Rory Calhoun
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Calhoun reportedly has a reputation as a ladies' man and may or may not have had romances with numerous co-stars, including Betty Grable and Lana Turner. He reportedly settled a paternity suit and when going through the divorce from his first wife, she accused him of "adultery with 79 women." --From Los Angeles Times obituary, April 29, 1999
Biography
A chance meeting with Alan Ladd led to a film career for Rory Calhoun, a rangy, likable leading man who started out billed as Frank McCown before settling on his permanent moniker. Best remembered for his work in the Westerns and action pictures, he acted in a wide variety of movies, portraying eligible bachelors in modern-day comedies like "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1953) and "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1955), as well as venturing into period fare for "The Colossus of Rhodes" (1961) and the title role in "Marco Polo" (1962). Calhoun's cowboy credits included the comedy-Western, "A Ticket to Tomahawk" (1950) and a series of films that he produced (with Victor Orsatti) and starred in, "Domino Kid," "The Hired Gun" (both 1957) and "Apache Territory" (1958), all directed by Ray Nazarro. He solidified his Western standing as star of the CBS series, "The Texan" (1958-60), which he also produced with Orsatti. Calhoun has acted in some laughers like "The Night of the Lepus" (1972) and "Angel" (1984), but has balanced those with appearances in the popular CBS miniseries, "The Blue and the Gray" (1982), and features like "Bad Jim" (1990) and "Pure Country" (1992). During the 80s, he also ventured into the realm of daytime drama, playing a judge with political connections on the CBS series "Capitol."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1939
At age 17, left home for good; began hot-wiring automobiles
1944
Feature debut (billed as Frank McCown), "Something for the Boys"
1947
First credit as Rory Calhoun, "The Red House", followed by first starring role in "Adventure Island"
1950
Played gunslinger in Richard Sale's comedy-Western, "A Ticket to Tomahawk"
1952
Portrayed pilot who saved Susan Hayward's life in Walter Lang's "With a Song in My Heart", based loosely on the events of singer Jane Froman's life
1953
Played a poor but honest forest ranger who wins Betty Grable's heart in "How to Marry a Millionaire"
1955
Gave good account of himself as wealthy businessman who ends up with Piper Laurie in "Ain't Misbehavin'"
1957
Produced (with Victor M Orsatti) and starred in two films directed by Ray Nazarro, "Domino Kid" and "The Hired Gun"
1958
Reteamed with Orsatti and Nazarro for "Apache Territory"
1958
Produced (with Orsatti) and starred in CBS series, "The Texan"; ABC later aired repeats (1960-1962)
1961
Looked uncomfortable in a toga for Sergio Leone's directing debut, "The Colossus of Rhodes"
1962
Played title role in "Marco Polo"
1963
Hosted "Western Star Theater", re-syndicated title for selected episodes of "Death Valley Days"
1963
Co-executive produced and starred as US spy in tense World War II melodrama, "A Face in the Rain"
1967
Played Sergeant Sean MacAfee in WWII pic, "Operation Cross Eagles"
1969
Acted on the London stage in "Belle Starr"
1972
Portrayed a rancher whose pique at hungry rabbits leads to a wacky science experiment gone haywire in "Night of the Lepus", resulting in 25-foot man-eating bunnies
1977
Appeared in NBC disaster movie, "Flight to Holocaust"
1979
Acted in syndicated miniseries, "The Rebels"
1982
Played General George Meade in CBS miniseries, "The Blue and the Gray"
1984
Brought an amiability to his role as an old cowpoke laboring under the delusion that he really is Kit Carson in "Angel"; also appeared in 1985 sequel, "Avenging Angel"
1990
Returned to Western genre for "Bad Jim"; screen debut for John Clark Gable (Clark Gable's son)
1992
Last feature to date, "Pure Country"
1993
Acted in "Oil's Well That Ends Well" episode of HBO's "Tales of the Crypt"
Photo Collections
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Calhoun reportedly has a reputation as a ladies' man and may or may not have had romances with numerous co-stars, including Betty Grable and Lana Turner. He reportedly settled a paternity suit and when going through the divorce from his first wife, she accused him of "adultery with 79 women." --From Los Angeles Times obituary, April 29, 1999
