Donald Dean Dorrell (October 6, 1928 – April 10, 1978) was an American film and television actor. He was best known for playing the role of Donovan in the American

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

television series ''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

''. Dorrell was born in

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. In 1959, he joined the cast of the new syndicated

television series ''

'' playing the role of Brett Clark's troubleshooter Donovan. He then played Jud Donovan in the 1961 film ''

The Gambler Wore a Gun ''The Gambler Wore a Gun'' is a 1961 Western film. The film is an uncredited remake of about five different B-westerns of the 1930s and 1940s. Some plot elements are also taken from 1954 western ''The Lone Gun'', which starred George Montgomery ...

'' and Roger in the film ''

Tammy Tell Me True ''Tammy Tell Me True'' is a 1961 American Eastmancolor comedy film directed by Harry Keller and starring Sandra Dee and John Gavin, Charles Drake, Virginia Grey and Julia Meade. The film was based on Cid Ricketts Sumner's 1959 novel of the sam ...

''. Other film appearances included the roles of Stoney Jackson in ''

When the Girls Take Over ''When the Girls Take Over'' is an American men's adventure comedy film produced and directed by Russell Hayden and starring Marvin Miller, Jackie Coogan, and Robert Lowery. Inspired by the Cuban Revolution, it was filmed in Puerto Rico in 196 ...

'', Payne in the 1964 film ''

Ensign Pulver ''Ensign Pulver'' is a 1964 American Technicolor film in Panavision and a sequel to the 1955 film '' Mister Roberts''. The film stars Robert Walker Jr., Burl Ives, Walter Matthau and Tommy Sands and features Millie Perkins, Larry Hagman, K ...

'', and Private Hoxie in the 1965 film ''

None but the Brave is a 1965 war film directed by Frank Sinatra, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced by Tokyo Eiga, Toho, and Artanis Productions (credited as Sinatra Enterprises), it was the first film international co-production between Japan and t ...

''. He also guest-starred in an episode of the

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

television series ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

''. He retired from acting in 1965, last appearing in the film ''

That Darn Cat! ''That Darn Cat!'' is a 1965 American thriller comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson Robert Stevenson may refer to: * Robert Stevenson (actor and politician) (1915–1975), American actor and politician * Robert Stevenson (civil engineer) ...

''. In 1962, Dorrell survived a plane crash in the sea off

Avalon, California Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, in the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. The city is a resort community with the waterfront dominated by tourism-oriented businesses. The ...

. Dorrell died in April 1978 in

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa language, Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the Capital (political), capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the County seat, seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the ...

, at the age of 49.

References

External links

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Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorrell, Don 1928 births 1978 deaths People from Missouri Male actors from Missouri American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors Western (genre) television actors