Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922April 28, 1999) was an American film and television actor. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as ''

How to Marry a Millionaire ''How to Marry a Millionaire'' is a 1953 American screwball comedy film directed by Jean Negulesco and written and produced by Nunnally Johnson. The screenplay was based on the plays ''The Greeks Had a Word for It'' (1930) by Zoe Akins and ''Loc ...

'' (1953).

Life and career

1922–1943: Troubled early life

Francis Timothy McCown was born in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, the son of Elizabeth Cuthbert and Floyd Conley McCown, a professional gambler. He spent his early years in

Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz (Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a pop ...

. He was of Irish ancestry. At age 13, he stole a revolver, for which he was sent to the California Youth Authority's

Preston School of Industry The Preston School of Industry, also known as Preston Castle, was a reform school located in Ione, California, in Amador County. It was proposed by, and ultimately named after, state senator Edward Myers Preston. The cornerstone was laid in De ...

reformatory at

Ione, California Ione ( ) is a city in Amador County, California. The population was 7,918 at the 2010 census, up from 7,129 in 2000. Once known as " Bed-Bug" and "Freeze Out," Ione was an important supply center on the main road to the Mother Lode and Southern ...

. He escaped while in the adjustment center (jail within the jail). He left home at 17 to escape beatings from his stepfather and began hot-wiring cars. After robbing several jewelry stores, he stole a car and drove it across state lines. This made it a federal offense, and, when he was recaptured, he was sentenced to three years in prison. He served his sentence at the

United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP Springfield) is a United States federal prison in Springfield, Missouri which provides medical, mental health, and dental services to male offenders. It is operated by the Federal Bureau ...

in Springfield, Missouri. He remained there until he was paroled shortly before his 21st birthday. Calhoun worked at a number of odd jobs, including as a mechanic, a logger in California's redwoods, a hard-rock miner in Nevada, a cowboy in Arizona, a fisherman, a truck driver, a crane operator, and a forest firefighter.

1944–1945: Early acting credits as Frank McCown

In January 1944, he met actor

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake ...

while riding horseback in the

Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Geography The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...

. Impressed with Calhoun's physique, Ladd introduced him to his wife Sue Carol, who was a

talent agent A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or sport ...

. She arranged for him to have a screen test at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, and he was cast in uncredited roles for ''

Something for the Boys ''Something for the Boys'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields. Produced by Mike Todd, the show opened on Broadway in 1943 and starred Ethel Merman in her fifth Cole Porter musical. P ...

'' (1944), and ''

Sunday Dinner for a Soldier ''Sunday Dinner for a Soldier'' is a 1944 American drama romance war film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Anne Baxter and John Hodiak. It is based on a novelette by Martha Cheavens. Plot A poor family in Florida saves all the money they c ...

'' (1944). He had a one-line role in a

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

comedy, ''

The Bullfighters ''The Bullfighters'' is the penultimate feature film starring Laurel and Hardy, the sixth and final film the duo made under 20th Century Fox as well as the last released in the United States. Plot Private detectives Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy ...

'' (1945), credited under the name Frank McCown. He also appeared in '' Where Do We Go from Here?'' (1945), ''

The Great John L. ''The Great John L.'' is a 1945 American Biographical film, biographical Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by James Edward Grant. The film stars Linda Darnell, Barbara Britton, Greg McClure, Otto Kruger, ...

'' (1945) (as Gentleman Jim Corbett), and ''

Nob Hill Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States that is known for its numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions. Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the highes ...

'' (1945). "I liked the money it brought in", said Calhoun. "And I felt it would be nice to go back to forestry with a neat bank roll when these fellows found me out. I never had any feeling I'd make good."

1945–1949: Change to Rory Calhoun and partnership with David O. Selznick

Shortly afterwards, the Ladds hosted a party attended by David O. Selznick employee

Henry Willson Henry Leroy Willson (July 31, 1911 – November 2, 1978) was an American Hollywood talent agent who played a large role in developing the beefcake craze of the 1950s. He was known for his stable of young, attractive clients, including Roc ...

, an agent who was known for representing young actors. Willson signed McCown to a contract with Selznick's company Vanguard and his name was soon changed to Rory Calhoun. According to Calhoun, Selznick told him his first name should be "Rory... because you're a Leo, Leos are lions and lions roar." Selznick suggested either Donahue, Calhoun or Callahan as a surname, and he picked Calhoun. (In another account of the story, Selznick named him "Rory" because he helped put out roaring fire blazes when a firefighter and "Calhoun" because it sounded Irish.) Calhoun was under contract with Selznick's company Vanguard, being used to do screen tests and make public appearances. His first public appearance in the film capital was as

Lana Turner Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized per ...

's escort to the premiere of

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's '' Spellbound'' (1945), a Selznick production. The glamorous blonde and her handsome companion attracted the paparazzi, and photos appeared in newspapers and fan magazines. In 1945, Calhoun returned to prison after punching a detective. Calhoun did not appear in a film for a year before being loaned out to producer

Sol Lesser Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890 – September 19, 1980) was an American film producer. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961. Biography In 1913, while living in San F ...

for '' The Red House'' (1947) with

Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...

. He was then loaned to Paramount to play the lead in '' Adventure Island'' (1947) with fellow Selznick contractee

Rhonda Fleming Rhonda Fleming (born Marilyn Louis; August 10, 1923 – October 14, 2020) was an American film and television actress and singer. She acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most glamoro ...

. Calhoun was announced for a film called ''Jet Pilot'' with Fleming,

Guy Madison Guy Madison (born Robert Ozell Moseley; January 19, 1922 – February 6, 1996) was an American film, television, and radio actor. He is best known for playing Wild Bill Hickok in the Western television series ''The Adventures of Wild Bill Hicko ...

and other Selznick contract players but it was not made. Instead, he was third lead in ''

That Hagen Girl ''That Hagen Girl'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Peter Godfrey. The screenplay by Charles Hoffman was based on the novel by Edith Kneipple Roberts. The film focuses on small-town teenaged girl Mary Hagen (Shirley Temple), whom gos ...

'' (1947) with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

and

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

Sam Newfield Sam Newfield, born Samuel Neufeld, (December 6, 1899 - November 10, 1964), also known as Sherman Scott or Peter Stewart, was an American B-movie Film director, director, one of the most prolific in American film history—he is credited with d ...

, who used Calhoun in ''Adventure Island'', cast him again in ''

Miraculous Journey ''Miraculous Journey'' is a 1948 film about seven airplane passengers who find themselves stranded in an African jungle after their plane crashes. It was directed by Sam Newfield, under the pseudonym of Peter Stewart. The film stars Rory Calhoun a ...

'' (1948). For

Monogram A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series o ...

he and Guy Madison were in ''Massacre River'' (1949). At Fox, Calhoun played a second lead in ''

Sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...

'' (1949) In February 1949 Selznick did a deal with Warners lending them seven of his stars, including Calhoun—they took over half his pictures for the rest of his contract with Selznick. He played the villain in ''

Return of the Frontiersman ''Return of the Frontiersman'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Richard L. Bare and written by Edna Anhalt. The film stars Gordon MacRae, Julie London, Rory Calhoun, Jack Holt, Fred Clark and Edwin Rand. The film was released by Wa ...

'' (1950) and was hero of Monogram's ''

County Fair An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibit ...

'' (1950).

1950–1954: 20th Century Fox and stardom

In August 1950, Calhoun signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. He had made no films for Selznick. "I didn't worry about it because it was like a long vacation with pay", he said later. During Calhoun's contract with 20th Century Fox, he was in ''

A Ticket to Tomahawk ''A Ticket to Tomahawk'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Richard Sale and starring Dan Dailey and Anne Baxter. It was released by 20th Century Fox. Marilyn Monroe appeared in one of her earliest roles. Plot In 1876, Johnny Jameson ...

'' (1950) and was second male lead in ''

I'd Climb the Highest Mountain '' I'd Climb the Highest Mountain'' is a 1951 Technicolor religious drama film made by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. It was directed by Henry King and produced by Lamar Trotti from a screenplay by King and Trotti. The story is based ...

'' (1951) with

Susan Hayward Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrenner; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American film actress, best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories. After working as a fashion model for the Walter Thornton Model A ...

, and ''

Meet Me After the Show ''Meet Me After the Show'' is a 1951 Technicolor musical film starring Betty Grable and released through 20th Century Fox. The film was one of Grable's last musical films for Fox during her box office reign of the past decade. Plot Delilah Lee ...

'' (1951) with

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

. He went to Ventura to star in a Western '' Rogue River'' (1951). He was promoted to co-star for '' With a Song in My Heart'' (1952) with Hayward and '' Way of a Gaucho'' (1952) with

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

, directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat ...

. Calhoun was promoted to star in the Westerns ''

The Silver Whip ''The Silver Whip'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Harmon Jones and starring Dale Robertson, Rory Calhoun and Robert Wagner. Plot Cocky young drifter Jess Harker (Robert Wagner) wants to be a driver on the stagecoach's main line, j ...

'' (1953) with

Dale Robertson Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series '' Tales of Wells Fargo'' and railroad owner Be ...

and

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch'' (1975–1978), and ''Hart to Hart'' (1979– ...

, and '' Powder River'' (1953) with

Corinne Calvet Corinne Calvet (April 30, 1925 – June 23, 2001), born Corinne Dibos, was a French actress who appeared mostly in American films. According to one obituary, she was promoted "as a combination of Dietrich and Rita Hayworth", but her person ...

. He was in ''

'' (1953) as the love interest of

, then was back to second male leads in ''

River of No Return ''River of No Return'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Otto Preminger and starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. The screenplay by Frank Fenton is based on a story by Louis Lantz, who borrowed his premise from the 1948 Italia ...

'' (1954) as the boyfriend of

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

who loses her to

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...

. Both films were big hits. Calhoun then left Fox.

1954–1956: Freelancing and Universal Studios

Calhoun starred in a Western, ''

The Yellow Tomahawk ''The Yellow Tomahawk'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Richard Alan Simmons. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Peggie Castle, Noah Beery, Jr., Warner Anderson, Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef and Rita Moreno. ...

'' (1954). He went to Columbia for ''

A Bullet Is Waiting ''A Bullet Is Waiting'' is a 1954 American film noir crime western film directed by John Farrow and starring Jean Simmons, Rory Calhoun, Stephen McNally and Brian Aherne. Plot A small plane carrying Frank Munson and a handcuffed prisoner, Ed S ...

'' (1954) Calhoun went to Universal for whom he made a Western, '' Four Guns to the Border'' (1954). He stayed there to star in the musical '' Ain't Misbehavin''' (1955). In 1955, Calhoun and

Julie Adams Julie Adams (born Betty May Adams; October 17, 1926 – February 3, 2019) was an American actress, billed as Julia Adams toward the beginning of her career, primarily known for her numerous television guest roles. She starred in a number of ...

co-starred in the film ''

The Looters ''The Looters'' is a 1967 French film starring Jean Seberg, Serge Gainsbourg and Frederick Stafford Frederick Stafford (11 March 1928 – 28 July 1979) was a Czechoslovak-born actor. Born Friedrich Strobel von Stein, he spoke fluent Czech, Ger ...

'', the story of a plane crash in the Rocky Mountains. Part of the picture was filmed about

Tarryall Creek Tarryall Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 25, 2011 in Park County in central Colorado in the Uni ...

in Park County, Colorado in central Colorado. The advertising poster reads: "Five desperate men ... and a girl who didn't care ... trapped on a mountain of gale-lashed rock!" He then co-starred with Jeff Chandler in '' The Spoilers'' (1955). While filming ''The Spoilers'', Calhoun's conviction history became public when his mugshot appeared on the May 1955 cover of ''Confidential'' magazine. When the news came out he received an offer to play "The Champion" on ''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS programs ...

'' and

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 ...

asked him to be in ''

The Treasure of Pancho Villa ''The Treasure of Pancho Villa'' is a 1955 American Technicolor Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Rory Calhoun, Shelley Winters, and Gilbert Roland. The film was shot on location in Mexico. Plot During the Mexican Civil War ...

'' (1955). Ultimately the disclosure had no negative effect on Calhoun's career and only served to solidify his "bad boy" image. In 1956, he appeared on the TV show ''

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 F ...

''. At Universal he was in ''

Red Sundown ''Red Sundown'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Jack Arnold and starring Rory Calhoun, Martha Hyer and Dean Jagger. Plot Alec Longmire (Rory Calhoun), a gunfighter, decides to change his ways after nearly losing his life. He refor ...

'' (1956) and ''

Raw Edge ''Raw Edge'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by John Sherwood starring Rory Calhoun, Yvonne de Carlo, Mara Corday. It marked the movie debut of John Gavin under the name "John Gilmore". Plot In 1842, before law and order has come to ...

'' (1956). He wrote the story for the film ''

Shotgun A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small p ...

'' (1955) made by Allied Artists and tried to star in it, but Universal would not loan him. He also wrote the novels ''The Man From Padera'' (1979) and ''Cerrado'' (1980). In late 1956, he arranged to pull out of his contract with Universal and said his fee was $75,000 per film.

1957–1959: Producer and ''The Texan''

In 1957, Calhoun formed

Rorvic Productions Rorvic Productions was a movie production company formed in 1956 by Rory Calhoun and Victor Orsatti. The name derives from the combination of the founders names, Rory and Victor. Rorvic Productions produced the television series ''The Texan'', th ...

, a production company with his partner,

Victor Orsatti Victor Manuel Orsatti (November 25, 1905 – June 9, 1984) was an American talent agent and film producer. As an agent, he represented some of the biggest stars of the 1930s and 1940s, including Judy Garland, Betty Grable, and Edward G. Robin ...

. He helped produce and starred in ''

Flight to Hong Kong ''Flight to Hong Kong'' is a 1956 American crime film noir directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Rory Calhoun, Barbara Rush, Dolores Donlon. The film was co-produced by Newman's Sabre Productions and was the first of Rory Calhoun's Rorvic ...

'' (1956), '' The Hired Gun'' (1957), ''

Domino Kid ''Domino Kid'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Kenneth Gamet and Hal Biller. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Kristine Miller, Andrew Duggan, Yvette Dugay, Peter Whitney and Eugene Iglesias. The film was r ...

'' (1957) and ''

Apache Territory ''Apache Territory'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and produced by and starring Rory Calhoun. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The story is based on the 1957 novel ''Last Stand at Papago Wells'' by Louis L'Amour. ...

'' (1958). He made ''

Utah Blaine ''Utah Blaine'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Fred F. Sears and starring Rory Calhoun. It was based on a novel by Louis L'Amour. Plot After saving a rancher from hanging, cowboy Mike "Utah" Blaine learns that his enemy Rink Witte ...

'' (1957) for

Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. Ea ...

and ''

The Big Caper ''The Big Caper'' is a 1957 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Stevens and starring Rory Calhoun, Mary Costa and James Gregory. Plot His portion of the loot from a recent heist squandered, minor-league criminal Frank Harper talks ...

'' (1957) for

Pine-Thomas Pine-Thomas Productions was a prolific B-picture unit of Paramount Pictures from 1940–1957, producing 81 films. Co-producers William H. Pine (February 15, 1896 – April 29, 1955) and William C. Thomas (August 11, 1903 – April 2, 1984) were kno ...

. For

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...

' company he appeared in ''

Ride Out for Revenge ''Ride Out for Revenge'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Bernard Girard and starring Rory Calhoun, Gloria Grahame, Lloyd Bridges and Joanne Gilbert. Plot Chief Yellow Wolf and son Little Wolf walk to town (the plight of Yellow W ...

'' (1958) and he returned to Universal for ''

The Saga of Hemp Brown ''The Saga of Hemp Brown'' is a 1958 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Richard Carlson and starring Rory Calhoun and Beverly Garland. Plot A U.S. cavalry officer, Hemp Brown (Rory Calhoun), runs into some serious trouble when the p ...

'' (1958). In 1958, on the recommendation of studio boss

Desi Arnaz Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American actor, bandleader, and film and television producer. He played Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Lov ...

, Calhoun co-produced and starred in the television series '' The Texan'', which aired on Monday evenings until 1960. He said in a 1959 article that the only two good films he made were ''With a Song in My Heart'' and ''How to Marry a Millionaire'', the rest being "terrible". Calhoun produced and wrote screenplays throughout his career. ''The Texan'' could have filmed a third year, but Calhoun wanted to concentrate on films. On March 26, 1959, he appeared as himself in the episode "Rory Calhoun, The Texan" on the sitcom ''

December Bride ''December Bride'' is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network from 1954 to 1959. It was adapted from the original CBS radio network series of the same name that aired from June 1952 through September 1953. Overview ''Dec ...

'', starring

Spring Byington Spring Dell Byington (October 17, 1886 – September 7, 1971) was an American actress. Her career included a seven-year run on radio and television as the star of ''December Bride''. She was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player who appeared in ...

1960s

After ''The Texan'' ended, Calhoun starred in ''

Thunder in Carolina ''Thunder in Carolina'' is a 1960 stock car racing film directed by Paul Helmick and starring Rory Calhoun, Alan Hale, Jr., and Connie Hines. Written by Alexander Richards, it contains 1959-vintage stock car race footage. Filmed at a number of ...

'' (1960). He appeared on TV shows such as ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'' and ''

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 ...

''. Calhoun went to Spain for ''

The Colossus of Rhodes The Colossus of Rhodes ( grc, ὁ Κολοσσὸς Ῥόδιος, ho Kolossòs Rhódios gr, Κολοσσός της Ρόδου, Kolossós tes Rhódou) was a statue of the Greek sun-god Helios, erected in the city of Rhodes, on the Greek isla ...

'' (1961) directed by

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...

. (He was robbed during filming.) He did ''

The Treasure of Monte Cristo ''The Treasure of Monte Cristo'' is a 1961 British film directed by Monty Berman and Robert S. Baker. The film features Rory Calhoun as an army captain in 1815 who goes off in search of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. It is a preq ...

'' (1961) in Britain, then did ''

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

'' (1962) in Italy. He returned to the U.S. to make several films for producer A.C. Lyles, such as ''

The Young and The Brave ''The Young and The Brave'' (also known by the working title ''Attong'') is a feature film released in 1963 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which depicts the quality of bravery of a group of prisoners of war that escaped North Korean capture, their youthfu ...

'' (1963), ''

Young Fury ''Young Fury'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by Christian Nyby and written by Steve Fisher. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Virginia Mayo, William Bendix, Lon Chaney Jr., Richard Arlen and John Agar. The film was released in February ...

'' (1965) and ''

Apache Uprising ''Apache Uprising'' is a 1965 American Technicolor Western (genre), Western Techniscope film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Max Lamb and Harry Sanford. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet, John Russell (actor), John Russel ...

'' (1965) as well as other films such as ''

Face in the Rain ''Face in the Rain'' is a 1963 film by Irvin Kershner Irvin Kershner (born Isadore Kershner; April 29, 1923November 27, 2010) was an American film director, actor, and producer of film and television. He gained notice early in his career as ...

'' (1963). Calhoun was considered for the lead of James West in the 1965–1969 CBS series ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'', but the producers were not impressed with his screen test and instead chose

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series ''The Wild Wild West'', playin ...

. He returned to Europe to make ''

Our Men in Bagdad ''Our Men in Bagdad'' ( it, Il gioco delle spie, french: Bagarre à Bagdad pour X-27) is a 1966 Italian-French Eurospy film starring Rory Calhoun. It was the directorial debut of Paolo Bianchini after about 60 films as assistant director. It was ...

'' (1966) and '' The Emerald of Artatama'' (1969).

Later career

Calhoun continued to appear in both television and film throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including ''

'', '' Rawhide'', ''

Gilligan's Island ''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...

'', ''

Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...

'', ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy as Jedediah "Kid" Curry, outlaw cousins who are tryin ...

'' and ''

Starsky and Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...

''. In 1982, Calhoun had a regular role on the soap opera ''

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

'', having been persuaded to accept the role by his family after his regret over turning down a part on CBS's ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

''. He stayed with the series until 1987. Calhoun became known to a new generation for several roles in cult films such as ''

Night of the Lepus ''Night of the Lepus'' (also known as ''Rabbits'') is a 1972 American science fiction horror film directed by William F. Claxton and produced by A. C. Lyles. Based upon Russell Braddon's 1964 science fiction novel '' The Year of the Angry Rabbi ...

'' (1972), ''

Motel Hell ''Motel Hell'' is a 1980 American comedy horror film directed by Kevin Connor and starring Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, and Nina Axelrod. The plot follows farmer, butcher, motel manager, and meat entrepreneur Vincent Smith, who traps travele ...

'' (1980), ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

'' (1984) and its sequel '' Avenging Angel'' (1985), as well as ''

Hell Comes to Frogtown ''Hell Comes to Frogtown'' is a 1988 American science fiction action film co-directed by Donald G. Jackson and R. J. Kizer, and written by Jackson and Randall Frakes. The film stars professional wrestler Roddy Piper as well as Sandahl Bergman ...

'' (1987). His final role was that of grizzled family patriarch and rancher Ernest Tucker in the film ''

Pure Country ''Pure Country'' is a 1992 American drama musical western film directed by Christopher Cain and starring George Strait in his acting debut, with Lesley Ann Warren, Isabel Glasser and Kyle Chandler. The film, while profitable with box office rece ...

'' (1992).

Personal life

Calhoun was married three times; once to his first wife, and twice to his second wife. He had three daughters with first wife Lita Baron (m. 1948–1970). When Baron sued Calhoun for divorce, she named

as one of 79 women with whom he had adulterous relationships. Calhoun replied to her charge: "Heck, she didn't even include half of them". Calhoun had one daughter with actress Vitina Marcus, and one daughter with second wife (m. 1971–1979; 1982–1999, his death),

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

Sue Rhodes.

Political views

Calhoun supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial United States presidential election, presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic Party (United States), Democratic President of the Un ...

Death

Calhoun died on April 28, 1999, at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, of

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...

and

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

. He was aged 76.

Legacy

For his contributions to the film and television industries, Calhoun was inducted into the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

with two stars in 1960. His motion pictures star is located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard, and his television star is at 1752 Vine Street.

Filmography

*''

'' (1944) as Soldier (uncredited) *''

'' (1944) as Soldier in Truck (uncredited) *''

'' (1945, billed as Frank McCown) as El Brillante – Disgusted Matador (uncredited) *'' Where Do We Go From Here?'' (1945) as Soldier Leaving Canteen (uncredited) *''

'' (1945) as James J. 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett *''

'' (1945) as Jose – Boxer Sparring with Tony (uncredited) *'' The Red House'' (1947) as Teller *'' Adventure Island'' (1947) as Mr. Herrick *''

'' (1947) as Ken Freneau *''

'' (1948) as Larry Burke *''

Massacre River The Massacre River is a river on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Naming The town of Massacre, Dominica, which runs along the river, was named by the French after a massacre of Caribs carried out by the English that occurred in the area in 1 ...

'' (1949) as Phil Acton *''

'' (1949) as Chick Palmer *''

'' (1950) as Dakota *''

'' (1950) as Larrabee *''

'' (1950) as Peter Brennan * '' Rogue River'' (1951) as Ownie Rogers *''

'' (1951) as Jack Stark *''

'' (1951) as David Hemingway *'' With a Song in My Heart'' (1952) as John Burn *'' Way of a Gaucho'' (1952) as Martin Penalosa *''

'' (1953) as Sheriff Tom Davisson *'' Powder River'' (1953) as Chino Bullock *''

'' (1953) as Eben *''

'' (1954) as Harry Weston *''

'' (1954) as Adam Reed *''

Dawn at Socorro ''Dawn at Socorro'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Rory Calhoun and Piper Laurie. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film is set mostly in Lordsburg, New Mexico, and the spoken in ...

'' (1954) as Brett Wade *''

'' (1954) as Ed Stone *'' Four Guns to the Border'' (1954) as Cully *'' Ain't Misbehavin''' (1955) as Jesse Hill *''

'' (1955) as Kenneth Post *''

'' (1955) as Tom Bryan *'' The Spoilers'' (1955) as Alex McNamara *''

'' (1956) as Alec Longmire *''

'' (1956) as Tex Kirby *''

'' (1956) as Tony Dumont *''

'' (1957) as Utah Blaine *''

'' (1957) as Frank Harper *'' The Hired Gun'' (1957) as Gil McCord *''

'' (1957) as Domino *''

'' (1957) as Tate *''

'' (1958) as Hemp Brown *''

'' (1958) *''

'' (1960) as Mitch Cooper *''

'' (1961) as Dario *''

'' (1961) as Captain Adam Corbett *''

'' (1962) as Marco Polo *''

'' (1963) as MSgt. Ed Brent (escaped POW) *''

The Gun Hawk ''The Gun Hawk'' is a 1963 American Western film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Rory Calhoun, Rod Cameron, Ruta Lee and Rod Lauren. Plot Gunslinger Rory Calhoun dispenses his own brand of justice in this action-packed Western adventu ...

'' (1963) as Blaine Madden *''

'' (1963) as Rand *''

'' (1964) as Clint McCoy *'' Finger on the Trigger'' (1965) as Larry Winton *''

Black Spurs ''Black Spurs'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Steve Fisher. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Linda Darnell (in her final film role), Terry Moore, Scott Brady, Lon Chaney Jr., Richard Arlen and Bruc ...

'' (1965) as Santee *''

'' (1966) as Jim Walker *''

'' (1966) as Alex *'' Operation Delilah'' (1967) as Rory *''

Operation Cross Eagles Operation Cross Eagles or American Cross Eagles is an action thriller set during the Second World War. The mid-budget film was made in 1968 and was directed by Richard Conte (his only time as a Director) who stars in the film alongside Rory Calhoun ...

'' (1968) as Sgt. Sean McAfee *'' The Emerald of Artatama'' (1969) as Jack Cooper *''Las Virgenes de la nueva ola'' (1969) *''

'' (1972) as Cole Hillman *''

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood ''Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Bruce Dern, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr and Art Carney. Spoofing the craze surrounding Rin Tin Tin, the film is notable for the larg ...

'' (1976) as Philip Hart *''Mission to Glory: A True Story'' (1977) as Capt. Juan Monje *''Love and the Midnight Auto Supply'' (1977) as Len Thompson *''Mule Feathers'' (1977) as Bonaparte Shelby *''Flatbed Annie and Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers'' (1979) as Farmer *''Revenge of Bigfoot'' (1979) as Bob Spence *'' The Rebels'' (1979) as Breen *''Bitter Heritage'' (1979) as Manuel *''Runnin' Hot'' (1980) *''

'' (1980) as Vincent Smith *''Smokey and the Judge'' (1980) as Matt Polsky *''

'' (1984) as Kit Carson *'' Avenging Angel'' (1985) as Kit Carson *''

'' (1988) as Looney Tunes *''Roller Blade Warriors: Taken by Force'' (1989) as Old Turkel *''Bad Jim'' (1990) as Sam Harper *''

'' (1992) as Ernest Tucker

Television

*''

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. It ...

'' (2 episodes), (1961) as Artie Matthewson, (1965) as Jarbo Pierce *''

'' (2 episodes, 1963, as the Arizona Ranger

Burt Mossman Burton C. Mossman (April 30, 1867 – September 5, 1956) was an American lawman and cattleman in the final years of the Old West. He is most remembered for his capture of the notorious border bandit Augustine Chacon in 1902, though he was also ...

, who captures the notorious outlaw Augustine Chacon, played by

Michael Pate Michael Pate OAM (born Edward John Pate; 26 February 1920 – 1 September 2008) was an Australian actor, writer, director, and producer, who also worked in Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Early life Pate was born in Drum ...

; 1966, as

William A. Richardson William Anthony Richardson (August 27, 1795 – April 20, 1856) was an early California entrepreneur, influential in the development of Yerba Buena, the forerunner of the city of San Francisco. Richardson was the first to receive a land gran ...

a pioneer entrepreneur of the future San Francisco, California) as William Richardson / Capt. Burt Mossman *'' The Texan'' (78 episodes, 1958–1960) as Bill Longley *''

'' (Episode: "Thanks for Everything, Friend", 1964) as Tom Wilson *'' The Virginian'' (Episode: "A Father for Toby", 1964) as Jim Shea / Jim Hansen *''

'' (1 episode, 1965) as Ben Stack *'' Rawhide '' (1 episode, 1965) as Joseph Denner *''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' (1 episode, 1966) as Dimitri *''

'' (1 episode, 1967) as Jonathan Kincaid *''

Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...

'' (1 episode, 1967) as Zebediah Jackson *''

Lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the M ...

'' (1 episode, 1970) as Buck Addison *''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast change ...

'' (1 episode, 1972) as Matt Lawrence *'' Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law'' (1 episode, 1972) as Bwana Bill *'' Hec Ramsey'' (1 episode, 1973) as Jim Patton *'' Circle of Fear'' (1973, TV series )1 episode, DEATH'S HEAD as Larry *'' Police Story'' (1 episode, 1973) as Pete Eastman *''

Petrocelli ''Petrocelli'' is an American legal drama that ran for two seasons on NBC from September 11, 1974 to March 31, 1976. Plot Tony Petrocelli is an Italian-American, Harvard-educated lawyer, who grew up in South Boston and gave up the big money and ...

'' (1 episode, 1974) as Edgar Richardson *'' Police Woman'' (1 episode, 1974) as Lou Gerard *'' Movin' On'' (1 episode, 1975) as J.C. Coombs *''

Starsky & Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...

'' (1 episode, 1977) as Steve Hanson *''Little Vic'' (1977, mini-series) as Lead *''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...

'' (1 episode, 1978) as Mr. Watson *''

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo ''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' is an American action comedy television series that ran on NBC from September 18, 1979, to May 5, 1981. For its second season the show was renamed ''Lobo''. The program aired Tuesday nights, at 8:00p.m. Easte ...

'' (1 episode, 1981) as Mr. Hobbes *''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset lifes ...

'' (1 episode, 1982) as Jim Bailey *'' The Blue and the Gray'' (miniseries, 1982) as Gen. George Meade * ''

'' (1982-1987) Judge Judson Tyler *''

Family Feud ''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. It features two families who compete to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The show has had three separate runs, the ...

'' (2 episodes, 1985) as Himself *''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' (1 episode, 1988) as Jimmie Thurson *''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'' (1 episode, 1993) as Spider (final appearance)

Producer

*'' The Hired Gun'' (1957) *''Domino Kid'' (1957) *''

'' (1958) *'' The Texan'' *''Fists of Steel'' (1991)

Writer

*''

'' (1955) *''

'' (1957)

References

External links

* * *
Interview with Rory Patricia Calhoun
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calhoun, Rory 1922 births 1999 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Deaths from diabetes Deaths from emphysema Film producers from California Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from Los Angeles Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government Western (genre) television actors