James Daniel Parnell (October 9, 1923 – December 27, 1961) was an American film and television actor. Parnell was born in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...

, the son of Effie and

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Parnell trained as a musician at Morningside ...

, a vaudeville performer. He had a brother, Charles Parnell. Parnell began his acting career in 1950 with an uncredited role in the film ''

California Passage ''California Passage'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane starring Forrest Tucker, Adele Mara and Estelita Rodriguez.Pitts, p. 52. Plot Cast * Forrest Tucker as Mike Prescott * Adele Mara as Beth Martin * Estelita Rodri ...

''. He then appeared in the films ''

Apache Drums ''Apache Drums'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Hugo Fregonese and produced by Val Lewton. The drama features Stephen McNally, Coleen Gray, and Willard Parker. The film was based on an original story: ''Stand at Spanish Boot'', by ...

'' and ''

G.I. Jane ''G.I. Jane'' is a 1997 American war drama film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, and Anne Bancroft. The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo special operations training similar to the ...

''. Parnell was also a cast member of the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

production of the musical ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'' for five years. Parnell appeared in over 100 films and television programs, including an appearance as Marv Tremain in the 1956 film ''

Star in the Dust ''Star in the Dust'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Charles F. Haas and starring John Agar, Mamie Van Doren and Richard Boone. In the town of Gunlock, sheriff Bill Jorden is due to hang Sam Hall for cattle-stealing. Jorden has to ...

''. He also performed on stage plays. Parnell appeared in numerous films, such as, '' Yukon Gold'' (1952); '' War Paint'' (1953); ''

The Yellow Mountain ''The Yellow Mountain'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Jesse Hibbs and starring Lex Barker, Mala Powers and Howard Duff. Plot Two former partners ("Andy Martin" and "Pete Menlo") from a previous mining claim are working in the st ...

'' (1954); ''

Crime Against Joe ''Crime Against Joe'' is a 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Lee Sholem and written by Robert C. Dennis. The film stars John Bromfield, Julie London, Henry Calvin, Patricia Blair, Joel Ashley and Robert Keys. Plot A Korean War vete ...

'' (1956); ''

The Delicate Delinquent ''The Delicate Delinquent'' is an American VistaVision comedy film starring Jerry Lewis, released on June 6, 1957 by Paramount Pictures. It was the first film to star Lewis without his longtime partner Dean Martin and marked Lewis' debut as a pro ...

'' (1957); '' Hell's Five Hours'' (1958); ''

The Walking Target ''The Walking Target'' is a 1960 crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Joan Evans, Merry Anders, and Ronald Foster. The screenplay concerns an ex-con who, upon release from prison, sets out to retrieve the $260,000 he hid before h ...

'' (1960) and ''

Gun Fight ''Gun Fight'', known as in Japan and Europe, is a 1975 multidirectional shooter arcade game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released by Taito in Japan and Europe and by Midway in North America. Based around two Old West cowboys armed ...

'' (1961). His last film credit was for the 1962 film ''

Incident in an Alley ''Incident in an Alley'' is a 1962 American neo noir crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Chris Warfield, Erin O'Donnell and Harp McGuire. The film's premise rests on a legal precedent that police may use force against fleeing s ...

''. He also appeared in the television programs, ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before ''Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely base ...

'', ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television Private investigator#PIs in fiction, private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith (actor), Roger Smith, Richard Long (actor), Richard Long (fr ...

'', ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The series' first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the second seaso ...

'', '' Mr. Lucky'', ''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, it ...

'', Leave It To Beaver, '' Have Gun, Will Travel'' and ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

''. Parnell died in December 1961 in

North Hollywood, California North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North H ...

, at the age of 38.

References

External links

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Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parnell, James 1923 births 1961 deaths People from Saint Paul, Minnesota Male actors from Saint Paul, Minnesota American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors