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George Bancroft born on 30 September 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. George was a Annapolis graduate, theatre owner, and erstwhile minstrel man who-while not a classic matinee idol type-became one of the 1920s' top screen stars. Powerfully built, with rugged features, he first attracted attention in Pony Express 1925, and starred the following year in another historical epic, Old Ironsides 1926. His two best silent movies were both gritty melodramas directed by Josef von Sternberg, Underworld 1927 and Docks of New York 1928. Bancroft seemed to weather the transition to sound with no problem; his robust baritone and gruff manner complemented his appearance. But his thunder was stolen by a newer, younger crop of movie tough-guys, and by 1934 he was reduced to supporting roles (albeit good ones) in films such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 1936, Angels With Dirty Faces 1938, Each Dawn I Die 1939, and, memorably, as the sheriff in Stagecoach 1939. He appeared in Young Tom Edison, Northwest Mounted Police (both 1940), and a number of other films before leaving Hollywood in 1942 to begin a new career as a rancher. George appeared in two movies with The Duke, Picture from Stagecoach 1939, George passed away on 2 October 1956 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Dean Martin born Dino Paul Crocetti on 7 June 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio, USA. Though best known for the 51 films he made, Martin was a prize-fighter, steel mill labourer, gas station attendant and card shark before seeing the first glimmer of fame. It came when he teamed up with comedian Jerry Lewis in 1946. Films such as "At War with the Army" sent the team toward superstardom. Martin became a dramatic actor and the star of a long-running television variety show. Personality conflicts broke up the comedy duo in 1957. Few thought that Martin would go on to achieve solo success, but he did, winning critical acclaim for his role in "The Young Lions" with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. A succession of films followed for the singer-actor, including "Some Came Running" with Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra. All would later be members of the "Rat Pack." During much of the '60s and '70s Martin's movie persona of a boozing playboy prompted a series of films as secret agent Matt Helm and his own television variety show. Dean appeared in two movies with John and in my opinion two great movies, Picture from Rio Bravo 1959, Dean passed away on 25 December 1995 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.
Marie Windsor born Emily Marie Bertelsen on 11 December 1919 in Marysvale, Utah, USA, A product of Marysvale, Utah, Marie Windsor attended Brigham Young University and trained for the stage under Maria Ouspenskaya . One of the best "bad girls" in movie history, this busty beauty often played cold-blooded temptresses who could drive a man crazy with passion, then cut out his heart and hand it back to him. A former Miss Utah, she broke into films as a bit player in Hal Roach's All American Co-Ed 1941, and knocked around Hollywood before coming into her own as a leading lady in 1949's Hellfire an above-average Republic Western. She appeared in other B-plus horse operas, including Dakota Lil, Frenchie both in 1950, and Little Big Horn 1951, before taking her best-remembered role, as the recalcitrant gangster's widow being transported to court by tough cop Charles McGraw in The Narrow Margin 1952. Had this taut thriller not been a lowly B (albeit one of the best ever), Windsor might have gotten more of a boost from its success. She continued working steadily, frequently playing tart-tongued trollops-as in Stanley Kubrick's The Killing 1956, memorably cast as Elisha Cook, Jr.'s avaricious, unfaithful wife. Marie appeared in three movies with John, Picture from Trouble Along The Way 1953, Marie passed away on 10 December 2000 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.
Jack Rockwell born John Rockwell Trowbridge on 6 October 1890 in Veracruz, Mexico, Granite-jawed, glowering Jack Rockwell--who also happened to be the brother of another veteran character actor, Charles Trowbridge--played more lawmen than probably any other actor in westerns. A sheriff, a marshal, a Texas Ranger . . . if you were watching any western from the 1920s to the 1940s - especially from Columbia or Republic - and somebody wearing a badge and a gun showed up on onscreen, chances are it was Jack Rockwell. A solidly built man, Rockwell's serious, no-nonsense demeanour made whatever character he was playing - mostly lawmen, but there was an occasional respite where he played a rancher, businessman, the father of the heroine, or even a villain - just that much more believable. He appeared in around 250 films in his career - not all of his roles were lawmen, but enough of them were to ensure that western aficionados will forever identify Jack Rockwell as the man who represented the law in the West. Jack appeared in seven John Wayne movies, Jack passed away on 10 November 1947 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Jack Ingram born on 15 November 1902 in Illinois, USA A WWI veteran who later studied law at the University of Texas, tough-looking Jack Ingram began his long show business career as a minstrel player and later reportedly toured with Mae West. He began turning up playing scruffy henchmen and assorted other B-Western villains in the mid-'30s and was later the featured heavy in Columbia serials. Ingram would go on to appear in a total of 200 Westerns and approximately 50 serials in a career that later included appearances on such television programs as The Cisco Kid and The Lone Ranger. Many of his later films and almost all his television Westerns, including the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry shows, were filmed on Ingram's own 200-acre ranch on Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking Woodland Hills, which he had purchased from Charles Chaplin in 1944 and which remains a wilderness today. Jack appeared in six John Wayne movies, Jack passed away on 20 February 1969 in Canoga Park, California, USA.
Born Mary Tomlinson on 24 February 1890 in Acton, Indiana, USA, Her father was a minister, and when she joined a local stock company as a youngster she changed her name to Marjorie Main to avoid embarrassing her family. She worked in vaudeville and debuted on Broadway in 1916. Her film debut was in "A House Divided" 1931. She repeated her stage role in "Dead End" 1937 as Baby Face Martin Humphrey Bogart's mother, which led to a number of slum mother parts. She played very strong role of Lucy, the dude ranch operator in "The Women" (1939). She achieved popularity as a comedienne in six 1940s movies made with Wallace Beery e.g., "Barnacle Bill" 1941. The character which would dominate her remaining career was established when she played Ma Kettle in "The Egg and I" 1947, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress. She began her co-starring series with Percy Kilbride the following year in "Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'" and continued through seven more. Her last movie was a "Kettles", though without Kilbride: "The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm" 1957, Marjorie appeared in two movies with John, Picture from The Shepherd of the Hills 1941, Marjorie passed away on 10 April 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Raymond Earl Middleton Jr. on 8 February 1907 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, American actor/singer Ray Middleton spent several years in regional and New York stage productions before his first film appearance (a non-singing one) in Gangs of Chicago 1940. He might have made his film debut in 1938, the year he was being considered for the romantic lead in the Laurel and Hardy comedy Swiss Miss; however, the film's leading lady, Della Lynd, vetoed Middleton in favour of Walter Woolf King. Most of Middleton's films were forgettable save for his starring appearance in I Dream of Jeannie 1952, an unusually lavish Republic Studios biopic about the life of Stephen Foster. In 1965, Middleton signed on to play the Innkeeper in the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha, a role he retained through six seasons and several Don Quixote's. Despite the job security, those six years were eventful ones for Middleton. He underwent serious heart surgery during the play's run, only to return to his part stronger and in better voice than ever. And, for the first time in his life, Middleton took a bride, dancer/singer Patricia Dinnell. After La Mancha, the Middleton's devoted themselves to Unitarian church activity and to Ray's one-man touring concert, America in Song and Dance. Ray appeared in two movies with John. Picture from Lady for a Night 1942, Ray passed away on 10 April 1984 in Panorama, California, USA.
Joe Gray born 5 May 1912 in Brooklyn, New York, USA, Brother of Mack Gray. Stuntman/actor, Former boxer, he compiled a professional boxing record of 8-3-2 with 3 knockout wins. Friend of Frank Sinatra. Appeared in ten Sinatra movies, including the Rack Pack flicks Ocean's Eleven, Robin and the Seven Hoods and Sgt's three. Friend of Dean Martin, appeared in 16 of Dino's films, Joe appeared in two John Wayne's films. Joe passed away on 15 March 1971 in Mexico.
Natalie Wood was born on July 20, 1938 in San Francisco, California with the birth name of Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko. Her parents were Russian émigrés who hardly spoke any comprehensible English, but they changed the family name to Gurdin after becoming US citizens. When she was just four years old, Natalie appeared in her first film called Happy Land 1943 which was released in 1943. A production company had come to Santa Rosa where the Gurdins were living at the time and she won a bit part of a crying little girl who had just dropped her ice cream cone. With stars in her eyes for her daughter, Mrs. Gurdin packed the family and moved south to Los Angeles in the hopes that more films would come her daughter's way. Unfortunately, they did not, at least not at first and the family continued to scrape by much as they had done in Santa Rosa. She continued playing the roles of young girls until the age of 17, where she landed the role of 'Judy' in the legendary film Rebel Without a Cause 1955. This role showed Hollywood and the world that she had grown up into a beautiful and very talented young woman. For this role she was nominated for her first Academy Award. Natalie dated many big names in the entertainment business: James Dean Elvis, Raymond Burr and Dennis Hopper. However, on December 28th, 1957 Natalie married the love of her life 'Robert Wagner' They divorced in 1962, later to remarry. Natalie once commented about their divorce saying they were both scared, insecure and listened to others that their marriage wouldn't work. In the 1960s Natalie's career boomed and she was nominated for two more Academy Awards. Natalie only appeared in one memorable movie with John. Picture from The Searchers 1956, On November 29, 1981, Natalie was sailing on the yacht she shared with her husband, Robert Wagner, and their friend Walken, when Natalie drowned while trying to board the dinghy tied up alongside the yacht.
Hal Needham born on 6 March 1931 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Talented US stuntman, director, writer & actor, Hal Needham has had an amazing career in film spanning the best part of five decades. Needham served as a paratrooper in the Korean War, in the logging industry, and even as a male model for Viceroy cigarettes, before beginning a career in Hollywood. His first break was working as a stunt double for Richard Boone in the TV western "Have Gun - Will Travel" 1957, plus he was a stunt regular on many other western TV shows including "Gunsmoke" 1955, "Rawhide" 1959 and "Black Saddle" 1959. With expert guidance from Chuck Robertson who was the regular stunt double for John Wayne, Needham quickly honed his craft and developed a reputation as one of Hollywood's best stunt performers. He was a stunt performer in such well known films as Pork Chop Hill 1959, Our Man Flint 1965 , The War Wagon 1967 and Tobruk 1967. Needham became the stunt double and stunt co-ordinator on many Burt Reynolds films, In 1976, Needham came to Reynolds with a script he had written about a wise cracking ladies man, and his trucker friend who try to transport a container full of beer across state lines for a handsome pay off. Reynolds liked the racy script, which honed in on the then CB radio craze, and he gave Needham the opportunity to direct the movie. Smokey and the Bandit 1977. Hal appeared in three movies with John Wayne. Hal passed away on 25 October 2013, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Born Kay Clark on 5 March 1910 in Warroad, Minnesota, USA, she took the stage name of Sheila Terry. Flashy blonde American lead and second lead of the 30s who played for Warner Bros. in their mystery and comedy programmes. She appeared opposite John Wayne in three of his early westerns before abruptly leaving the business within a decade, Picture from Haunted Gold 1932, Sheila Terry passed away on 19th January 1957 in New York, New York, USA.
Born Constance Mary Towers on 20 May 1933 in Whitefish, Montana, USA, Trained at Julliard and the American Academy of Dramatic Art, actress Constance Towers made her first impression on the public as a film actress. Towers was seen as the resourceful Southern-belle leading lady of John Ford's The Horse Soldiers 1959, then essayed a similar characterization in Ford's Sergeant Rutledge 1960. For a brief period in the early 1960s, she was the pet actress of director Samuel Fuller, who effectively cast her in extremely demanding roles in Shock Corridor 1963 and The Naked Kiss 1965. With several film and TV appearances to her credit, Towers finally made her professional stage debut in a 1960 production of Guys and Dolls; one year later, she made her Broadway bow as star of Anya, a musicalization of Anastasia. Most closely associated with musicals, she has made hundreds of appearances in revivals of such Rodgers and Hammerstein classics as South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959.
Born on 29 October 1916 "Big" John Hamilton, Burly, stentorian-voiced John Hamilton worked on Broadway and in touring theatrical companies for many years prior to his 1930 film debut. He was in the original Broadway company of "Seventh Heaven" and would appear in the film remake (Seventh Heaven 1937 in 1937. He starred with Donald Meek in a series of short mysteries based on S.S. Van Dine stories for Warner Bros. He was often typecast as prison wardens, judges and police chiefs, but played various types of characters in an almost limitless number of films from the 1930s to the 1950s. He became famous when he was cast as Daily Planet newspaper editor Perry White in the 1950s TV classic "Adventures of Superman" 1952. Hamilton is often confused with John F. Hamilton, a British actor who made a few films in the US during the same period, and with several other actors of the same name.Was part of a group of actors that John Wayne regularly used in his films John appeared in four of the Dukes movies, Picture from McLintock 1963, Hamilton passed away on 5 December 1984 in Bexar County, Texas, USA.
Lloyd Whitlock born on 2 January 1891 in Springfield, Missouri, USA, The quintessential silent screen villain, mustachioed Lloyd Whitlock is perhaps best remembered as one of the kidnappers in Mary Pickford's Sparrows 1926 and for playing innumerable blackguards in B-Westerns and serials of the 1930s and 1940s. Trained as a civil engineer, Whitlock toured with several stock companies prior to making his screen debut with New York's Biography company in the very early 1910s. By the mid-1910s, he had become a featured actor for Kleine, Kalem, and Universal and was already more often than not cast as lecherous blackmailers, crooked lawyers, medical hacks, and the like. He made the transition to sound with ease but quickly began showing up in Poverty Row productions and is memorable as the airline manager in the John Wayne serial Hurricane Express 1932 and as the boss villain in four of Wayne's Lone Star Westerns for Monogram. Although his roles greatly diminished in importance from the mid-'30s on, Whitlock remained a busy supporting actor through the 1940s. Lloyd appeared opposite John Wayne in seven of his early movies, Picture from Hurricane Express 1932, Lloyd passed away on 8 January 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Lucile Browne born on 18 March 1907 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Pretty, blue-eyed Lucile Browne started out, like many another Hollywood actress, as a model. Unlike other models, however, she didn't go directly from there to films; she joined a theatrical troupe in Chicago, and spent time gaining experience before she headed to Hollywood, where in 1930 she was signed by Fox Film Corp. After parts in a few comedies and romance pictures, she found her niche in westerns and action serials. Her pretty, girl-next-door looks made her a natural to be menaced by sundry villains and rescued by stout-hearted heroes, and she proceeded to do just that for many studios, both major and minor. It was on the set of a 1932 Universal serial that she met actor James Flavin they soon married and stayed together for more than 40 years, until his death. Lucile basically retired from films in 1938 to raise her family, Lucile appeared in three movies opposite Wayne. Picture from Texas Terror 1935. She appeared in only a few films until her death on 10 May 1976 in Lexington, Virginia, USA.
Danny Borzage born on 24 December 1896 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Brother of director Frank Borzage and assistant director Lew Borzage. Danny actually had a separate, successful screen career beginning in the late '30s, closely associated with John Ford, starting in The Grapes of Wrath and Stagecoach, in both of which he played an accordion. Danny appeared alongside Wayne in nine of his movies, Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959. Danny passed away on 17 June 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Birth name Neil Russell born on 5 May 1926 in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. Probably best known for his role of the sheriff in "Bonanza" and Robert in The Magnificent Seven. Nicknamed "Bing" his notoriety on a national level was as the owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. Helming the only independent team in the class A Northwest League, Russell was an innovator. Russell kept a 30 man roster because he believed that some of the players deserved to have one last season. He hired the first female general manager in professional baseball, and the following year hired the first Asian American GM/Manager. His motto was simply one three lettered word - not WIN - although the Mavericks did that - no, the word was FUN. His team set a record for the highest attendance in Minor league history, and went on to win the pennant. Bing appeared in two movies with Wayne, Picture from The Horse Soldiers 1959. Bing passed away on 8 April 2003 in Thousand Oaks, California, USA.
Born Edgar Washington Blue on 12 February 1898 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Negro character actor who tipified Hollywood's racist views of blacks in the 1930s as an easily frightened, wide-eyed, menial type. His career declined as the image of the black person became more respectful in an increasingly race-conscious age. Appeared in several films of the legendary director John Ford, Blue appeared in four movies with John Wayne, Picture from The Wings Of Eagles 1957, Blue passed away on 15 September 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born Alberta F. Vaughn on 27 June 1904 in Ashland, Kentucky, USA. Sister to Ada Mae Vaughn. I can't find any information on this early actress, but she appeared in two movies with the Duke. The first being a silent movie called "The Drop Kick" 1927 with Duke playing to role of a U.S.C Football Player. The other movie is "Randy Rides Alone" one of his early B Movie Westerns, Picture from Randy Rides Alone 1934, Alberta passed away on 26 April 1992 in Studio City, California, USA.
Artie Ortego born on 9 February 1890 in San Jose, California, USA. There is no information on this character actor yet he appeared in fourteen of John Wayne's early westerns. His roles were eight times as a Henchman, three times as a Deputy, one as a Saloon Brawler, one as a Indian. The last movie he appeared in with Wayne his role was a Lordsburg bar patron in "Stagecoach" 1939, Artie passed away on 24 July 1960 in Burbank, California, USA.