Ken Curtis
Born: July 2, 1916 (as Curtis Wain Gates) (in Lamar, CO)
Died: April 28, 1991
Spouse(s): Lorraine Page (married c. 1943 - c. 1950, divorced)
Barbara Ford (married 1952 - 1964, divorced)
Torrie Connelly (married 1966 - 1991, his death)
Parents: Daniel Gates, Nellie Gates
Other family: brothers: Carl, Chester
Movies:
1945
Out of the Depths
Song of the Prairie
Rhythm Round-Up
1946
Lone Star Moonlight
Singing on the Trail
Cowboy Blues
That Texas Jamboree
Throw a Saddle on a Star
1947
Over the Santa Fe Trail
1949
Call of the Forest
Stallion Canyon
Riders of the Pony Express
1950
Wagonmaster (voice; singer)
Rio Grande (uncredited)
Everybody's Dancin'
1951
Fighting Coast Guard
Don Daredevil Rides Again
1952
The Quiet Man (uncredited)
1953
Hannah Lee (voice; title song)
1955
Mister Roberts
The Long Gray Line (uncredited)
1956
5 Steps to Danger (uncredited)
The Searchers
1957
Spring Reunion
The Wings of Eagles
1958
Escort West
The Last Hurrah
The Missouri Traveler
1959
The Killer Shrews
The Horse Soldiers
The Young Land
1960
The Alamo
Freckles
My Dog, Buddy
1961
Two Rode Together
1962
How the West Was Won (uncredited)
1964
Cheyenne Autumn
1973
Robin Hood (voice)
1976
Pony Express Rider
1978
Once Upon a Starry Night
1979
Ich möcht' so gern Dave Dudley hör'n
1981
California Gold Rush
Legend of the Wild
1983
Lost
1985
The All American Cowboy
1988
Once Upon a Texas Train
1991
Conagher
TV Shows & Mini-Series:
Airwolf
- Wildfire (1986)
The Aquanauts
- The Stakeout Adventure (1961)
- The Diana Adventure (1961)
Black Beauty (regular)(mini-series)
The Case of the Dangerous Robin
- Design for Death (1961)
Death Valley Days
- Graydon's Charge (1964)
Gunsmoke (regular, '64 - '75)
- The Jayhawkers (1959)
- Change of Heart (1959)
- The Ex-Urbanites (1960)
- Speak Me Fair (1960)
- Us Haggens (1962)
- Lover Boy (1963)
Have Gun - Will Travel
- The Posse (1959)
- The Naked Gun (1959)
- Love's Young Dream (1960)
- Soledad Crossing (1961)
- Pandora's Box (1962)
How the West Was Won
- Hillary (1979)
In the Heat of the Night
- December Days (1990)
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams
- Once Upon a Starry Night (1978)
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
- Warpath (1957) (uncredited)
Lørdagskveld med Erik Bye
- Lørdagskveld med Ken Curtis (1972)*
Lucky U Ranch, regular
The Mike Douglas Show
- Episode #11.107 (1972)
Perry Mason
- The Case of the Clumsy Clown (1960)
Petrocelli
- The Falling Star (1976)
Rawhide
- Incident of the Lost Idol (1961)
Ripcord (regular)
Sea Hunt
- The Octopus Story (1961)
This Is Your Life
- Ken Curtis (1972)
Vega$
- Death Mountain (1979)
Wagon Train
- The Horace Best Story (1960)
- The Colter Craven Story (1960)
The Yellow Rose (regular)
Other film work:
1941
Shep Fields and His New Music with Ken Curtis (Short)
1947
Screen Snapshots: My Pal, Ringeye (Short)
1957
The Growler Story (Short documentary)
1959
Woman On the Run (unsold TV pilot starring Joan Crawford)
1960
Spirit of the Alamo (TV Movie documentary)
1972
The World of Sport Fishing (Documentary)
1979
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (TV Movie documentary)
Produced:
1959
The Giant Gila Monster
The Killer Shrews
1960
My Dog, Buddy
Regular shows:
Lucky U Ranch
From November, 1951 to February, 1953, the Sons of the Pioneers had their own radio show, and for a shorter period of time they had their own television show; both ran five days a week.
Little is known about the lost television episodes, but the radio shows are still available, and the TV show apparently was just the radio show being filmed. Betty Taylor, and Frankie Messina joined the Pioneers. The Pioneers at this time consisted of Lloyd Perryman, Tommy Doss, Ken Curtis, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, and Shug Fisher.
Ken Curtis has double roles on the Lucky U, in fact; as well as playing "Ken Curtis," he plays "Dink Swink" a hillbilly-type character that Ken had used on personal appearances with the Pioneers. Dink meanders up from his home at the crossroads once in a while to listen to the boys sing, or to inform them that he heard them over his "ray-do."
The Lucky U Ranch maintained a unique balance of fact and fiction, and listener participation was encouraged. Every day on the radio show, an acre of land was given away to a "good deed doer" someone had written in about, and every show, near the end, Hugh reads an inspirational thought aloud.
Ripcord (Jun. 1961 - Sept. 1963, 76 episodes)
Larry Pennell and Ken Curtis star in Ripcord as Ted McKeever and Jim Buckley, two men involved in the exciting sport of skydiving. Using their knowledge to help people, they frequently make rescue-jumps to save someone who cannot be reached by any other means. For season one, Paul Comi played the pilot of their private Cessna airplane; he was replaced in season two by Shug Fisher (a friend and longtime co-worker of Ken's).
The show was fairly popular and today many people remember watching real skydiving footage with a story woven around it as children.
Ripcord on DVD:
Season One
Season Two
Gunsmoke (Sept. 1955 - Mar. 1975, 635 episodes)
The longest-running Western, and one of the longest-running television shows of all time, Gunsmoke was undoubtebly a popular series.
The series starred James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City, Kansas.
Amanda Blake played Miss Kitty, who works at/owns the Long Branch Saloon. Amanda Blake left the series for the final season, therefore playing Kitty for nineteen years.
Other regulars include Milburn Stone as Doc Adams (complete series), Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode (seasons 1 - 9), and Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen (seasons 9 - 20).
When Gunsmoke began, it was half an hour long, black and white, and stayed more strictly geared toward adults than in later years when it became an hour long, and then color.
Many others had regular or semi-regular roles throughout the long series. Glenn Strange, Buck Taylor, Burt Reynolds, and Roger Ewing all had their turns at appearing regularly on Gunsmoke.
Ken Curtis had several guest-roles on Gunsmoke before taking the regular role of Festus, including one in which he played Festus ("Us Haggens"). See credits above.
Black Beauty (1978, 5 episodes)
Loosely based on the classic children's book, Black Beauty was a TV mini-series starring Edward Albert, Peter Breck, Eileen Brennan, Lonny Chapman, Ken Curtis, and Don Defoe.
Black Beauty on DVD:
Black Beauty - The Complete Mini-Series
The Yellow Rose (Oct. 1983 - May 1984, 22 episodes)
Following the popularity of Dallas, many similarly-flavored soap operas sprouted up, and The Yellow Rose was one of them, although it was more of a combination soap opera/Western. "The Yellow Rose" was a 200,000-acre cattle and oil ranch owned by the Champion family---but not always the Champion family. The Hollisters once owned the ranch, but lost it through a bet. Now both families are involved in the ranch.
Sam Elliot, David Soul, Edward Albert, Cybill Shepherd, Chuck Connors, Jane Russel, Ken Curtis, and Noah Beery, Jr. are some of the cast members of The Yellow Rose.
After just one season, the show was pulled from the network (NBC).
* "Lørdagskveld med . . ." translates to "Saturday Evening with. . . ."
*************************
Movie/TV credit information is taken from Internet Movie Database, unless otherwise noted, and is updated and corrected if needed.
February 26, 2017
February 19, 2017
The Deerslayer (1957)
Starring . . .
Lex Barker
Rita Moreno
Forrest Tucker
Jay C. Flippen
Carlos Rivas
Cathy O'Donnell
Directed and Produced by Kurt Neumann
Released through 20th Century Fox
Based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper, The Deerslayer takes place in New York during the French and Indian War. The Deerslayer (Barker) is a young man who earned his nickname from the Mohican Indians, with whom he closely associates. Chingachgook (Rivas), his blood brother, is traveling with him on a hunting trip when they learn---the hard way---that the French-affiliated Iroqious are in the area.
They help a stranger on the trail fight off some hostiles, and the stranger introduces himself as Harry March (Tucker), and says that they can take refuge "in the fort."
The fort turns out to be a floating cabin on lake Otsego, manned only by an old fellow named Tom Hutter (Flippen) and his daughters, Hetty (Moreno) and Judith (O'Donnell). Harry is Judith's beau, and Hutter's business partner. As the story unfolds, Deerslayer learns that Hutter's business is hunting Indians for bounty money; Hutter kills and scalps them, and Harry takes the scalps to Albany. Deerslayer is sickened by this practice (and, rather amusingly, Chingachgook is also sickened by the scalp hunting---his character in the movie is watered-down, to say the least), and the girls have no clue of their father's occupation.
Hetty has always been told that she "hasn't all her wits," but it seems that Hutter is the one with the real problems. A screw came loose in his mind when his wife was killed by Indians, triggering his sadistic nature. And Hetty believes herself to be dumb, because she is so different from prim, pretty, and "popular" Judith.
One evening, Indians invade the floating cabin and capture Hutter---they want the scalps back so that their dead can rest in peace---and Deerslayer takes the scalps to bargain for Hutter's life. The events that follow will reveal the true character of each person involved in the story. . . . Will Deerslayer be successful? Will Hetty learn the real reason she has been told she is dumb? Will Harry's loyalty to himself win over his love for Judith?
For me, the highlight of this movie was the setting and scenery—one of the very few things that remained true to the novel.
February 18, 2017
Jack Kelly Bio/credits
Jack Kelly
Born: September 16, 1927 (as John Augustus Kelly Jr) (in Astoria, Queens, NY)
Died: November 7, 1992
Spouse(s): May Winn (married 1956 - 1964, divorced)
Jo Ann Smith Kelly (married 1969 - 1992, his death)
Children: Nicole Kelly
Parents: John Kelly Sr, Ann Mary "Nan" Walsh Kelly
Other family:
sister, Nancy Kelly
sister, Carole
brother, William
Movies:
1939
Young Mr. Lincoln (uncredited)
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (uncredited)
1949
Holiday Affair (uncredited)
Fighting Man of the Plains (uncredited)
1950
The West Point Story (uncredited)
Where Danger Lives
Peggy (uncredited)
1951
The Wild Blue Yonder
Submarine Command
People Will Talk (uncredited)
New Mexico
Call Me Mister (uncredited)
1952
Sally and Saint Anne
No Room for the Groom
Red Ball Express
Bronco Buster (uncredited)
1953
The Glass Web (uncredited)
The Stand at Apache River
Column South
Law and Order
Gunsmoke
The Redhead from Wyoming
1954
Black Tuesday
The Bamboo Prison
Magnificent Obsession (uncredited)
They Rode West
Drive a Crooked Road
1955
To Hell and Back
The Night Holds Terror
Double Jeopardy
Cult of the Cobra
Patrick Henry
The Violent Men
1956
Canasta de cuentos mexicanos (segment "Canasta")
Julie
Forbidden Planet
1957
Taming Sutton's Gal
She Devil
1958
Hong Kong Affair
1961
A Fever in the Blood
1963
FBI Code 98
1965
Love and Kisses
1968
Commandos
1969
Young Billy Young
1976
The Human Tornado
1978
The New Maverick
Spawn of the Slithis (voice)
1978
A Double Life
1982
Palms Precinct
1991
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
TV Shows:
Alias Smith and Jones
- Night of the Red Dog (1971)
Banacek
- Fly Me- If You Can Find Me (1974)
Batman
- Hot Off the Griddle (1966)
- The Cat and the Fiddle (1966)
The Bionic Woman
- Claws (1976)
- The Martians Are Coming, the Martians Are Coming (1978)
B.J. and the Bear
- The Murphy Contingent (1979)
- Detective Finger, I Presume (1981)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (regular, host 1970-1972)
- White Snow, Red Ice (1964)
- Double Jeopardy (1965)
- One Embezzlement and Two Margaritas (1966)
- Time of Flight (1966)
- Deadlock (1967)
The Bob Hope Show
- Episode dated November 8 (1967)
Bret Maverick
- The Hidalgo Thing (1982)
Cavalcade of America
- Sunrise on a Dirty Face (1955)
Chase
- Out of Gas (1974)
Circle of Fear
- The Dead We Leave Behind (1972)
City Detective
- Man Down, Woman Screaming (1955)
Concentration
- Episode dated December 23 (1970)
Daktari
- Daktari's Last Hunt (1966)
Daniel Boone
- The High Cumberland: Part 2 (1966)
Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal
- Carolyn Bennett Story (1955)
- Dr. Bennett Story (1955)
- The Score Card (1956)
Ellery Queen
- The Adventure of the Lover's Leap (1975)
The Fall Guy
- Happy Trails (1983)
The Family Holvak
- The Tribute (1975)
Faraday and Company
- Fire and Ice (1973)
Flying High
- The Vanishing Point (1978)
The Ford Television Theatre
- The Idea Man (1957)
Frontier
- The Hunted (1956)
- The Return of Jubal Dolan (1956)
- Hostage (1956)
Get Christie Love!
- The Deadly Sport (1975)
- Too Many Games in Town (1975)
- Our Lady in London (1975)
- Murder on High C (1975)
- My Son, the Murderer (1975)
- The Big Rematch (1975)
- From Paris with Love (1975)
- A High Fashion Heist (1975)
- A Few Excess People (1975)
- I'm Your New Neighbor (1975)
Gunsmoke
- Jealousy (1957)
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
- Arson and Old Lace (1978)
- The Last Kiss of Summer: Part 1 (1978)
- The Last Kiss of Summer: Part 2 (1978)
- Search for Atlantis (1978)
- Dangerous Waters (1978)
- Scorpion's Sting (1978)
- Defection to Paradise: Part 1 (1978)
- Defection to Paradise: Part 2 (1978)
- Game Plan (1978)
- Life on the Line (1979)
Hawaii Five-O
- Let Death Do Us Part (1976)
Here's Hollywood
- Episode #1.133 (1961)
- Episode #1.173 (1961)
The High Chaparral
- The Doctor from Dodge (1967)
The Hollywood Squares
- Episode dated February 9 (1970)
The Incredible Hulk
- The Waterfront Story (1978)
Iron Horse
- Dealer's Choice (1967)
Ironside
- Tagged for Murder (1967)
- Cold Hard Cash (1972)
The Jack Paar Tonight Show
- Episode #5.191 (1962)
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre
- Kristi (1956)
- Scent of Roses (1956)
Kings Row (1955-1956)
Kraft Mystery Theater
- Shadow of a Man (1963)
Kraft Suspense Theatre
- The Name of the Game (1963)
- Four into Zero (1965)
- Kill Me on July 20th (1965)
Laredo
- The Deadliest Kid in the West (1966)
- Enemies and Brothers (1967)
Lucas Tanner
- Look the Other Way (1974)
The Lucy Show
- Lucy Makes a Pinch (1964)
Lux Video Theatre
- The Creaking Gate (1955)
- The Green Promise (1956)
- Just Across the Street (1957)
Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Solomon's Choice (1972)
The Master
- Kunoichi (1984)
Maverick (regular)
McCloud
- This Must Be the Alamo (1974)
The Mike Douglas Show
- Episode #2.3 (1962)
- Episode #10.98 (1971)
The Millionaire
- The Fred Graham Story (1956)
The Name of the Game
- The Inquiry (1969)
- The Civilized Men (1969)
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
- The Sound of Silence (1954)
- Girl on the Drum (1954)
- This Man for Hire (1954)
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
- Remember Lake Serene (1967)
Quincy M.E.
- Visitors in Paradise (1977)
The Ray Milland Show
- Swimming Problem (1954)
The Rockford Files
- The Becker Connection (1977)
- Beamer's Last Case (1977)
Run for Your Life
- Baby, the World's on Fire (1967)
Sale of the Century (host, 1969-1971)
Sally
- Sally Tries to Say No (1957)
Schlitz Playhouse
- Explosion (1956)
The Silent Service
- The U.S.S. Tigrone Sets a Record (1957)
The Star and the Story
- Safe Journey (1955)
State Trooper
- Jailbreak at Tonopah (1956)
Stories of the Century
- Clay Allison (1954)
Strange Stories
- This Man for Hire (1956)
Studio 57
- Explosion (1957)
Stump the Stars
- Episode dated May 6 (1958)
Sugarfoot
- Price on His Head (1958) (uncredited)
Sword of Justice
- A Double Life (1978)
This Is Your Life
- James Garner (1958)
The Tonight Show
- Episode #1.80 (1962)
TV Reader's Digest
- My First Bullfight (1955)
Toma
- Joey the Weep (1974)
Vega$
- High Roller (1978)
Wagon Train
- The Fenton Canaby Story (1963)
Warner Brothers Presents
- King's Row (1955)
Wide Wide World
- The Western (1958)
Other film work:
1961
What About Linda? (TV Special)
1962
Red Nightmare (Short)
1979
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (TV Movie documentary)
1985
All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan (TV Special)
Regular shows:
Maverick (Sept. 1957 - Apr. 1962, 124 episodes)
Warner Bros. studios added Maverick to its already-long line of Western TV shows in 1957. But Maverick is different than all the other Westerns from that era; it is parody on them, sometimes even mocking specific shows.
Today, most people associate James Garner (who played Bret Maverick) with this series, but he actually was in fewer episodes than Jack Kelly (who played Bart Maverick). Bret and Bart were brothers, but an episode usually just featured one at a time.
When Garner took a "break" from the series (from Warner Bros.) Roger Moore filled the gap he left with a new character: cousin Beau Maverick. He appeared in fewer than 20 episodes.
Later, yet another Maverick was added---but only for three episodes. Robert Colbert's Brent Maverick was short-lived.
Kings Row (1955 - 1956, 7 episodes)
Kings Row was a fleeting Warner Bros, program based off of the 1942 film of the same name, which starred Robert Cummings and Ronald Reagan.
The series had Jack Kelly reprising Cumming's role, and Robert Horton in Reagan's role.
*************************
Movie/TV credit information is taken from Internet Movie Database, unless otherwise noted, and is updated and corrected if needed.
Born: September 16, 1927 (as John Augustus Kelly Jr) (in Astoria, Queens, NY)
Died: November 7, 1992
Spouse(s): May Winn (married 1956 - 1964, divorced)
Jo Ann Smith Kelly (married 1969 - 1992, his death)
Children: Nicole Kelly
Parents: John Kelly Sr, Ann Mary "Nan" Walsh Kelly
Other family:
sister, Nancy Kelly
sister, Carole
brother, William
Movies:
1939
Young Mr. Lincoln (uncredited)
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (uncredited)
1949
Holiday Affair (uncredited)
Fighting Man of the Plains (uncredited)
1950
The West Point Story (uncredited)
Where Danger Lives
Peggy (uncredited)
1951
The Wild Blue Yonder
Submarine Command
People Will Talk (uncredited)
New Mexico
Call Me Mister (uncredited)
1952
Sally and Saint Anne
No Room for the Groom
Red Ball Express
Bronco Buster (uncredited)
1953
The Glass Web (uncredited)
The Stand at Apache River
Column South
Law and Order
Gunsmoke
The Redhead from Wyoming
1954
Black Tuesday
The Bamboo Prison
Magnificent Obsession (uncredited)
They Rode West
Drive a Crooked Road
1955
To Hell and Back
The Night Holds Terror
Double Jeopardy
Cult of the Cobra
Patrick Henry
The Violent Men
1956
Canasta de cuentos mexicanos (segment "Canasta")
Julie
Forbidden Planet
1957
Taming Sutton's Gal
She Devil
1958
Hong Kong Affair
1961
A Fever in the Blood
1963
FBI Code 98
1965
Love and Kisses
1968
Commandos
1969
Young Billy Young
1976
The Human Tornado
1978
The New Maverick
Spawn of the Slithis (voice)
1978
A Double Life
1982
Palms Precinct
1991
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
TV Shows:
Alias Smith and Jones
- Night of the Red Dog (1971)
Banacek
- Fly Me- If You Can Find Me (1974)
Batman
- Hot Off the Griddle (1966)
- The Cat and the Fiddle (1966)
The Bionic Woman
- Claws (1976)
- The Martians Are Coming, the Martians Are Coming (1978)
B.J. and the Bear
- The Murphy Contingent (1979)
- Detective Finger, I Presume (1981)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (regular, host 1970-1972)
- White Snow, Red Ice (1964)
- Double Jeopardy (1965)
- One Embezzlement and Two Margaritas (1966)
- Time of Flight (1966)
- Deadlock (1967)
The Bob Hope Show
- Episode dated November 8 (1967)
Bret Maverick
- The Hidalgo Thing (1982)
Cavalcade of America
- Sunrise on a Dirty Face (1955)
Chase
- Out of Gas (1974)
Circle of Fear
- The Dead We Leave Behind (1972)
City Detective
- Man Down, Woman Screaming (1955)
Concentration
- Episode dated December 23 (1970)
Daktari
- Daktari's Last Hunt (1966)
Daniel Boone
- The High Cumberland: Part 2 (1966)
Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal
- Carolyn Bennett Story (1955)
- Dr. Bennett Story (1955)
- The Score Card (1956)
Ellery Queen
- The Adventure of the Lover's Leap (1975)
The Fall Guy
- Happy Trails (1983)
The Family Holvak
- The Tribute (1975)
Faraday and Company
- Fire and Ice (1973)
Flying High
- The Vanishing Point (1978)
The Ford Television Theatre
- The Idea Man (1957)
Frontier
- The Hunted (1956)
- The Return of Jubal Dolan (1956)
- Hostage (1956)
Get Christie Love!
- The Deadly Sport (1975)
- Too Many Games in Town (1975)
- Our Lady in London (1975)
- Murder on High C (1975)
- My Son, the Murderer (1975)
- The Big Rematch (1975)
- From Paris with Love (1975)
- A High Fashion Heist (1975)
- A Few Excess People (1975)
- I'm Your New Neighbor (1975)
Gunsmoke
- Jealousy (1957)
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
- Arson and Old Lace (1978)
- The Last Kiss of Summer: Part 1 (1978)
- The Last Kiss of Summer: Part 2 (1978)
- Search for Atlantis (1978)
- Dangerous Waters (1978)
- Scorpion's Sting (1978)
- Defection to Paradise: Part 1 (1978)
- Defection to Paradise: Part 2 (1978)
- Game Plan (1978)
- Life on the Line (1979)
Hawaii Five-O
- Let Death Do Us Part (1976)
Here's Hollywood
- Episode #1.133 (1961)
- Episode #1.173 (1961)
The High Chaparral
- The Doctor from Dodge (1967)
The Hollywood Squares
- Episode dated February 9 (1970)
The Incredible Hulk
- The Waterfront Story (1978)
Iron Horse
- Dealer's Choice (1967)
Ironside
- Tagged for Murder (1967)
- Cold Hard Cash (1972)
The Jack Paar Tonight Show
- Episode #5.191 (1962)
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre
- Kristi (1956)
- Scent of Roses (1956)
Kings Row (1955-1956)
Kraft Mystery Theater
- Shadow of a Man (1963)
Kraft Suspense Theatre
- The Name of the Game (1963)
- Four into Zero (1965)
- Kill Me on July 20th (1965)
Laredo
- The Deadliest Kid in the West (1966)
- Enemies and Brothers (1967)
Lucas Tanner
- Look the Other Way (1974)
The Lucy Show
- Lucy Makes a Pinch (1964)
Lux Video Theatre
- The Creaking Gate (1955)
- The Green Promise (1956)
- Just Across the Street (1957)
Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Solomon's Choice (1972)
The Master
- Kunoichi (1984)
Maverick (regular)
McCloud
- This Must Be the Alamo (1974)
The Mike Douglas Show
- Episode #2.3 (1962)
- Episode #10.98 (1971)
The Millionaire
- The Fred Graham Story (1956)
The Name of the Game
- The Inquiry (1969)
- The Civilized Men (1969)
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
- The Sound of Silence (1954)
- Girl on the Drum (1954)
- This Man for Hire (1954)
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
- Remember Lake Serene (1967)
Quincy M.E.
- Visitors in Paradise (1977)
The Ray Milland Show
- Swimming Problem (1954)
The Rockford Files
- The Becker Connection (1977)
- Beamer's Last Case (1977)
Run for Your Life
- Baby, the World's on Fire (1967)
Sale of the Century (host, 1969-1971)
Sally
- Sally Tries to Say No (1957)
Schlitz Playhouse
- Explosion (1956)
The Silent Service
- The U.S.S. Tigrone Sets a Record (1957)
The Star and the Story
- Safe Journey (1955)
State Trooper
- Jailbreak at Tonopah (1956)
Stories of the Century
- Clay Allison (1954)
Strange Stories
- This Man for Hire (1956)
Studio 57
- Explosion (1957)
Stump the Stars
- Episode dated May 6 (1958)
Sugarfoot
- Price on His Head (1958) (uncredited)
Sword of Justice
- A Double Life (1978)
This Is Your Life
- James Garner (1958)
The Tonight Show
- Episode #1.80 (1962)
TV Reader's Digest
- My First Bullfight (1955)
Toma
- Joey the Weep (1974)
Vega$
- High Roller (1978)
Wagon Train
- The Fenton Canaby Story (1963)
Warner Brothers Presents
- King's Row (1955)
Wide Wide World
- The Western (1958)
Other film work:
1961
What About Linda? (TV Special)
1962
Red Nightmare (Short)
1979
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion (TV Movie documentary)
1985
All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan (TV Special)
Regular shows:
Maverick (Sept. 1957 - Apr. 1962, 124 episodes)
Warner Bros. studios added Maverick to its already-long line of Western TV shows in 1957. But Maverick is different than all the other Westerns from that era; it is parody on them, sometimes even mocking specific shows.
Today, most people associate James Garner (who played Bret Maverick) with this series, but he actually was in fewer episodes than Jack Kelly (who played Bart Maverick). Bret and Bart were brothers, but an episode usually just featured one at a time.
When Garner took a "break" from the series (from Warner Bros.) Roger Moore filled the gap he left with a new character: cousin Beau Maverick. He appeared in fewer than 20 episodes.
Later, yet another Maverick was added---but only for three episodes. Robert Colbert's Brent Maverick was short-lived.
Kings Row (1955 - 1956, 7 episodes)
Kings Row was a fleeting Warner Bros, program based off of the 1942 film of the same name, which starred Robert Cummings and Ronald Reagan.
The series had Jack Kelly reprising Cumming's role, and Robert Horton in Reagan's role.
*************************
Movie/TV credit information is taken from Internet Movie Database, unless otherwise noted, and is updated and corrected if needed.
February 11, 2017
Call of the Forest (1949)
Starring . . .
Charlie Hughes
Ken Curtis
Robert Lowery
Chief Thundercloud
Martha Sherril
Tom Hanly
Fred Gildart
Black Diamond, the horse
Jimmy, the crow
Beady, the racoon
Ripple, the deer
Directed by John F. Link
Produced by Edward Finney
*******************************************************************************
Storyline Roundup: (note: SPOILERS)
Call of the Forest is not your typical western.
In a way, it kind of wants to be—part of the plot revolves around rancher Bob Brand's (Curtis) search for a lost gold mine. He needs the money to save his ranch, and he has been searching the badlands for many years, trying to find the gold. But Brand isn't the only one who wants the mine, and just when he's getting close, hostile neighbor Sam Harrison (Lowery) interferes.
Before the elder Brand has a chance to fetch the gold and save the ranch, tragedy strikes.
After singing his son to sleep one night, Brand hears a noise and goes to investigate---Harrison is looking for the map, and he shoots Brand down. The lantern Brand was carrying falls with him, and starts a fire that engulfs first the ranch house, and then the whole forest.
Brand is dead, but Bobbie escapes riding on King; from there, it is a race against the fire and against the bad guys who are determined to kill Bobbie.
Highlights of the film include Ken Curtis' singing ("I Ride an Old Paint" and "The Old Chisholm Trail") and the gun twirling show "Bob" puts on for "Bobbie" . . . .
Call of the Forest is available on DVD,
and can also be viewed on YouTube.
February 10, 2017
Ben Johnson Bio/credits
Ben Johnson
Born: June 13, 1918
Died: April 8, 1996
Spouse(s): Carol Elaine Jones (married 1941 - 1994, her death)
Parents: Ben Johnson, Sr. (1896 - 1952), Ollie Susan Workmon Johnson (1899 - 2000)
Movies:
1939
The Fighting Gringo (uncredited)
1940
The Durango Kid (Charles Starrett's double) (uncredited)
1943
Tarzan's Desert Mystery (uncredited)
Blazing Guns (uncredited)
Arizona Trail (uncredited)
Riders of the Rio Grande (uncredited)
Riders of the Northwest Mounted (Russell Hayden's double) (uncredited)
Bordertown Gun Fighters (uncredited)
The Outlaw (uncredited)
1944
Tall in the Saddle (uncredited)
The Pinto Bandit (uncredited)
Nevada (Robert Mitchum's double) (uncredited)
The Old Texas Trail (uncredited)
1945
The Naughty Nineties (uncredited)
Corpus Christi Bandits (uncredited)
Santa Fe Saddlemates (uncredited)
1946
Badman's Territory (uncredited)
Out California Way (Monte Hale's double) (uncredited)
Smoky (uncredited)
California Gold Rush (uncredited)
1947
Wyoming (Bill Elliott's double) (uncredited)
Ramrod (uncredited)
Angel and the Badman (uncredited)
1948
3 Godfathers
The Gallant Legion (uncredited)
The Kissing Bandit (uncredited)
Red River (uncredited)
Fort Apache (uncredited)
1949
Mighty Joe Young
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1950
Rio Grande
Wagon Master
1951
Fort Defiance
1952
Wild Stallion
1953
Shane
1955
Oklahoma! (uncredited)
1956
Rebel in Town
1957
Slim Carter
War Drums
1958
Fort Bowie
1960
Ten Who Dared
1961
Tomboy and the Champ
One-Eyed Jacks
1964
Cheyenne Autumn (uncredited)
1965
Major Dundee
1966
The Rare Breed
1967
Will Penny
1968
Hang 'Em High
1969
The Undefeated
The Wild Bunch
1970
Chisum
1971
Something Big
The Last Picture Show
1972
The Getaway
Junior Bonner
Corky
1973
Blood Sport
Runaway!
Dillinger
Kid Blue
The Red Pony
The Train Robbers
1974
Locusts
The Sugarland Express
1975
Breakheart Pass
Hustle
Bite the Bullet
1976
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The Savage Bees
1977
Grayeagle
The Greatest
1978
The Swarm
1980
Terror Train
Ruckus
The Hunter
1981
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
1982
The Shadow Riders
Tex
1984
Red Dawn
Champions
1985
Wild Horses
1986
Trespasses
Let's Get Harry
1987
Cherry 2000
1988
Dark Before Dawn
Stranger on My Land
1989
Back to Back
1991
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
The Chase
1992
Radio Flyer
1993
Bonanza: The Return
1994
Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart
Angels in the Outfield
1995
Bonanza: Under Attack
1996
The Evening Star
Ruby Jean and Joe
TV Shows:
ABC Stage 67
- Noon Wine (1966)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
- And the Desert Shall Blossom (1958)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
- March from Camp Tyler (1965)
Bonanza
- The Gamble (1962)
- The Deserter (1969)
- Top Hand (1971)
Border Patrol
- Everglades Story (1959)
Branded
- McCord's Way (1966)
Cavalcade of America
- Once a Hero (1956)
Dream West (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.2 (1986)
- Dream West (1986)
Étoiles et toiles
- Episode dated April 14 (1986)
Gunsmoke
- Quint-Cident (1963)
- Quaker Girl (1966)
- Drago (1971)
Have Gun - Will Travel
- A Head of Hair (1960)
- The Race (1961)
- The Fifth Bullet (1962)
Hollywood Greats
- John Wayne (1984)
Laramie
- Hour After Dawn (1960)
- A Sound of Bells (1960)
- Widow in White (1961)
The Mike Douglas Show
- Episode #16.86 (1978)
The Monroes
- The Intruders (1966)
- Night of the Wolf (1966)
- The Forest Devil (1966)
- Wild Dog of the Tetons (1966)
- Truth Has No Family (1966)
- Ordeal by Hope (1966)
- War Arrow (1966)
- Range War (1966)
- To Break a Colt (1967)
- Race for the Rainbow (1967)
- Manhunt (1967)
- Teaching the Tiger to Purr (1967)
Navy Log
- Florida Weekend (1958)
Oklahoma Passage (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1989)
Ozzie & Harriet, The Adventures of
- Top Gun (1958)
Perry Mason
- The Case of the Reckless Rockhound (1964)
The Restless Gun
- No Way to Kill (1958)
Route 66
- Like a Motherless Child (1961)
- A Long Piece of Mischief (1962)
The Sacketts (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1979)
- Part II (1979)
Stoney Burke
- Point of Honor (1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Episode #11.32 (1972)
- Episode dated December 27 (1974)
The Virginian
- Duel at Shiloh (1963)
- Dangerous Road (1965)
- Johnny Moon (1967)
- Vision of Blindness (1968)
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
- Ride a Northbound Horse: Part 1 (1969)
- Ride a Northbound Horse: Part 2 (1969)
Wild Times (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1980)
- Episode #1.2 (1980)
Other film work:
1972
The 44th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
1973
The Wayne Train (TV Short documentary)
1976
The 48th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
1978
Inside 'The Swarm' (TV Movie documentary)
1989
Hollywood on Horses (Video documentary)
The Last Ride (Short)
1991
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (Documentary)
Thank Ya, Thank Ya Kindly (TV Movie documentary)
1993
Warren Oates: Across the Border (Documentary)
John Ford (TV Movie documentary)
1994
100 Years of the Hollywood Western (TV Movie documentary)
1996
Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right (Documentary)
*************************
Movie/TV credit information is taken from Internet Movie Database, unless otherwise noted, and is updated and corrected if needed.
Born: June 13, 1918
Died: April 8, 1996
Spouse(s): Carol Elaine Jones (married 1941 - 1994, her death)
Parents: Ben Johnson, Sr. (1896 - 1952), Ollie Susan Workmon Johnson (1899 - 2000)
Movies:
1939
The Fighting Gringo (uncredited)
1940
The Durango Kid (Charles Starrett's double) (uncredited)
1943
Tarzan's Desert Mystery (uncredited)
Blazing Guns (uncredited)
Arizona Trail (uncredited)
Riders of the Rio Grande (uncredited)
Riders of the Northwest Mounted (Russell Hayden's double) (uncredited)
Bordertown Gun Fighters (uncredited)
The Outlaw (uncredited)
1944
Tall in the Saddle (uncredited)
The Pinto Bandit (uncredited)
Nevada (Robert Mitchum's double) (uncredited)
The Old Texas Trail (uncredited)
1945
The Naughty Nineties (uncredited)
Corpus Christi Bandits (uncredited)
Santa Fe Saddlemates (uncredited)
1946
Badman's Territory (uncredited)
Out California Way (Monte Hale's double) (uncredited)
Smoky (uncredited)
California Gold Rush (uncredited)
1947
Wyoming (Bill Elliott's double) (uncredited)
Ramrod (uncredited)
Angel and the Badman (uncredited)
1948
3 Godfathers
The Gallant Legion (uncredited)
The Kissing Bandit (uncredited)
Red River (uncredited)
Fort Apache (uncredited)
1949
Mighty Joe Young
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1950
Rio Grande
Wagon Master
1951
Fort Defiance
1952
Wild Stallion
1953
Shane
1955
Oklahoma! (uncredited)
1956
Rebel in Town
1957
Slim Carter
War Drums
1958
Fort Bowie
1960
Ten Who Dared
1961
Tomboy and the Champ
One-Eyed Jacks
1964
Cheyenne Autumn (uncredited)
1965
Major Dundee
1966
The Rare Breed
1967
Will Penny
1968
Hang 'Em High
1969
The Undefeated
The Wild Bunch
1970
Chisum
1971
Something Big
The Last Picture Show
1972
The Getaway
Junior Bonner
Corky
1973
Blood Sport
Runaway!
Dillinger
Kid Blue
The Red Pony
The Train Robbers
1974
Locusts
The Sugarland Express
1975
Breakheart Pass
Hustle
Bite the Bullet
1976
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The Savage Bees
1977
Grayeagle
The Greatest
1978
The Swarm
1980
Terror Train
Ruckus
The Hunter
1981
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
1982
The Shadow Riders
Tex
1984
Red Dawn
Champions
1985
Wild Horses
1986
Trespasses
Let's Get Harry
1987
Cherry 2000
1988
Dark Before Dawn
Stranger on My Land
1989
Back to Back
1991
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
The Chase
1992
Radio Flyer
1993
Bonanza: The Return
1994
Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart
Angels in the Outfield
1995
Bonanza: Under Attack
1996
The Evening Star
Ruby Jean and Joe
TV Shows:
ABC Stage 67
- Noon Wine (1966)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
- And the Desert Shall Blossom (1958)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
- March from Camp Tyler (1965)
Bonanza
- The Gamble (1962)
- The Deserter (1969)
- Top Hand (1971)
Border Patrol
- Everglades Story (1959)
Branded
- McCord's Way (1966)
Cavalcade of America
- Once a Hero (1956)
Dream West (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.2 (1986)
- Dream West (1986)
Étoiles et toiles
- Episode dated April 14 (1986)
Gunsmoke
- Quint-Cident (1963)
- Quaker Girl (1966)
- Drago (1971)
Have Gun - Will Travel
- A Head of Hair (1960)
- The Race (1961)
- The Fifth Bullet (1962)
Hollywood Greats
- John Wayne (1984)
Laramie
- Hour After Dawn (1960)
- A Sound of Bells (1960)
- Widow in White (1961)
The Mike Douglas Show
- Episode #16.86 (1978)
The Monroes
- The Intruders (1966)
- Night of the Wolf (1966)
- The Forest Devil (1966)
- Wild Dog of the Tetons (1966)
- Truth Has No Family (1966)
- Ordeal by Hope (1966)
- War Arrow (1966)
- Range War (1966)
- To Break a Colt (1967)
- Race for the Rainbow (1967)
- Manhunt (1967)
- Teaching the Tiger to Purr (1967)
Navy Log
- Florida Weekend (1958)
Oklahoma Passage (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1989)
Ozzie & Harriet, The Adventures of
- Top Gun (1958)
Perry Mason
- The Case of the Reckless Rockhound (1964)
The Restless Gun
- No Way to Kill (1958)
Route 66
- Like a Motherless Child (1961)
- A Long Piece of Mischief (1962)
The Sacketts (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1979)
- Part II (1979)
Stoney Burke
- Point of Honor (1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- Episode #11.32 (1972)
- Episode dated December 27 (1974)
The Virginian
- Duel at Shiloh (1963)
- Dangerous Road (1965)
- Johnny Moon (1967)
- Vision of Blindness (1968)
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
- Ride a Northbound Horse: Part 1 (1969)
- Ride a Northbound Horse: Part 2 (1969)
Wild Times (Mini-series)
- Episode #1.1 (1980)
- Episode #1.2 (1980)
Other film work:
1972
The 44th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
1973
The Wayne Train (TV Short documentary)
1976
The 48th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special)
1978
Inside 'The Swarm' (TV Movie documentary)
1989
Hollywood on Horses (Video documentary)
The Last Ride (Short)
1991
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (Documentary)
Thank Ya, Thank Ya Kindly (TV Movie documentary)
1993
Warren Oates: Across the Border (Documentary)
John Ford (TV Movie documentary)
1994
100 Years of the Hollywood Western (TV Movie documentary)
1996
Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right (Documentary)
*************************
Movie/TV credit information is taken from Internet Movie Database, unless otherwise noted, and is updated and corrected if needed.
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