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Robert
Donner born 27 April 1931 in New York City, New York, USA and grew up in New
Jersey, Michigan and Texas. Robert joined the Navy after he graduated from high
school and served almost 4 years. After he left the Navy he stayed on the West
Coast and worked as a shipping clerk, salesman, bartender, , commercial artist,
gardener, and insurance investigator. Robert attended San Fernando Valley State
College (now California State University, Northridge), at nights taking courses
in Art History, Psychology and speech. During this time, Robert Donner lived in
Studio City and became friends with actor Clint Eastwood who lived in his
apartment building. Clint urged Robert to study drama, telling him he was
humorous and had a good face. When Robert is not acting he is active in
athletics, and is known as one of Hollywood's most enthusiastic golfers. Robert
as appeared in six John Wayne movies.
Born
2 December 1922 in New York, New York, USA Big, burly, character actor,
specializing in playing murderous brutes. Gordon's powerful physique, combined
with his deep, menacing voice, was almost guaranteed to strike fear into the
heart of even the bravest screen hero. Director Don Siegel, who used Gordon in
his prison film Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954), said that "Leo Gordon was the
scariest man I have ever met," and not just because of his screen presence.
Before becoming an actor (he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts),
Gordon served a stretch in San Quentin prison for armed robbery. "Riot in Cell
Block 11" was filmed at San Quentin, and several of the guards remembered Gordon
from his time there, when he was regarded as a troublemaker. Prison officials
would not let Gordon enter and leave the prison with the other cast and crew
members; he was only allowed to enter and exit by himself, and was thoroughly
searched each time. Contrary to his image, though, Gordon was not just a
one-note villain. Leo Gordon appeared in four movies with John Wayne, Leo passed
away on 26 December 2000 Los Angeles, California, USA.
Roy
Barcroft born 7 September 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, USA, Incredibly
prolific American character actor of low-budget Westerns and serials, most
frequently seen as a villain. He was born in either Weeping Waters, Nebraska or
Crab Orchard, Nebraska, depending on the source (the two towns are within a few
miles of each other), to a farm family. In 1917, he joined the Army at the age
of 15 and was wounded in action in France. At 16, he began traveling the U.S.
doing odd jobs as a ranch hand, roughneck, and railway laborer. He sailed to the
Mediterranean on a freighter as a seaman, then reenlisted in the Army. While
stationed in Hawaii, he learned to play a number of musical instruments and
afterwards made his living playing in dance bands. In 1929, he took his family
to California, where his military background gained him work as a soldier-extra
in films. Uninterested in movies, until he was spotted in a little theatre
production and given a part in a Republic serial, S.O.S. Coast Guard (1937). His
rough voice and demeanor were perfect for the 'heavy' roles that filled every
B-Western and action picture, and Barcroft spent the next thirty years averaging
an incredible ten films per year. Roy appeared in three movies with John Wayne,
Roy passed away on 28 November 1969 in Woodland Hills, California, USA.
Elizabeth
Allen born on 25 January 1934 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA, Tall, striking
actress who retired in 1980, perhaps best remembered as the strange department
store saleswoman in the "Twilight Zone" episode featuring Anne Francis as a
mannequin made a live woman for a month. Is also remembered for her
introductions on the "Jackie Gleason Show". She was known as "The Away We Go"
girl, who every week introduced Jackie's variety skits with that immortal
phrase. Elizabeth appeared in one movie with John Wayne.
Barry
Fitzgerald born on 10 March 1888 in Dublin, Ireland, One of Hollywood's finest
character actors and most accomplished scene stealer, Barry Fitzgerald was born
William Joseph Shields in 1888 in Dublin, Ireland. Educated to enter the banking
business, the diminutive Irishman with the irresistible brogue was bitten by the
acting bug in the 1920s and joined Dublin's world-famous Abbey Players. He
subsequently starred in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O'Casey's Juno And
The Paycock, a role that he recreated in his film debut for director Alfred
Hitchcock in 1930. He won the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his
portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way 1944. In an Academy
first, he was also nominated for the Best Actor Award for the same role, the
only actor to ever be so honored. Barry appeared in two movies with the Duke,
Barry Fitzgerald died in his beloved Dublin on 14 January 1961.
Jennifer
Jones born on 2 March 1919 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, When Jennifer Jones arrived
in Hollywood in 1939 she still called herself Phyllis Isley. Her first outing in
front of the camera this was a typical short 57 mins. formulaic film from the
budget minded Republic Studios in the John Wayne western New Frontier 1939 .It
is interesting only because it was the first attempt at film stardom for Phyllis
Isley, aged 20 at the time, whose name was changed in 1942 to the better known,
Jennifer Jones. Her face and especially her eyes drew the attention of the
producer David O. Selznick who did not only allow her a great career but also
fell in love with her and finally married Jennifer Jones in 1949. For her role
in "The song of Bernadette 1943" she gained an oscar as best actress.
Christopher
Mitchum born on 16 October 1943 Los Angeles, California, USA, He was the second
son of actor Robert Mitchum destined to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Chris grew up avoiding the limelight and was educated at Dublin's Trinity
College, attaining a BA at the University of Arizona before developing an
interest in movie-making. He began as an extra in two of his father's westerns
in 1969, then got a big break when his dad's good pal, John Wayne, cast him as a
earnest tenderfoot in his rugged westerns Rio Lobo, Chisum, and Big Jake 1971.
With such a strong foundation now formed, Chris ventured off on his own and
found himself an assured action lead. The films, however, have been mostly
cheapjack and violent in nature -- poor imitations indeed of his father's sturdy
work in westerns and war pictures with such obvious titles as Bigfoot 1970,
Savage Harbor 1987, SFX Retaliator 1987, Aftershock 1990, Striking Point 1995
and Lycanthropy 1999.
Arthur
Shields born on 15 February 1896 in Dublin, Ireland. The younger brother of
Irish actor Barry Fitzgerald Arthur Shields joined Fitzgerald at Dublin's famed
Abbey as a Player in 1914, where he directed as well as acted. Though in films
fitfully since 1910, Shield's formal movie career didn't begin until he joined
several other Abbey veterans in the cast of John Ford Plough and the Stars 1936.
He went on to appear in several other Ford films, generally cast in more
introverted roles than those offered his brother. Unlike his sibling, Shields
was not confined to Irish parts; he often as not played Americans, and in 1943's
Dr. Renault's Secret, he was seen as a French police inspector. Never as
prominent a film personality as his brother, Arthur Shields nonetheless remained
a dependable second-echelon character player into the 1960s. Arthur appeared in
three movies with the Duke, Arthur died on 27 April 1970 in Santa Barbara,
California, USA.
John
Litel born on 30 December 1892 in Albany, Wisconsin, USA, John Litel's tough,
no-nonsense demeanor on screen was not entirely an act; in World War I, not
wanting to wait until the U.S. entered, he enlisted in the French Army and was
twice decorated for bravery. Returning to the U.S. after the war, he enrolled in
the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and toured with various stage companies,
and made his film in 1929. He was one of what was called the "Warner Bros. Stock
Company" in the 1930s - with such character actors as Ward Bond, Frank McHugh,
Joan Blondell and Alan Hale among others - appearing in dozens of films there,
often as a tough police captain or hard-nosed district attorney. Always a solid,
dependable character actor, Litel appeared in more than 200 films, sometimes
playing leads, but mainly as a supporting actor. John only appeared in one film
with the Duke, John died on 3 February 1972 in Woodland Hills, California, USA.
Born
Morris Nussbaum on 27 August 1896 in Danville, Illinois, USA, A graduate of the
University of Southern California School of Law, Morris Ankrum was an attorney
and an economics professor before switching careers and joining the theater. He
was a veteran stage actor by the time he entered the film industry in the 1930s,
where he spent much time in westerns, playing everything from Indian chiefs to
crooked town bankers. It was in the 1950s, though, that he hit his stride in the
genre for which he is most fondly remembered - science-fiction films, where his
gruff, no-nonsense demeanor and authoritative voice perfectly fit the role of
the military officer helping scientists fight an outer-space menace, most
memorably as Col. Fielding in the classic "Invaders from Mars 1953". Toward the
end of his career Ankrum had a recurring role as a judge on the "Perry
Mason"1957 TV series. Morris appeared in one movie with the Duke, Morris died on
2 September 1964 in Pasadena, California, USA.
Don
Collier born 17 October 1928 in Santa Monica, California, USA, After Van Nuys
High School, he enlisted in the Navy and saw action in the last days of World
War II. Receiving his discharge, he headed to Oregon, working on a ranch and in
a sawmill before enlisting in the Merchant Marine. On his first tour to Japan,
he was called home by the illness of his only sister, who passed away when she
was 13 from surgery she had. He then started his career in the picture
business. It initially began when he joined his father as a cowboy working for
the legendary actor Francis Lederer on his cattle ranch in Canoga Park. Don's
first role was that of an extra in the 1948 movie "Massacre River", which
starred Rory Calhoun and Guy Madison. It was released theatrically in 1949. In
1950, he got another job as an extra in "Davy Crockett, Indian Scout" with close
friend George Montgomery. Some accounts list "Fort Apache" with John Wayne in
1949 as his second movie, but Don himself says it was Indian Scout. In both of
these films, Don said he was used in many of the scenes, but he had no speaking
parts. Don appeared in the T.V series The High Chaparral which premiered on the
10 September 1967 and ran for four years, his character's name was Sam, Don
appeared in three movies with John Wayne.
Johnny
Crawford born on 26 March 1946 in Los Angeles, California, USA Johnny Crawford
came from a theatrical family. As a child , he began a T.V career as on of Walt
Disney's original Mouseketeers. It wasn't long before he landed the role of Mark
McCain in ABC-T.V's popular Western Series "The Rifleman" starring Chuck
Connors. The shows debut was in 1958, on Tuesday nights. Johnny's recordings of
the song "Cindy's Birthday, Rumors and Patti Ann", just to name a few are still
remembered to this day by teenagers who grew up with him. After graduating from
Hollywood High School in 1964, Johnny continued to appear in tons of television
shows and movies. He learned how to ride and rope on The Rifleman set so he rode
the professional rodeo circuit for two years. He was then drafted into the army,
were he spent two years making training movies. When he was discharged he
returned to acting and singing. After being a bachelor for many years, Johnny
was reunited with his high school sweetheart in 1990. Johnny & Charlotte were
married in 1995 and they live in a 1927 house in the Hollywood Hills, surrounded
by musical instruments and guarded by their family of rescued animals. Johnny
appeared in two films with the Duke.