John Archer (born Ralph Bowman; May 8, 1915 – December 3, 1999) was an American actor.

Early life

Archer was born Ralph Bowman in

Osceola, Nebraska Osceola is a city and the county seat of Polk County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 880 as of the 2010 census. History According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the first settlers of Osceola, which included the families of ...

, the son of Eunice Melba (née Crawford) and Joseph Emmett Bowman. Archer moved to

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

at the age of five. He attended

Hollywood High School Hollywood High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Histo ...

and the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

, where he studied

cinematography Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens to foc ...

, expecting work behind the camera.

Radio

When finding work in the field of cinematography proved difficult Archer drifted into acting, working as a radio announcer and actor, including one year (beginning in 1944DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 14) in the starring role of Lamont Cranston in ''

The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...

'', a role originally played by

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

Stage

Archer honed his acting skills in plays at the Ben Bard Playhouse. He appeared on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in ''The Odds on Mrs. Oakley'' (1944), ''One-man Show'' (1945), ''A Place of Our Own'' (1945), ''

The Day Before Spring ''The Day Before Spring'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. Productions The 1945 touring production closed in Chicago after three days due to a crippling coal strike. The show then opened at t ...

'' (1945-1946), ''This Time Tomorrow'' (1947), ''Strange Bedfellows'' (1948), and ''Captain Brassbound's Conversion'' (1950-1951).

Film

Archer made his film debut in 1938. He acted in films for

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

and Republic under his birth name. In a radio contest sponsored by Jesse L. Lasky on the program '' Gateway to Hollywood'', he won the top prize, an

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

contract in the name of "John Archer." He appeared in the films: ''

Hello, Frisco, Hello ''Hello, Frisco, Hello'' is a 1943 American musical film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Alice Faye, John Payne, Lynn Bari, and Jack Oakie. The film was made in Technicolor and released by 20th Century-Fox. This was one of the last ...

''; '' Guadalcanal Diary''; ''

White Heat ''White Heat'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts (writer), Ben Roberts, ''White Heat'' is base ...

''; '' Destination Moon''; '' Rock Around the Clock''; '' She Devil'';

Ten Thousand Bedrooms ''Ten Thousand Bedrooms'' is a 1957 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Eva Bartok. Martin's first film in the wake of the dissolution of his partnership with Jerry Lewi ...

''; ''

Decision at Sundown ''Decision at Sundown'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott. It is one of seven Boetticher/Scott western collaborations, including '' Seven Men from Now'', '' The Tall T'', '' Buchanan Rides Al ...

''; '' Blue Hawaii''; and ''

How to Frame a Figg ''How to Frame a Figg'' is a 1971 comedy film about a bookkeeper's bungling assistant, Hollis Alexander Figg (played by Don Knotts), in the Dalton city hall, who finds himself framed for embezzlement. Plot Hollis Figg is an earnest if not too br ...

''.

Television

Archer appeared in television series such as ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure crime drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a decade th ...

'', ''

Science Fiction Theatre ''Science Fiction Theatre'' was an American science fiction anthology television series that was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv and originally aired in syndication. It premiered on April 9, 1955 and ended on April 6, 1957, with a total of ...

'', ''

Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...

'', ''

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star ...

'', and '' The Millionaire'', ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hosted ...

'', ''

Private Secretary A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister; or a public servant in a royal household, responsible to a member of the royal family. The role exists in ...

'', ''

The Bob Cummings Show ''The Bob Cummings Show'' (also known in reruns as ''Love That Bob'') is an American sitcom starring Bob Cummings, which was broadcast from January 2, 1955, to September 15, 1959. The program began with a half-season run on NBC, then ran for tw ...

'', ''

Mackenzie's Raiders ''Mackenzie's Raiders'' is an American Western television series starring Richard Carlson that aired thirty-nine episodes in syndication between 1958 and 1959. The series is narrated by Art Gilmore, and was produced by Ziv Television Programs. ...

'', ''

This Man Dawson ''This Man Dawson'' is a syndicated drama television series that was broadcast during 1959-60, starring Keith Andes as a former United States Marine Corps colonel hired to clean up police corruption in an undisclosed American city. The series wa ...

'', ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...

'', '' The Californians'', ''

Sea Hunt ''Sea Hunt'' is an American action adventure television series that aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961 and was popular for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced. It stars Lloyd Bridges a ...

'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

'' (in the series' only 2-part episode, titled " The Devil's Necklace"), ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'', '' The Tall Man'', ''

Surfside 6 ''Surfside 6'' is an ABC television series which aired from 1960 to 1962. The show centered on a Miami Beach detective agency set on a houseboat and featured Troy Donahue as Sandy Winfield II; Van Williams as Kenny Madison (a character recyc ...

'' with

Van Williams Van Zandt Jarvis Williams (February 27, 1934 – November 28, 2016) was an American actor best known for his leading role as Kenny Madison in both Warner Bros. television detective series ''Bourbon Street Beat'' (1959–1960) and its sequel ...

, ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', '' Hawaiian Eye'', ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...

'', ''

The Silent Service is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kaiji Kawaguchi. It was published in Kodansha's '' Weekly Morning'' manga magazine from 1988 to 1996 and collected in 32 ''tankōbon'' volumes. The series was adapted into an anime tele ...

'', '' Bonanza'', '' Hazel'', '' Mannix'', and '' The Name of the Game''. In 1960 Archer was cast as Joe Holman in the episode "Phantom Trail" of the western series '' Colt .45''. He made five guest appearances on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

''. He played Frank Maddox in the show's second episode in 1957, "The Case of the Sleepwalker's Niece". In 1958 he played murder victim Maj. Frank Lessing in the episode "The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant", and in 1959 he played murderer J. R. Bradbury in the episode "The Case of the Lucky Legs". He also played murder victim Harry Arnold in the 1965 episode "The Case of Candy Queen". He also made seven guest appearances on '' Lassie'' and six on '' Bonanza''. He played the outlaw Matt Grundy in a 1962 episode of '' Laramie'', entitled "The Confederate Express".

Personal life

Archer was married twice. From 1941 to 1955, he was married to actress

Marjorie Lord Marjorie Lord (née Wollenberg; July 26, 1918 – November 28, 2015) was an American television and film actress. She played Kathy "Clancy" O'Hara Williams, opposite Danny Thomas's character on ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (also known as ''Make ...

. They had two children, including daughter actress Anne Archer. Archer had two children with his second wife, Ann Leddy, to whom he was married from 1956 until his death. Archer was a grandfather of Tommy Davis, son of his daughter Anne, both of whom are noted members of the Church of Scientology. On December 3, 1999, Archer died from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...

in Redmond, Washington, at age 84.

Selected filmography

* '' Flaming Frontiers'' (1938) - Tom Grant * ''

Letter of Introduction ''Letter of Introduction'' is a 1938 American comedy-drama film directed by John M. Stahl. In 1966, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after p ...

'' (1938) - Reporter (uncredited) * ''

Dick Tracy Returns ''Dick Tracy Returns'' (1938) is a Republic Movie serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip. It was the eleventh of the sixty-six serials Republic produced and a sequel to the 1937 serial ''Dick Tracy'', with Ralph Byrd reprising his role as the ...

'' (1938) - Mr. Clark (uncredited) * ''

Overland Stage Raiders ''Overland Stage Raiders'' is a 1938 " Three Mesquiteers" Western film starring John Wayne and directed by George Sherman. The film is notable for being the final film in which silent film icon Louise Brooks performed. Wayne played the lead i ...

'' (1938) - Bob Whitney * '' Spring Madness'' (1938) - Dartmouth College Student (uncredited) * ''

Career The career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defi ...

'' (1939) - Ray Cruthers * '' Curtain Call'' (1940) - Ted Palmer * ''

Barnyard Follies ''Barnyard Follies'' is a 1940 Republic Pictures musical B movie directed by Frank McDonald with music directed by Cy Feuer and dance choreography by Josephine Earl. In the rural American West, a small-town orphanage struggles to become self-s ...

'' (1940) - Jeff Hill * ''

Cheers for Miss Bishop ''Cheers for Miss Bishop'' is a 1941 American drama film based on the novel ''Miss Bishop'' by Bess Streeter Aldrich. It was directed by Tay Garnett and stars Martha Scott in the title role. The other cast members include William Gargan, Edmund ...

'' (1941) - Richard Clark * ''

Scattergood Baines ''Scattergood Baines'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film. It is based on a novel by Clarence Budington Kelland. The character of Scattergood was also popular during the days of live radio. In the film, Guy Kibbee plays the title character ...

'' (1941) - Johnny Bones * ''

City of Missing Girls ''City of Missing Girls'' is a 1941 American film directed by Elmer Clifton. Plot The police led by Captain McVeigh and the Assistant District Attorney James J. Horton are baffled by the disappearances of several young girls with some being fou ...

'' (1941) - James Horton * ''

The People vs. Dr. Kildare ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' is a 1941 drama directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Bonita Granville, and Laraine Day. Dr. Kildare performs an emergency operation on a crash victim. Plot Ice skater Frances Marlo ...

'' (1941) - Interne (uncredited) * ''

King of the Zombies ''King of the Zombies'' is a 1941 American zombie comedy film directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, and Mantan Moreland. The film was produced by Monogram Pictures, and was typical of its B films produced by the ...

'' (1941) - Bill Summers * ''

Paper Bullets ''Paper Bullets'' is a 1941 American film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Joan Woodbury. It was the first film produced by the King Brothers, launching their career. The film was re-released by Eagle Lion as ''Gangs, Inc.'' giving top bill ...

'' (1941) - Bob Elliott * ''

Mountain Moonlight ''Mountain Moonlight'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Nick Grinde and written by Mauri Grashin, John W. Krafft, Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars the vaudeville comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, with Be ...

'' (1941) - Dr. Ed * '' Always Tomorrow: The Portrait of an American Business'' (1941) - Jim Westlake * '' Hi, Neighbor'' (1942) - Dr. Hall * ''

Police Bullets ''Police Bullets'' is a 1942 American crime film directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Edmond Kelso and Ande Lamb. The film stars Joan Marsh, John Archer, Milburn Stone, Warren Hymer, Tris Coffin and Fern Emmett. The film was released by Mo ...

'' (1942) - Prof. J. Thomas Quincy * '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (1942) - Dr. Robert Redmond (uncredited) * ''

Scattergood Survives a Murder ''Scattergood Survives a Murder'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by Michael L. Simmons, based on the series of short stories about "Scattergood Baines", penned by Clarence Budington Kelland. Cast ...

'' (1942) - Dunker Gilson * ''

Bowery at Midnight ''Bowery at Midnight'' is a 1942 American Monogram Pictures horror film directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bela Lugosi and John Archer. The film was re-released by Astor Pictures in 1949. Plot Lugosi plays a psychology professor by day who, ...

'' (1942) - Richard Dennison * ''

'' (1943) - Ned Clark * '' The Purple V'' (1943) - Jimmy Thorne * ''

Sherlock Holmes in Washington Sherlock may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle ** ''Sherlock'' (TV series), a BBC TV series that started in 2010 ** Sherlock Hemlock, a Muppet from the TV show ''Sesame Street ...

'' (1943) - Lt. Pete Merriam * '' Shantytown'' (1943) - Bill Allen * ''

Crash Dive A crash dive is a maneuver by a submarine in which the vessel submerges as quickly as possible to avoid attack. Crash diving from the surface to avoid attack has been largely rendered obsolete with the advent of nuclear-powered submarines, as they ...

'' (1943) - Curly Bowman (uncredited) * '' Guadalcanal Diary'' (1943) - Lt. Thurmond * ''

The Eve of St. Mark ''The Eve of St Mark'' is a 1942 play by Maxwell Anderson set during World War II. It later became a 1944 film by 20th Century Fox that featured some of the same actors who repeated their roles in the film. The title is derived from the legend of ...

'' (1944) - Pvt. Carter * '' Roger Touhy, Gangster'' (1944) - FBI Agent Kerrigan * ''

The Lost Moment ''The Lost Moment'' is a 1947 melodramatic psychological thriller film with elements of horror directed by Martin Gabel and starring Robert Cummings, Susan Hayward and Agnes Moorehead. The film was not well received at the time but its reputati ...

'' (1947) - Charles * ''After Nightfall'' (1949) * ''

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado. The territory was organized in the ...

'' (1949) - Reno Blake * ''

'' (1949) - Philip Evans * '' Destination Moon'' (1950) - Jim Barnes * ''

The Great Jewel Robber ''The Great Jewel Robber'' is a 1950 American drama film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Borden Chase. The film stars David Brian, Marjorie Reynolds, John Archer, Jacqueline deWit, Perdita Chandler and Stanley Church. The film was r ...

'' (1950) - Police Detective Lou Sampter * '' High Lonesome'' (1950) - Pat Farrell * '' Santa Fe'' (1951) - Clint Canfield * '' Home Town Story'' (1951) - Don (uncredited) * '' Best of the Badmen'' (1951) - Curley Ringo * '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) - Henderson * ''

The Big Trees ''The Big Trees'' is a 1952 in film, 1952 lumberjack western film, Western film starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Felix E. Feist. It was Kirk Douglas's final film for Warner Brothers, a film he did for free in exchange for the studio agreei ...

'' (1952) - Frenchy LeCroix * '' Rodeo'' (1952) - Slim Martin * '' A Yank in Indo-China'' (1952) - Mulvaney * '' Sound Off'' (1952) - Maj. Paul Whiteside * ''

The Sea Tiger ''The Sea Tiger'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent drama film produced and distributed by First National Pictures and directed by John Francis Dillon (director), John Francis Dillon. The film stars Milton Sills and Mary Astor. It is now a ...

'' (1952) - Ben McGrun * ''

The Stars Are Singing ''The Stars Are Singing'' is a 1953 Paramount Pictures musical directed by Norman Taurog and starring Rosemary Clooney, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Lauritz Melchior. Plot The screenplay concerns a 15-year-old Polish girl (played by Alberghetti) ...

'' (1953) - Dave Parish * '' Dragon's Gold'' (1954) - Mack Rossiter * '' No Man's Woman'' (1955) - Harlow Grant * '' Rock Around the Clock'' (1956) - Mike Dodd * ''

Emergency Hospital ''Emergency Hospital'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Lee Sholem and written by Don Martin. The film stars Walter Reed, Margaret Lindsay, John Archer, Byron Palmer, Rita Johnson and Peg La Centra. The film was released on November 2, ...

'' (1956) - Dr. Herb Ellis * ''

Affair in Reno ''Affair in Reno'' is a 1957 American comedic crime adventure film directed by R. G. Springsteen from a screenplay by John K. Butler. The film stars John Lund, Doris Singleton, John Archer, Angela Greene and Alan Hale. The film was released on ...

'' (1957) - Tony Lamarr * '' She Devil'' (1957) - Barton Kendall * ''

10,000 Bedrooms ''Ten Thousand Bedrooms'' is a 1957 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Eva Bartok. Martin's first film in the wake of the dissolution of his partnership with Jerry Lew ...

'' (1957) - Bob Dudley * ''

'' (1957) - Dr. John Storrow * '' City of Fear'' (1959) - Lt. Mark Richards * '' Blue Hawaii'' (1961) - Jack Kelman * ''

Apache Rifles ''Apache Rifles'' is a 1964 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Audie Murphy. The film was shot at Bronson Canyon and Red Rock Canyon State Park, California. It was the first of four Audie Murphy films for producer Gra ...

'' (1964) - Col. Perry * ''

I Saw What You Did ''I Saw What You Did'' is a 1965 American thriller film released by Universal Pictures and starring Joan Crawford and John Ireland. The plot follows two teenage girls who find themselves in serious danger after making a prank phone call to a man ...

'' (1965) - John Austin * ''

'' (1971) - Gerard * ''The Little Sister'' (1986) - Warehouse Cop

References

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Archer, John 1915 births 1999 deaths Male actors from Nebraska People from Osceola, Nebraska American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors People from Redmond, Washington USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni 20th-century American male actors RKO Pictures contract players Deaths from lung cancer in Washington (state)