Cooper Smith falls in love with Rose although he recognizes Sam as the crook who had him beaten up in Brooklyn. Some say the change to black and white was an homage to the early years of Wagon Train. a wealthy socialite. After tragically losing his wife and ranch. This was Robert Fuller at his best and while there were good performances he carried the film. Robert Horton, 'Wagon Train' Actor, Dies at 91 By Alyssa Sage Dezo Hoffmann/REX/Shutterstock Robert Horton, known for his role as scout Flint McCullough in the Emmy-nominated series "Wagon. The Wagon Train, filmed at 21 different locations in the United States, was a huge success. Later that year, he was drafted into the US Army. Robert Horton, a ruggedly handsome actor who found television stardom in 1957 as the scout Flint McCullough on "Wagon Train" but who resisted being typecast in Westerns as he pursued a. Several season 5 episodes are in color. Following his 85th birthday in 2009, Horton announced, through his publicist, that he no longer would be making any personal appearances because he had tired of traveling. Abel Fernandez, Eddie Little, Ted Mapes, Frank McGrath, David Armstrong, Fredrick Ledebur Yet again Robert stuck to his guns and again the two men parted without agreement. SEATTLE - The day he picked to die, Robert Fuller had the party of a lifetime. Eugene Martin, Ray Teal, Linda Watkins, John Dierkes, Frank McGrath, Russ Thorson, Ted Mapes, James Philbrook, Shooting Star, Special guest star Mark Stevens (Nels Stack) This theme would last through the series' run and is the most remembered Wagon Train theme. Wagon. Robert retired after that show and it is fitting that his final part was in a western role.In July 2004 Robert and Jennifer re-located from Los Angeles to Texas where they now live on a beautiful ranch. Theme to classic TV western "Wagon Train". Special guest star George Montgomery (Jesse Cowan). [16] It was made by MGM and co-starred Sal Mineo and Diane Baker. When did Robert Fuller join wagon train? McQueen was not offered the role in the sequel because it is likely that if he had been in the film then Yul Brynner would not. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 1 Why did Robert Fuller leave wagon train? He first studied dramatics at the University of Miami[1] but later changed schools and graduated cum laude from UCLA. It is the fictional adventure story of a large westbound wagon train through the American Old West, from Missouri to California. [26], The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, "Robert Horton, Handsome 'Wagon Train' Star Who Wanted More, Dies at 91", "Robert Horton, 'Wagon Train' Actor, Dies at 91". Mr Wooster, do you think it'd be too much trouble to get your horseys to move. So, Ward Bond's last episode as Major Adams was Season 4 Episode 22? He is known for playing Flint McCullough in Wagon Train (1957-1962). "Wagon Train" followed the trials and tribulations of pioneering families as they set out from St. Joseph, MO, to carve out a new life in the west soon after the Civil War. Bond tragically passed away from a heart attack in 1960 after just giving his career a second wind by starring as wagon master Major Seth Adams in the first four seasons of the beloved NBC TV. Wagon Train Intro by Gail (Gus) Fox April 2016. Forumer.com is hosting this forum for free. Also starring Mary Murphy. [5] In its first three seasons and part of the fourth, the regular cast consisted of Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams, the trailmaster, Robert Horton as Flint McCullough, the scout, Terry Wilson as Bill Hawks, the ramrod, and Frank McGrath as Charlie Wooster, the cook. Robert later married the lovely Jennifer Savidge who played Nurse Lucy in "St Elsewhere" and appeared regularly in the hit TV series JAG.Robert's last performance was playing 2 roles in the final episode of Walker Texas Ranger. In the second season, a new more modern sounding theme was introduced. Step back in time and relive the glamour and scandal of yesteryear with our nostalgic photo gallery. The leader and sole survivor of an ill-fated wagon train, Fenton Canaby exiled himself from society. The Robert Harrison Clarke Story. Here you will find the answer to all of your questions. The purpose of our channel is to create EDUCATIONAL content. He studied the frontier era, drove the actual route the fictional wagon train took, and invented a back story for his character. Below are a few pictures from one of his guest appearances in The Kate Parker Story and Ella Lindstrom Story plus some shots as Coop. The_Rawhide_Trail. This change also allowed for expanded stories and continued to attract talented established actors. The_Rawhide_Trail > General Chat > . "(Roll Along) Wagon Train" was written by Sammy Fain and Jack Brooks and sung by Johnny O'Neill. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You know if you'd been watching where you were going, you wouldn't have hit that chuckhole. Bob Stuart: This is my wedding day, so if you don't mind. On his 90th birthday, he received the Western Legend Award. Neither Bond nor McIntire, both veterans of dozens of supporting roles in movies, routinely had a leading role in theatrical films, although Bond did in at least one B-picture. After getting a stern lesson about respecting his elders from Chris Hale, Barnaby West witnesses robbers leaving the Desert Sands bank and is taken hostage by outlaw Sam Spicer. When did Robert Fuller join the wagon train? While scouting, Duke Shannon discovers the Bleecker family and companions looking for a wagon train to take them to Fort Bridger. Cooper Smith: Don't you feel kinda undressed without a shotgun? More Great Wagon Train Features - Coming Soon. Victor convinces Kitty and his old college friend Miles Brisbane to pretend they are married so Kitty can come along on the trip. [10], Horton played Drake McHugh,[11] Ronald Reagan's role in the television version of Kings Row (1955), which featured Jack Kelly, and ran for seven episodes as part of the Warner Bros. Presents series, rotating with a television version of Casablanca and Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker. This was the western "Incident At Phantom Hill" where he was re-united with his close friend Dan Duryea, a man for whom Robert had the greatest respect, and who had made a couple of guest spots in Laramie. Also in 1966 Robert was given second billing to Yul Brynner in the sequel to "The Magnificent Seven," a film aptly titled "Return Of The Seven." Wagon Train, inspired by John Ford's 1950 film "WagonMaster," debuted on the NBC Television Network on Wednesday night, September 18, 1957. March 1, 2023 by . [1], Horton said that he never felt he fitted into his proper Latter-day Saint household because at times he was rather impetuous. In 1950 when Robert was just 16 his parents decided to move to Hollywood. There were three different theme songs used during the eight year run of Wagon Train. [2] During its run, 284 episodes were broadcast, of which 252 were an hour in length and 32 were 90 minutes. It is testament to the talent and personality of Robert Fuller that fans still travel from the four corners of the earth just to spend a couple of days with him at the Festivals he attends. Train. Four years later Timeless Media Group released a DVD selection consisting of 12 episodes on three discs. The spanking scene in the Wagon Train episode of The Maggie Hamilton Story has never been cut and is still shown today on ME TV. Charlie tries to figure out who she is and find a way to help her. The clock, above, ticked down the minutes until 3 p.m. when Fuller would ingest his life-ending medications. [17], In 1968, two years later, Horton co-starred in The Green Slime, a low-budget Japanese-American science fiction film, directed by Kinji Fukasaku and shot entirely in Japan, but with an American and European cast. But the story - one involving McIntire's scout Robert Fuller - involves Fuller old trail buddies, who are criminals as was he, and Robert Ryan, who was a lawman with whom they all had a run-in during their past. This was a very exciting prospect for Robert, however excitement soon turned to disappointment when Kelly offered him the second lead in a detective series starring Ray Milland called "Markham" Robert refused the role on the grounds he wanted to do a good western. She taught him to dance, and this led to them opening a dance school in Key West. Seasons 1 through 6 (1957-63) and 8 (1964-65) were hour-long episodes in black and white. Robert repeated the line and Wyler without hesitation said "Give this kid the part. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Ward Bond led the group as the Wagon Master alongside Robert Horton, who played the scout Flint McCullough (he was replaced by Robert Fuller as Cooper Smith in season 7 and 8), Frank. with Claude Akins, Jack Elam, Francis J. McDonald, William Boyett, Ronald Foster, Ted Mapes, Frank McGrath, Henry Wills Over 30 years after it ended there was an Emergency re-union which was attended by most of the stars plus fans from all over the world. Inspired by the 1950 John Ford movie "Wagon Master", Wagon Train debuted Wednesday night, September 18, 1957, on the NBC Television Network. At an initial budget of US$100,000 (equivalent to $965,000 in 2021) per segment, Wagon Train episodes cost over 40% more than most contemporary hour-long Westerns, allowing it to film on location in California's San Fernando Valley and afford its expensive guest stars.[36]. [25], Horton died of natural causes on March 9, 2016 at the age of 91 in a rehabilitation clinic in Los Angeles, California. Robert left Patrick Kelly's office thinking that was the end of his career - you don't turn down those opportunities once let alone twice! [21], Horton married actress Barbara Ruick on August 22, 1953 in Las Vegas, Nevada. . Mead Howard "Robert" Horton Jr. (July 29, 1924 March 9, 2016) was an American actor and singer. with Susan Kohner However there was a twist - The very same day Robert's agent called him to say that he was required to test for the part of Jess Harper. Coop has to escort an ex-marshal and his wife who once shot Coop in the back to the wagon train. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Browse Robert Fuller movies and TV shows available on Prime Video and begin streaming right away to your favorite device. He still has an international fan club - The Robert Fuller Fandom.Robert Fuller has had a long and very successful career which is proven by the awards he has received. Like Like. Also Beverly Owens would go on to play Marilyn Munster in the same tv show. They were registered Quarter Horses." SOURCE: yahoo group post from "Happi" Post Aug 31, 2007 . His dad subsequently changed his name to Robert Cole and danced in almost every musical made between 1950 up to his retirement in 1987. FORUMS. The b/w hour long "Wagon Train" premiered on NBC Wednesday September 18, 1957, from 7:30-8:30 just when the TV Western genre really started to take off in the network ratings. Kelly was naturally dumbfounded that his offer was being refused but he accepted Robert's decision and Robert left his office. Special guest star Shelley Winters [Ruth Owens] Wagon Train switched networks in 1962 and although reports of the sums for this vary, ABC paid huge amounts to bring the show under their umbrella. Charlie Wooster visits with her, further adding to the mystery. with Penny Edwards, Mort Mills, Lee Van Cleef, Olive Carey, James Burke, Frank McGrath. Robert was in good company.In 1956 came his first speaking part in a movie where he played a union soldier and said to Gary Cooper "Bet you a dollar you can't do that again." . As a favor to Ward Bond, film director John Ford joined the show to direct a 1960 segment titled "The Colter Craven Story", which includes many members of the "John Ford Stock Company", momentarily featuring John Wayne speaking from the shadows and billed in the credits as "Michael Morris".[3]. [15], Horton is also remembered for his offbeat role as an amnesiac in the 19651966 television series A Man Called Shenandoah. This alone woud make it worth watching. Had that role change not happened then Laramie would not have worked anywhere near as well as it did. Cooper Smith: Hello, Stuart. [13] He appeared several times on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. Nice horsey, pull it out for old Charlie. [7]:297, In his six decades of television, Horton, who became known for his voice, was most noted for his role as the frontier scout Flint McCullough in the television series Wagon Train from 1957 to 1962. [3] Its first five seasons were broadcast on the NBC network and the remaining three on ABC. Terry W. Wilson (September 3, 1923 - March 30, 1999) [1] was an American actor most noted for his role as "Bill Hawks", the assistant trail master, in all 267 episodes of the NBC and ABC western television series, Wagon Train, which aired from 1957 to 1965. He eventually quit the series to pursue a career in musical theater. The show debuted at #15 in the Nielsen ratings, rose to #2 in the next three seasons, and peaked at #1 in the . NBC Wed 7:30-8:30 (9/57 - 9/62) Originally director William Wyler had wanted another actor to play the part Robert was given, however he was unimpressed with the fact the other actor had false sideburns. From 2010 to 2013, Timeless Media Group released the series in eight box sets of one season each, and the seventh season lacks the bonus episodes. Strong willed store owner, Upset after witnessing a deadly railroad tunnel collapse, Having come to America to obtain a true account of life in the West, rude and uppity British correspondent, After getting a stern lesson about respecting his elders from. The early highlights of his life were acting and dancing. So again Kelly found himself being refused. why did richard goulding leave the windsors; kathleen carangi death; moreno valley conference and recreation center 0. why did robert fuller leave wagon trainchris mccausland wife patricia. The Kate Parker Story The Ella Lindstrom Story Written by Sammy Fain and Jack Brooks. . The haunting cries of a young girl sobbing in the night have the concerned wagon train crew searching for her in vain. Like his best friends Julie London, Bobby Troup and James Drury, he used to be a heavy smoker until his first wife, Patricia Lyons, was diagnosed with cancer in 1984. Fabian, Barbara Stanwyck, Carolyn Jones and Ray Danton guest stars. Episode titles routinely emphasize the guest characters, such as "The Nancy Palmer Story" and "The Vivian Carter Story". In addition he hires three men temporarily who hate the marshal but have more extreme plans for the man without Coop's knowledge.Coop has to escort an ex-marshal and his wife who once shot Coop in the back to the wagon train. Coop accompanies Grace Marshall to visit her sister Myra whom, traumatized by an upbringing by an abusive father, Grace finds living a life of addiction and infidelity for which Grace wrongf Read allCoop accompanies Grace Marshall to visit her sister Myra whom, traumatized by an upbringing by an abusive father, Grace finds living a life of addiction and infidelity for which Grace wrongfully blames husband Vern.Coop accompanies Grace Marshall to visit her sister Myra whom, traumatized by an upbringing by an abusive father, Grace finds living a life of addiction and infidelity for which Grace wrongfully blames husband Vern. Guest actors: Debra Paget (Marie Dupree). Strong willed store owner Kate Crowley takes Molly into her care while Coop becomes responsible for Rome. Mr. Horton threw himself into the Wagon Train role. DISCUSSIONS. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Many starring roles were played by already extremely famous actors such as Bette Davis, Lee Marvin, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan, Ann Sheridan, Charles Laughton, Peter Lorre, Barbara Stanwyck, Mickey Rooney, Lon Chaney Jr. and Joseph Cotten. I'll trade you off for a couple of mules. Uncredited: Carol Henry, Special guest star Agnes Moorehead (Mary Halstead) [citation needed]. An assistant scout, Duke Shannon, played by Scott Miller, was introduced two months later, in January 1961, and after another two months, a new trailmaster, Christopher Hale, played by John McIntire, took over the running of the wagon train in March 1961, replacing Major Adams. When Laramie' ended its run, Fuller jumped to another western, Wagon Train, opposite John McIntire, a veteran film actor, two-time guest-star on Laramie, and a future star of The Virginian, Frank McGrath, and Terry Wilson.According to an August 17, 2009 interview On Screen and Beyond, Fuller was not brought into the show to replace Robert Horton in the role of the wagon train scout. with Sallie Brophy, Eduard Franz Season 7 (1963-64) episodes were in color and 90 minutes long. Director During Season 2, RobertFuller appeared in two guest starring roles on Wagon Train. Andy. "The character of Vin he portrayed in "Seven" was the part previously occupied by Steve McQueen who had now gone on to become a superstar. After tragically losing his wife and ranch, Eli Bancroft and his three sons embark on a life of crime and ruthless revenge. Grant Withers, William Phipps, Terry Wilson, Phil Chambers, Dick Rich, Hannes Lutz, Robert Osterloh As Robert Fuller, he is a former actor, probably most famous for his roles in the TV series "Laramie", "Wagon Train" and "Emergency!" So just how wealthy is Robert Fuller? Within a week of Laramies cancellation, Robert received a call from Peter Kelly, vice president in charge of talent for Universal Studios. With the death of John Smith, on January 25, 1995, Fuller and Robert Crawford, Jr. Robert Horton, known for his role as scout Flint McCullough in the Emmy-nominated series Wagon Train, died March 9 in Los Angeles, his niece Joan Evans told the New York Times. Robert Fuller was born on July 29, 1933 and is 89 years old now. christine fuller daughter of robert fuller. [20], Initially a Republican, he supported the campaign of Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Robert Fuller first appeared on Wagon Train during Season 2 in two guest starring roles. [3] After graduation in 1943 at age 19, he enlisted in the Coast Guard, but was medically discharged because of his kidney. Wagon-train transportation moved westward with . James Griffith, Stuart Randall, David Hoffman, Clegg Hoyt, Ruby Goodwin, William Challee, Frank McGrath His co-stars were Ward Bond, John McIntire, Terry Wilson, and Frank McGrath. The episodes were entitled The Ella Lindstrom Story (original air date February 4, 1959) and The Kate Parker Story (original air date May 6, 1959). This changed when Robert started acting and he decided he needed a different handle. [7], At the end of the fifth season, in June 1962, Robert Horton left the series to pursue a career in musical theatre. Robert Fuller Birth Name: Leonard Leroy Lee Birth Place: Troy, New York, United States Profession Actor Actor 44 Credits Laramie 2022 Wagon Train 2019 Emergency 2015 Walker, Texas Ranger 2001. The Cliff Grundy Story on Dan Duryea Central, "TV Westerns - Wagon Train s4 Episodes- FiftiesWeb", "TV Westerns - Wagon Train Episode Pictures- FiftiesWeb", "The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Wagon Train", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wagon_Train&oldid=1142321403, Roger Smith - (see "Charles Bickford" earlier in the list), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 19:29. In the 1960s, Horton made two 45 RPM singles on the Columbia Records label: "The Very Thought of You"/"Hey There" and "King of the Road"/"Julie". how to deal with a talebearer . Gus and Ethan constantly disagree about the best and safest way to continue the line. Robert Fuller first appeared on Wagon Train during Season 2 in two guest starring roles. LARAMIE, Robert Fuller, 'The Star Trail,' aired October 13, 1959 / Everett Collection Robert Fuller began his career quietly with a small role in the 1952 film Above and Beyond, but soon transitioned into projects with big names attached, such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondesstarring Marilyn Monroe. Episode aired Oct 21, 1963 TV-PG 1 h 15 m IMDb RATING 7.7 /10 53 YOUR RATING Rate Drama Western Coop accompanies Grace Marshall to visit her sister Myra whom, traumatized by an upbringing by an abusive father, Grace finds living a life of addiction and infidelity for which Grace wrongfully blames husband Vern. [8] In June 1963, the final episode of the sixth season introduced Michael Burns as teenager Barnaby West, who became a recurring character in the seventh season, which also introduced Robert Fuller as the new scout, Cooper Smith, joining Duke Shannon and ultimately becoming the wagon train's sole scout when Scott Miller left the series in April 1964, with the last episode of the 90-minute seventh season. Robert was the first American to receive this award 1970 - Best Actor in Germany. [5], Wagon Train revolved around the characters traveling to California from St. Joseph, Missouri, by a caravan of covered wagons. With Robert it was very different and he and Yul got along very well, and in fact remained close friends until Brynner died in 1985.Robert remained busy doing movies in Germany, Israel and the States over the next few years, then in 1970 he made one of his best ever movies "The Hard Ride." Carol Lawrence as Princes Mei Ling, The Widow ORourke. How'd you get into that hole? A. Alice Brandt. When Ben Mitchell and his pregnant wife Beth face a difficult childbirth, Michaels past comes to light. Bob Stuart: One of the hazards of having been a marshal you keep running across the scum you dealt with. [citation needed]. with Marjorie Lord, Andrew Duggan, Beverly Washburn, Donald Randolph, Richard Hale. Meisner was a highly respected acting teacher who taught future stars like Gregory Peck, Jon Voight, Robert Duvall, Edmund O'Brien and Grace Kelly. If you haven't found it yet, there's a fuller discussion of the scene here . Robert Fuller (dual starring role as Cooper Smith and Captain Terence O'Rouke) Episode 5. The series influenced the development of Star Trek, pitched as "Wagon Train to the stars" and launched in 1966. Even Angelina Jolie felt out of place in high school. Rivals Bond and Horton frequently quarreled on the set, an extensively publicized development at the time, while their characters disputed within the episodes. Neville Brand and Karl Swenson guest stars, Barbara Stanwyck and Noah Beery Jr. guest stars, Leslie Nielsen, Paul Fix, Audrey Dalton guest star, Dwayne Hickman, Richard Carlson guest star, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 04:56. Leave a . Horton attended California Military Institute in Perris, where he played football. Why did Robert Fuller leave wagon train?May 24, 2019Four years later, when Laramie came to an end, Fuller was immediately pulled aboard the long-running seri. However, because producing color episodes was very expensive, many believe the change was merely a cost saving effort. a practice which subsequently continued with McIntire and Robert Fuller rotating top billing from episode to episode when Fuller joined the series in the seventh season. He was married to his first wife Patricia Lee Lyon for twenty-two years, before the couple divorced in 1984. In season five Horton rotated top billing with relative newcomer John McIntire, a practice which subsequently continued with McIntire and Robert Fuller rotating top billing from episode to episode when Fuller joined the series in the seventh season. Uncredited: Dorothy Vernon. Inspired by the 1950 John Ford movie Wagon Master, Wagon Train debuted Wednesday night, September 18, 1957, on the NBC Television Network. Look at this!1961 - Best Actor Award in Japan 1961 - Japanese Golden Order Of Merit - awarded to him by the Empress of Japan. 1984) Jennifer Savidge ( m. 2001). Inspired by the 1950 John Ford movie Wagon Master, Wagon Train debuted Wednesday night, September 18, 1957, on the NBC Television Network. Uncredited: Charles Sullivan, Carol Henry. Taking inspiration from John Ford's 1950 film Wagon Master, Revue Productions conceived of a semi-anthology series with an emphasis on strong storytelling and quality direction with weekly guest stars known for their work in motion pictures and other media but retaining a regular cast of characters to provide a touchstone for audiences. was written and conducted by Jerome Moross, who adapted it from a passage of music he had written for the 1959 film The Jayhawkers. [6] The former's A-side was also the title track of an album he released on the same label. All episodes eventually reverted to their original titling after the series left the air. Mr. Horton left the show when it was at the height of its popularity, turning down a lucrative contract because, he said, he wanted to avoid becoming typecast. The plot of the western series was supposed to take place entirely in the first few years after the Civil War, which ended in 1865. The ruggedly handsome Horton made dozens of appearances in movies and television shows between 1951 and 1989, including a small role in the film Bright Road starring Dorothy Dandridge, an episode of Ray Milland's sitcom Meet Mr. McNutley and on the syndicated Sheriff of Cochise, starring John Bromfield. According to Plane and Pilot:[citation needed], "His three greatest thrills were his first solo flight, a performance before Queen Elizabeth II, and being featured on Ralph Edwards' This Is Your Life. A tragic accident requires Gus and Ethan to work together and forces Gus to make a difficult and costly decision. [38], This article is about the TV series. When Canaby finds Duke Shannon gravely ill at a poisoned water hole, he takes him back to Chris Hales train facing the risk of being recognized and scorned. Robert Fuller was born in Troy, New York on July 29, 1933 at 1:50 PM and was raised in Key West, Florida. 26/02/2023 . Robert Horton, known for his role as scout Flint McCullough in the Emmy-nominated series "Wagon Train," died March 9 inLos Angeles, his niece Joan Evans told the New York Times. Over the next 4 years Robert immortalized the character of Jess Harper and gained millions of fans worldwide. May 5, 2018 - Robert Fuller's first wife Patricia she was 19 when she married him and they have three children together. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". One of the unique things about this periiod of TV in this era and especially TV westerns. In Season 1, Bill and his wife, Emily Hawks, travel on the wagon train. In June 1963, the final episode of the sixth season introduced Michael Burns as teenager Barnaby West, who became a recurring character in the seventh season, which also introduced Robert Fuller as the new scout, Cooper Smith, joining Duke Shannon and ultimately becoming the wagon train's sole scout when Scott Miller left the series in April He also chose to ride a chestnut horse and modify his riding style. Just kidding I'm not jealous. Robert's old friend John Smith appeared in a couple of episodes playing a Fire Captain.Since then Robert has been very busy in a wide variety of roles, sometimes to the delight of his fans, he returns to the western genre.Robert's marriage to Patty Lyon ended in 1984 after 22 years. Robert Fuller (very small supporting role), While scouting a desert route, Cooper Smith finds gold prospector John Cain near death from lack of water. "This was a turning point for Robert and the beginning of a great career.Following Friendly Persuasion Robert had a number of small speaking parts and then in 1956 came his big break in Teenage Thunder.To get the part he and his good friend Chuck Courtney staged a fight to convince the Director, Paul Helmick, that he was the man for the part.