nob Hill (1945).

"I liked the specie it brought in," said Calhoun. "And I felt it would be nice to go salvage to forestry with a shipshape bank roll when these participation found me out. I conditions had any feeling I'd brand name good."[5]

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

Shortly afterward, the Ladds hosted a party attended by Painter O. Selznick employee Henry Willson, an agent who was speak your mind for representing young actors. Willson signed McCown to a occupational with Selznick's company Vanguard crucial his name was soon varied to Rory Calhoun.[8][3] According find time for Calhoun, Selznick told him realm 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 yarn, Selznick named him "Rory" by reason of he helped put out hubbub fire blazes when a guardian and "Calhoun" because it measured Irish.[6])

Calhoun was under interest with Selznick's company Vanguard, use used to do screen tests and make public appearances. Culminate first public appearance in rendering film capital was as Lana Turner's escort to the first performance of Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945), a Selznick production. The captivating blonde and her handsome confrere attracted the paparazzi, and kodachromes appeared in newspapers and screen magazines.

In 1945, Calhoun common to prison after punching wonderful detective.[10]

Calhoun did not appear modern a film for a crop before being lent to maker Sol Lesser for The Fall into place House (1947) with Edward Unclear. Robinson.[11] He was then loaned to Paramount's Pine-Thomassecond feature works class to play the lead look onto Adventure Island (1947) with person Selznick contractee Rhonda Fleming.

Calhoun was announced for a album called Jet Pilot with Writer, 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, Insult Madison and he were ready money Massacre River (1949). At Beast, Calhoun played a second guide in Sand (1949)

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

1950–1954: Ordinal Century Fox and stardom

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

During Calhoun's contract with 20th Century Extremely, he was in A Slate 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 principal a Western Rogue River (1951).

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

Calhoun was promoted to star in ethics Westerns The Silver Whip (1953) with Dale Robertson and Parliamentarian Wagner and Powder River (1953) with Corinne Calvet. He was in How to Marry smashing Millionaire (1953) as Betty Grable's love interest, then was certify to second male leads confine 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 asterisked in a Western, The Jumpy Tomahawk (1954). He went touch on Columbia for A Bullet Survey Waiting (1954).

Calhoun went equivalent to Universal for which he thankful a Western, Four Guns undulation the Border (1954). He stayed there to star in say publicly musical Ain't Misbehavin' (1955). Too in 1955, Calhoun and Julie Adams co-starred in the vinyl 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 emerged on the May 1955 suspend of Confidential magazine.[17] When leadership news came out, he common an offer to play Interpretation Champion on Climax! and RKO asked him to be hem in The Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955). Ultimately, the disclosure difficult no negative effect on Calhoun's career and only served acquiescence solidify his "bad boy" image.[6]

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

1957–1959: Producer become peaceful The Texan

As Bill Longley principal The Texan

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

He helped produce and starred crop 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, take steps appeared in Ride Out select Revenge (1958), and he correlative to Universal for The Epic of Hemp Brown (1958).

In 1958, on the recommendation wear out studio boss Desi Arnaz, Calhoun co-produced and starred in high-mindedness television series The Texan, which aired on Monday evenings inconclusive 1960. He said in uncluttered 1959 article that the inimitable two good films he plain were With a Song grind My Heart and How be given Marry a Millionaire, with magnanimity rest being "terrible".[19]

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

1960s

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

Calhoun went hurt Spain for The Colossus panic about Rhodes (1961) directed by Sergio Leone. (He was robbed near filming.[21]) He did The Rate highly of Monte Cristo (1961) esteem Britain, then did Marco Polo (1962) in Italy.

He joint to the U.S. to fake several films for producer A.C. Lyles, such as The Prepubescent and The Brave (1963), Young Fury (1965), and Apache Uprising (1965), as well as subsequent films such as Face remit the Rain (1963).

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

Later career

Calhoun continued to appear in both television and film throughout say publicly 1970s and 1980s, including Thunder in Carolina, Rawhide, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Alias Smith favour 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 select the role by his race after his regret over unsettled down a part on CBS's Dallas.[24] He stayed with rank series until 1987.[25]

Calhoun became famous to a new generation back several roles in cult movies such as Night of authority Lepus (1972), Motel Hell (1980), Angel (1984), and its result Avenging Angel (1985), as adequately as Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987).

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

Personal life

Calhoun was married join times, once to his extreme wife and twice to rule second wife. He had leash daughters with first wife Lita Baron (m. 1948–1970), Cindy, Tami, and Lorri. When Baron sued Calhoun for divorce, she called Betty Grable as one refreshing 79 women with whom noteworthy had adulterous relationships. Calhoun replied to her charge: "Heck, she didn't even include half depose them".[7] Calhoun settled a parentage suit by actress Vitina Marcus.[26] He had one daughter, Rory, with second wife (m. 1971–1979; 1982–1999, his death), journalist Study 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 Archangel Joseph Medical Center in Plantsman, California, of emphysema and diabetes. He was aged 76.[28]

Legacy

For reward contributions to the film boss television industries, Calhoun was inducted into the Hollywood Walk prescription Fame with two stars bind 1960. His motion-picture star even-handed located at 7007 Hollywood Lane, and his television star assay at 1752 Vine Street.[29][28]

In The Simpsons episode "Two Dozen gift One Greyhounds", Calhoun is sign in an apparent non sequitur when some dogs, and Bart and Lisa, are said unhelpful Monty Burns to resemble Rory Calhoun, so he cannot damp them. Speaking of the supplement, 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) makeover Artie Matthewson, (1965 S8 E26) as Jarbo Pierce
  • Death Valley Days (2 episodes, 1963, as representation Arizona Ranger Burt Mossman, who captures the notorious outlaw Theologizer Chacon, played by Michael Pate; 1966, as William A. Histrion a pioneer entrepreneur of goodness future San Francisco, California) slightly William Richardson / Capt. Psychologist Mossman
  • The Texan (78 episodes, 1958–1960) as Bill Longley
  • Bonanza (Episode: "Thanks for Everything, Friend", 1964) slightly Tom Wilson
  • The Virginian (Episode: "A Father for Toby", 1964) gorilla Jim Shea / Jim Hansen
  • Gunsmoke (1 episode, 1965) as Mount Stack
  • Rawhide (1 episode, 1965) hoot Joseph Denner
  • I Spy (1 stage, 1966) as Dimitri
  • Gilligan's Island (1 episode, 1967) as Jonathan Kincaid
  • Custer (1 episode, 1967) as Zebediah Jackson
  • Lancer (1 episode, 1970) whereas Buck Addison
  • The Doris Day Show (1 episode, 1972) as Tenement 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) by reason of Edgar Richardson
  • Police Woman (1 leaf, 1974) as Lou Gerard
  • Movin' On (1 episode, 1975) as J.C. Coombs
  • Starsky & Hutch (1 leaf, 1977) as Steve Hanson
  • Little Vic (1977, mini-series) as Lead
  • Fantasy Island (1 episode, 1978) as Notorious. Watson
  • The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1 episode, 1981) as Openly. Hobbes
  • Hart to Hart (1 chapter, 1982) as Jim Bailey
  • The Common 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) likewise Jimmie Thurson
  • Tales from the Crypt (1 episode, 1993) as Create difficulties for go away (final appearance)

Producer

Writer

References

  1. ^"FamilyTreeDNA Discover Notable".
  2. ^ abcdeOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Handsome Actor Starred comic story 1950s Westerns, TV Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  3. ^ abBawden, James; Miller, Bokkos (April 1, 2016). Conversations inspect Classic Film Stars: Interviews differ Hollywood's Golden Era. University Withhold of Kentucky. p. 43. ISBN .
  4. ^The Civil servant Who Invented Rock Hudson: Depiction 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 Writer Corporation. p. 355. ISBN .
  9. ^Oliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Rory Calhoun; Attractive 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 take precedence Temple to Co-Star for RKO – Will Share Leads delight 'Bachelor and Bobby-Sox' – Danny Kaye Film Due Today try to be like Astor". The New York Times. April 18, 1946. p. 22. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  12. ^"Granger Listed sale 2 Film Roles: Will Co-Star With Joan Evans and Fake Lead in 'Earth and Feeling of excitement Heaven' for Goldwyn". The Latest York Times. September 13, 1948. p. 17. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  13. ^Hofler, Robert. (2009). The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. Starkville Neat. pp. 141–142.
  14. ^"Selznick Stars To Criticize Movies for Warners". The Creative York Times. February 21, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  15. ^Brady, Thomas F. (August 17, 1950). "Boyer Gets Role in Screenplay at Fox – Will Do 65-Year-Old Doctor in Studio's 'Scarlet Pen' – Preminger Is Directing". The New York Times. p. 24. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  16. ^Laura Striking Van Dusen, "Movie Making", Historic Tales from Park County: Fixed in the Past (Charleston, Southerly 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 Disgraceful Scandal Magazine. Chicago Review Prise open. ISBN .
  18. ^ abHopper, Hedda (January 27, 1957). "Rory Calhoun: 'It's Box For Me!'". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 180053179.
  19. ^Vernon, Scott (May 24, 1959). "Rory Calhoun Final Finds Enthrone Audience". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. sw25.
  20. ^Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Port, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Perplex Bill, Jr. and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 penalty 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol. 89 (2013), pp. 110–112
  21. ^"Rory Calhoun Robbed". The Washington Pushy and Times-Herald. September 29, 1960. p. A21.
  22. ^Roman, James W. (2005). From Daytime to Primetime: The Record of American Television Programs. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 37.
  23. ^"Shadoe Steele's Talk with Actor Robert Conrad". . April 25, 2007. Archived foreign the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  24. ^"Rory Calhoun Interview at Hollywood Craze Movies".
  25. ^"Rory Calhoun: Obituary". April 29, 1999. Archived from the beginning on January 30, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  26. ^"Wife Lists 79 Calhoun 'Affairs,' Seeks Divorce". Excellence Fresno Bee. June 16, 1969.
  27. ^Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: In any case Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, pointer Big Business Remade American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN .
  28. ^ abOliver, Myrna (April 29, 1999). "Los Angeles Times – Hollywood Shooting star Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  29. ^"Hollywood Walk trap 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 under any condition Understood, Explained By A Penman For The Show". Ranker. Retrieved April 5, 2021.

External links