Ray Danton

Actor

About

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Also Known As

Raymond Danton

Birth Place

New York City, New York, USA

Born

September 19, 1931

Died

February 11, 1992

Cause of Death

Kidney Disease

Biography

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Handsome lead with dark good looks and sleek black hair who began his career as a child actor on radio and appeared in early live TV dramas in New York. After making his film debut in "Chief Crazy Horse" (1954), Danton gained notice for his portrayal of Lillian Roth's first love in the soapy biopic "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955). Danton is best remembered for his portrayal of ruthless mobste...

Filmography

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Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1986)

Crypt of the Living Dead (1973)

The Deathmaster (1972)

The Centerfold Girls (1974)

Runaway! (1973)

Professor Jack Dunn

Photos & Videos

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Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, The (1960) -- (Movie Clip) Charge It To A-R

Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, The (1960) -- (Movie Clip) He Didn't Use His Head

Family & Companions

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Julie Adams

Wife

Actor. Married in 1954; divorced in 1974; born on October 17, 1926; met while working on Universal feature, "The Looters" (1955).

Jeannie Austin

Companion

Biography

Handsome lead with dark good looks and sleek black hair who began his career as a child actor on radio and appeared in early live TV dramas in New York. After making his film debut in "Chief Crazy Horse" (1954), Danton gained notice for his portrayal of Lillian Roth's first love in the soapy biopic "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955). Danton is best remembered for his portrayal of ruthless mobster "Legs" Diamond in both Budd Boetticher's gangster melodrama, "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond" (1960), and the 1961 biopic of gangster Dutch Schultz, "Portrait of a Mobster." That same year he also starred in the title role of "The George Raft Story."

In 1964 Danton moved to Italy, where he starred in numerous low-budget films and turned to directing with "Deathmaster" (1972). He formed his own production company in Barcelona before returning in 1975 to the US, where he become a TV director for Universal. Danton helmed episodes of "Cagney and Lacey," "Quincy," "Fame" and "Dallas" and served as supervising producer on "The New Mike Hammer" TV series (1986-87). Danton was at one time married to actress Julie Adams.

Filmography

Director (Feature Film)

Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1986)

Crypt of the Living Dead (1973)

The Deathmaster (1972)

Cast (Feature Film)

The Centerfold Girls (1974)

Runaway! (1973)

Professor Jack Dunn

The Ballad of Billie Blue (1972)

A Very Missing Person (1972)

The Last Mercenary (1969)

Mark [Marco] Anderson

Secret Agent Super Dragon (1966)

FBI Code 98 (1964)

The Longest Day (1962)

A Majority of One (1962)

The Chapman Report (1962)

A Fever in the Blood (1961)

Portrait of a Mobster (1961)

The George Raft Story (1961)

The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960)

Ice Palace (1960)

The Big Operator (1959)

Oscar ["The Executioner"] Wetzel

The Beat Generation (1959)

Stan Hess [also known as Arthur Garrett]

Yellowstone Kelly (1959)

Too Much, Too Soon (1958)

Onionhead (1958)

Ens. Dennis Higgins

Tarawa Beachhead (1958)

The Night Runner (1957)

Outside the Law (1956)

The Spoilers (1956)

I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955)

The Looters (1955)

Chief Crazy Horse (1955)

Director (Special)

Vietnam War Story (1987)

John Henry (1987)

Feel the Heat (1983)

Cast (Special)

Our Man Flint: Dead on Target (1976)

Life Events

1954

Film debut in "Chief Crazy Horse"

1955

Career breakthrough as heavy in "I'll Cry Tomorrow"

1964

Moved to Italy; appeared in Italian-produced films

1975

Screenwriting debut and his first US independent feature as director, "Psychic Killer"

1975

Returned to USA; directed stage production of "South Pacific" in Hawaii

1976

Hired by Universal as a TV director; directed episodes of "Cagney & Lacey"

1987

Directed "John Henry" starring Danny Glover and Tom Hulce for Shelley Duvall's "Faerie Tale Theater"

Videos

Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, The (1960) -- (Movie Clip) Charge It To A-R Now in 1920's Miami with some cash, Jack (Ray Danton), not yet nick-named, figures out how to get an introduction to racketeer Arnold Rothstein (Robert Lowery), in The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, 1961, directed by Budd Boetticher.

Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, The (1960) -- (Movie Clip) He Didn't Use His Head Pacey and crisp opening from director Budd Boetticher, introducing Ray Danton in his signature performance in the title role, Warren Oates his tagalong brother, Karen Steele a fascinated dance instructor, in the loose bio-pic The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, 1960.

Chapman Report, The (1962) -- (Movie Clip) Taking Those Diet Pills Arrived home from the introductory talk by the folks conducting the sex survey, Sarah (Shelley Winters) with husband Frank (Harold J. Stone), and in flashback revealing her affair with Fred (Ray Danton), in The Chapman Report, 1962, directed by George Cukor.

Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, The (1960) -- (Movie Clip) Do You Actually Have A Sick Brother? Leaving a movie, Alice (Karen Steele) has no idea Jack (Ray Danton) is using her as an alibi for a robbery, and to absolve himself, he introduces brother Eddie (Warren Oates), in The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond, 1960, directed by Budd Boetticher.

Yellowstone Kelly (1959) -- (Movie Clip) They Can Smell Fear Now three TV stars, Clint Walker (of Cheyenne) in the title role, captured with Edward Byrnes (from 77 Sunset Strip) as his tagalong Harper, by Ray Danton as a Sioux warrior, then joined by chief Gall, (John Russell, star of Lawman), in Warner Bros.’ Yellowstone Kelly, 1959.

Beat Generation, The (1959) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Radiation Gumdrops Classy opening to a low-rent Albert Zugsmith production, Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars (notably Mort Herbert on bass, Peanuts Hucko clarinet) with the title tune, then Ray Danton with banter, Ann Anderson his puzzled date, in The Beat Generation, 1959, featuring Mamie Van Doren.

I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955) -- (Movie Clip) You Don't Turn Back Now a Hollywood singing star, Lillian Roth (Susan Hayward) happens in on her micro-managing mother (Jo Van Fleet), discussing prospects with lawyer David (Ray Danton), her childhood friend with whom she's recently re-united, in I'll Cry Tomorrow, 1955.

Longest Day, The - (Original Trailer) An all-star cast including John Wayne and Henry Fonda in a re-creation of the D-Day invasion on The Longest Day (1962).

Chapman Report, The - (Textless trailer) A research psychologist gets involved in the personal lives of four women in The Chapman Report (1962).

Majority of One, A - (Original Trailer) Director Mervyn LeRoy introduces his 73rd feature film, A Majority Of One (1961) starring Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness.

I'll Cry Tomorrow - (Original Trailer) Susan Hayward stars in the true story of singer and actress Lillian Roth and her battle with alcoholism in I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955).

Family

Steve Danton

Son

Assistant director. Mother, Julie Adams.

Mitchell Danton

Son

Editor. Mother, Julie Adams.

Companions

Julie Adams

Wife

Actor. Married in 1954; divorced in 1974; born on October 17, 1926; met while working on Universal feature, "The Looters" (1955).

Jeannie Austin

Companion

Bibliography

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