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Eitner, Don
1934 - 2018
A Hanging Offense
Captain Purdy |
Don
Eitner was born in San Marino, California and worked as both an
actor and a writer. The High Chaparral was his only
Western credit. |
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Tom Toner
1928 - 7/2015
Spokes
The Doctor |
Tom
Toner, born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, was a popular stage
performer on Broadway whose acting career covered three decades. His
film credits included Miller's Crossing, Doubt, Arthur, Hudsucker
Proxy, and Splash. The High Chaparral appears to be his
only Western role. |
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Foster, Ron
1930 - 2/2015
The Peacemaker
Lt. Corey |
Ron Foster
was a prolific character actor who appeared in more than 80
productions over 50 years. Never really type cast, he acted in
comedies, horror flicks, Westerns, soaps, police/detective shows,
suspense, sci-fi, and everything in between. Some of his other
Western appearances were in The Storm Rider, Death Valley Days,
Tombstone Territory, Cattle Empire, The Rough Riders, The Life and
Legend of Wyatt Earp, Colt .45, Bat Masterson, Gunsmoke, Tales of
Wells Fargo, Laramie, The Virginian, Rawhide, Bonanza, and
The Oregon Trail. |
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Frank Ramirez
1950 - 2/2015
Feather of an Eagle
Santos |
Born in
Colombia in 1950, Frank Ramirez was an actor and a writer, known for La
estrategia del caracol(1993),
A Man of Principle (1984)
and A Matter of Honour (1988).
His acting credits spanned 40 years and included Western appearances
in The Outcasts, Smith!, The Wrath of God, and Gunsmoke.
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Than Wyenn
1919 - 1/2015
Only the Bad Come to
Sonora
Gonzales |
Although you
may not recognize his name, Than Wyenn's acting career spanned
nearly forty years, with over 150 productions from 1949 through the
mid-1980's. His credits range from Leave It to Beaver
to Splash!, and from Dr. Kildare to The Six Million
Dollar Man. His Western credits include:
Gunsmoke, Zorro, Zane Grey Theater, Boots and Saddles, Jefferson
Drum, Have Gun - Will Travel, The Texan, Death Valley Days, Wanted:
Dead or Alive, Stagecoach West, The Rifleman, Rawhide, Wide Country,
A Man Called Shenandoah, The Big Valley, and The Virginian.
He worked for 37 years as a drama consultant for the Los Angeles
Bureau of Jewish Education and was a founder of the Yiddish Kinder
Theater. |
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Denny Miller
1934 - 9/2014
A Way of Justice
Kolos |
Denny Miller
may have been best known as the "Gorton Fisherman" in a series of
commercials dressed in yellow rain gear, but he was a significant
character actor for over 40 years. He was the first blond
Tarzan in Tarzan the Ape Man in 1959 and played a similar
role later in Gilligan's Island. His first recurring
television role was as Duke Shannon on Wagon Train.
Later he played Mike McCluskey with Juliet Prowse in Mona
McCluskey. Other Western guest roles included Overland
Trail, Have Gun - Will Travel, Riverboat, Laramie, The Rifleman,
Stagecoach West, The Deputy, Death Valley Days, The Virginian,
Gunsmoke, Bordertown, Lonesome Dove: The Series, Dr. Quinn, Medicine
Woman, and Hell to Pay in 2005. In 1972 he appeared
with Cameron Mitchell in Buck and the Preacher. |
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Don Keefer
1916 - 7/2014
Spokes
Opus, the telegrapher |
Don Keefer
started acting in television in 1947 and didn't retire until 1997
after appearing in Jim Carrey's movie, Liar, Liar. He
played the train's fireman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Some of his Western credits included Wichita Town, Rawhide, Wagon
Train, Have Gun - Will Travel, Whispering Smith, The Dakotas, The
Loner, Iron Horse, Dundee and the Culhane, Cimarron Strip, Death
Valley Days, The Outcasts, The Virginian, The Guns of Will Sonnett,
Alias Smith
and Jones, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke. |
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Lew
Brown
1925 - 7/2014
The Badge
Parsons |
Lew Brown
had a largely forgettable role in one of HC's few generally panned
episodes, but he was a successful character actor in many TV
series over 30 years. Starting in 1960 his Western credits
alone included Maverick, Two Faces West, Outlaws, Have Gun - Will
Travel, Laramie, Rawhide, Wild Wild West, Cimarron Strip, The
Outcasts, Death Valley Days, The Virginian, Alias Smith & Jones,
Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Gunsmoke |
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Larry D. Mann
1922 - 1/2014
Spokes
Tobin Boggs |
Larry D.
Mann started acting in 1952 and continued as an extremely prolific
character actor through 1991. Best known for roles in The
Sting and In the Heat of the Night he is credited in 159
productions in film and television. His Western credits
include: The Dakotas, The Big Valley, Legend of Jesse
James, Iron Horse, Shane, Here Come the Brides, Bonanza, The Wild
Country, Gunsmoke, and How the West Was Won. |
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Joseph Ruskin
1924 - 2013
Lady Fair
Ainsworth
Pardee |
A familiar
character actor to many, Joseph Ruskin appeared in over 150
productions over a sixty-year career. Known to Star Trek
fans for his numerous appearances on both the television and movie
versions of Star Trek, he also appeared in Prizzi's Honor
and The Scorpion King. His Western credits include:
Bronco, Wanted Dead or Alive, Zane Grey Theater, Law of the
Plainsman, Colt .45, The Magnificent Seven, Stagecoach West, Two
Faces West, Outlaws, Tales of Wells Fargo, Lawman, Death Valley
Days, The Dakotas, Gunsmoke, and The Wild, Wild West. |
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Michael
Ansara
1922 - 7/2013
For the Love of Carlos
Alberto Ruis |
Michael
Ansara's film career covered over 50 years with his last roles as
the voice of Mr. Freeze in the Batman animated movie and
series. His first major role was as Cochise in the 1950's
Western series, Broken Arrow. He appeared in
numerous Westerns, often playing Native American and other ethnic
roles. Besides The High Chaparral, his Western credits
included Frontier Doctor, Zane Grey Theater, The Rifleman, Law of
the Plainsman, The Rebel, The Westerner, The Comancheros, Tales of
Wells Fargo, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Branded, Texas Across the River,
The Virginian, Daniel Boone, Iron Horse, Gunsmoke, The Road West,
Here Come the Brides, and Guns of the Magnificent Seven.
His biggest sci-fi role was as Klingon commander Kang on three of
the Star Trek series. |
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Nate Esformes
1932 - 6/2013
An Anger Greater Than Mine
Francisco |
Nate
Esformes was a writer and actor for more than 25 years. One of
his first acting roles was on The Monkees in 1967. His
movie credits include All the President's Men and Petulia.
Even though his career began after the peak of the Western era, his
Western roles included Iron Horse, The Virginian, Daniel Boone,
The Wild Wild West, The Big Valley, and Billy the Kid. |
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Val
de Vargas
1935 - 6/2013
An Anger Greater Than Mine
Rodrigo
The New Lion of
Sonora
Rodrigo |
Val de
Vargas had the recurring role of Rodrigo, the foreman at Rancho
Montoya. Best known for his roles in Hatari!, To Live and Die in
L.A., Hellfighters, and Touch of Evil, he often played
Latino heavies in an acting career that spanned nearly 50 years.
His other Western credits included The Adventures of Jim Bowie,
Colt .45, Broken Arrow, The Magnificent Seven, Tales of Wells Fargo,
Rawhide, Bonanza, Daniel Boone, Cimarron Strip, Gunsmoke, Death
Valley Days, and Kit Carson & the Mountain Men. |
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Steve
Forrest
1924 - 5/2013
The Guns of Johnny Rondo
Johnny Rondo
"Sixteen tried and sixteen died at
the hands of
Johnny Rondo.
Now it’s over and done. You don’t need a gun.
You’re headin’ west with your son,
Johnny Rondo."
From the song, The Guns of Johnny Rondo |
Steve
Forrest had a film career that spanned 60 years from the early
forties to 2003. Perhaps best known for his seventies role as
Hondo in the TV series, S.W.A.T., he also appeared in films
such as Spies Like Us and Mommie Dearest. He
guest starred in dozens of television series. Besides The
High Chaparral, his Western credits include: Gunsmoke,
Bonanza, Alias Smith and Jones, Cimarron Strip, Rawhide, The
Virginian, Death Valley Days, and The Outlaws. He
did a great job as the brooding Johnny Rondo, the only character on
The High Chaparral to have his own theme song and lyrics! |
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Malachi
Throne
1928 - 3/2013
Bad
Day for a Bad Man
Matar
The New Lion of Sonora
Parts 1 & 2
Julio Armendaris |
Malachi
Throne attended HC Reunions and always treated his many fans with
respect and affection. The power he brought to his villainous
roles on HC was truly memorable. Malachi started acting on
stage and television in the 1950's and was still working in
productions in 2007. Besides The High Chaparral, his
Western appearances included Death Valley Days, Rawhide, Iron
Horse, The Big Valley (three times), Laredo, Jericho, The
Wild, Wild West, and The Virginian. He turned down
the role of Dr. McCoy in Star Trek, but guest starred several
times in Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation. |
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John Kerr
1931 - 1/2013
Sudden Country
Creed Hallock |
John Kerr came from a
stage and film acting family and started acting on stage in the
early 1950's. Probably best known as Lt. Joe Cable in the film
version of South Pacific, he also starred in the stage and
film versions of Tea and Sympathy. In the 1960's he
decided to pursue a career in law, but continued to guest star in
many television series throughout the seventies. Besides
The High Chaparral, his Western credits include Rawhide,
Gunsmoke, The Virginian, Wagon Train, Yuma, and Alias Smith &
Jones. He also had regular recurring parts on Peyton
Place and Streets of San Francisco. |
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Charles
Durning
1923 - 2012
The Reluctant Deputy
Hewitt |
One of Hollywood's greatest character
actors, Charles Durning was just beginning his acting career when he
played the perfect foil for Blue in "The Reluctant Deputy".
With hundreds of film and TV appearances to his credit, his last
production was not released before his death. Major films include
The Sting, O Brother Where Art Thou, Evening Shade, North Dallas
Forty, Breakheart Pass, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Hudsucker
Proxy, Dog Day Afternoon, To Be or Not to Be, The Man with One Red
Shoe, and
Tootsie. |
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Joaquin
Martinez
1930 - 2012
Ghost of Chaparral
Little Cloud
The Promised Land
Innocente
A Way of Justice
Louis
Only the Bad Come to Sonora
Peon |
Joaquin had just completed his
medical degree in Mexico when he put his medical
career on hold to come to Hollywood where he made his television debut on
HC in 1967. He never returned to medicine, but went on to
appear in three more episodes on HC as well as do guest appearances
in more than twenty other television shows and numerous feature
films, including Jeremiah Johnson, Joe Kidd, The Cowboy Way,
Ulzana's Raid, and Die Another Day. He played
Antonio Banderas' father in The House of the Spirits.
He started his own production company, Victoria Films International.
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Luke Askew
1932 - 2012
Shadow of the Wind
Johnny Ringo |
Luke Askew was fondly remembered by
Bob Hoy, Don Collier, and others at the HC reunions. His role
as Johnny Ringo was a significant one on HC. He had roles in
nearly 100 TV and film productions over his forty-year career.
Major roles included those in Easy Rider, Cool Hand Luke,
Everwood, Will Penny, The Magnificent Seven Ride!, Pat Garrett and
Billy the Kid, The Culpepper Cattle Co., Wanda Nevada, and The Greatest Game Ever Played. |
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Warren
Stevens
1919 - 2012
Best Man for the Job
Captain Dabney |
Many of us had the pleasure of
meeting Warren Stevens at one of the Los Angeles reunions. He
was certainly gracious and spoke very highly of his HC experience.
Acting in dozens of films and hundreds of TV episodes since the
early 1950's, his career spanned nearly six decades. He had
multiple appearances on The Virginian, Mission: Impossible,
Ironside, Bracken's World and others. Other Western
appearances besides The Virginian included Tales of Wells
Fargo, Laramie, Lawman, The Rebel, Wagon Train, The Dakotas,
Gunsmoke, Have Gun - Will Travel, Rawhide, Death Valley Days, Daniel
Boone, and Iron Horse. |
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R. G.
Armstrong
1917 - 2012
Wind
Ed Henderson |
Another of the great character actors
whose career spanned five decades, his actual name was Robert Golden
Armstrong. His films included El Dorado, My Name is Nobody,
Children of the Corn, and Predator. He guest
starred in many Westerns, including Bonanza, Rawhide, Death
Valley Days, Gunsmoke, and Daniel Boone. Best known
more recently for his recurring role in Friday the 13th. |
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Garry
Walberg
1921 - 2012
No Irish Need Apply
O'Fierna
The Lieutenant
Sgt. Wilson
It Takes a Smart Man
Mike the Bartender |
Another prolific character actor,
probably best known for his regular role as Lt. Frank Monahan on
Quincy M.E.. Garry started his acting career in the 1950's
and was still acting well into the 1990's. Some of his other
Westerns included Rawhide, The Rifleman, Tales of Wells Fargo,
and Law of the Plainsman. He had a recurring role
as Sgt. Goddard in Peyton Place and appeared in the 1976
version of King Kong. |
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Pat Renella
1929 - 2012
Sangre
Sangre |
Pat Renella's acting career spanned
more than thirty years, appearing frequently on many detective shows
such as Mannix, Streets of San Francisco, Rockford Files,
S.W.A.T., and Quincy M.E.. His most memorable
feature film role was as Johnny Ross in Bullitt. |
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Tony Epper
1938 - 2012
Auld Lang Syne
Hanley |
Son of Hollywood stuntman, John Epper,
Tony has a long list of stunt credits to his name as well as acting
roles. Active in both stunts and acting since the 1950's, his
major cinema productions included those in Ulzana's Raid, The
Cowboys, Lonesome Dove, The Rock, Con Air, Dracula, Thelma
& Louise, Lethal Weapon 3, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
His television Western appearances included Daniel Boone, Iron
Horse, Cimarron Strip, Gunsmoke, and The Last Ride of the Dalton
Gang. |
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Hal John
Norman
1911 - 2011
For What We Are About to
Receive
Chief Koso |
There is not much biographical
information about Hal John Norman, but he appeared frequently
playing Indian roles in the 1950's and 60's. His other Western
appearances included Bonanza, Wagon Train, The Restless Gun,
Tales of Wells Fargo, The Rifleman, The Tall Man, Rawhide, Shane,
The Wild, Wild West, and Daniel Boone. |
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Robert Broyles
1933 - 2011
The Badge
Loosh |
While "The Badge" was an awkward
episode, mostly because Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell were too
old to play their parts, the rest of the cast was outstanding.
It included (besides Robert Broyles) Gary Busey (in his first
credited role), Alan Oppenheimer,
Jonathan Goldsmith, the great Morgan Woodward, and our own Henry
Wills. Some of Rob's other roles were in Poltergeist, Close
Encounters, Norma Rae, and Raise the Titanic.
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Leonard
Stone
1923 - 2011
Ebenezer
Stoop, the Bartender |
Appearing in hundreds of television
episodes and feature films, Leonard's career covered 50 years of
Hollywood history. Notable film roles were in Willy Wonka &
the Chocolate Factory, and Soylent Green. He had
recurring roles in many TV shows including Barney Miller, Quincy
M.E., Alice, Falcon Crest, L.A. Law, Gunsmoke, Mannix, Dragnet,
and Perry Mason. Some of his Western credits included The
Rifleman, Rawhide, Hondo, Cimarron Strip, and The Virginian. |
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Shelby Grant
1936 - 2011
Gold is Where You
Leave It
Dolly |
Shelby's acting career was rather
brief, from the early 1960's to the early 1970's. She was the
wife of actor Chad Everett. She appeared in the films,
Fantastic Voyage and Our Man Flint as well as several TV
productions including Medical Center, Marcus Welby, Batman,
and Bonanza. |
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Don Diamond
1921 - 2011
To Stand for Something
More
Miguel |
Don's acting career spanned forty
years, beginning in radio in the 1940's and moving into television
in the 1950's. He appeared in numerous early TV shows
including The Adventures of Kit Carson, Death Valley Days, Zorro,
Adventures of Superman, the Lone Ranger, Zane Grey Theater, and
Wyatt Earp. He had a recurring role on F Troop as
Crazy Cat and appeared with Spencer Tracy in the film, The Old
Man and the Sea. |
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