Richard Egan (actor) - Wikipedia Richard Egan (actor) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search American actor For other people with the same name, see Richard Egan. Richard Egan Egan in 1949 Born (1921-07-29)July 29, 1921 San Francisco, California, U.S. Died July 20, 1987(1987-07-20) (aged 65) Santa Monica, California, U.S. Resting place Holy Cross Cemetery Other names Richard Eagan Education St. Ignatius College Preparatory University of San Francisco Stanford University Occupation Actor Years active 1949–1987 Spouse(s) Patricia Hardy ​ (m. 1958)​ Children 5 Richard Egan (July 29, 1921 – July 20, 1987) was an American actor. After beginning his career in 1949, he subsequently won a Golden Globe Award for his performances in the films The Glory Brigade (1953) and The Kid from Left Field (1953). He went on to star in many films such as Underwater! (1955), Seven Cities of Gold (1955), The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956), Love Me Tender (1956), A Summer Place (1959), Esther and the King (1960) and The 300 Spartans (1962). Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Acting career 2.1 Universal 2.2 20th Century Fox 2.3 Stardom 2.4 Television 2.5 Later career 3 Personal life 4 Partial filmography 5 References 6 External links Early life and education[edit] Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Egan graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory.[1] He won a public-speaking competition in 1938 that helped fire his interest in performing. He was supported by his brother who was a priest.[2][3] Egan was interested in drama and studied it while doing a BA at the University of San Francisco. He left in 1943 and served in the United States Army as a judo and knife fighting instructor during World War II. He served a year in the Philippines and was discharged with the rank of captain.[4][1] "The war had given me time to think", he later said, "and to decide what I really wanted to do. I think I had always been an actor in my mind, but now I was going to be one in public, too. Right out in front of everybody."[1] When Egan returned, he went back to school to earn a master's degree in theater history from Stanford University, with the help of the G.I. Bill.[1] From there, he went on to teach public speaking at Northwestern University.[1] While at Northwestern, he appeared in thirty campus stage productions and was eventually spotted by a Warner Bros talent scout, Solly Bioano, who encouraged him to try Hollywood.[4][1] Acting career[edit] Egan had a series of unsuccessful screen tests. He eventually got a bit role in the 1949 Hollywood film The Story of Molly X, at Universal. He had a small roles in The Good Humor Man (1950), at Columbia; The Damned Don't Cry (1950) (as Joan Crawford's husband) and Return of the Frontiersman (1950), at Warners; and The Killer That Stalked New York (1950), at Columbia. Universal[edit] Richard Egan playing tennis (1956) In June 1950 Egan signed a contract with Universal.[5] There he had supporting roles in Wyoming Mail (1950), Undercover Girl (1950),[6] Kansas Raiders (1950), Up Front (1951); Highway 301 (1950); Bright Victory (1951); and Up Front (1951). Egan later described these roles as saying things like "Charlie, go outside! The horses are ready."[3] He had a role in Hollywood Story (1951), directed by William Castle, and the swashbuckler The Golden Horde (1951), where he was fourth billed. Egan was also in Flame of Araby (1951) and The Battle at Apache Pass (1952).[7] Edward Small cast him in a support role in Cripple Creek (1952). Egan went to RKO for One Minute to Zero (1952)[8] and MGM for The Devil Makes Three (1952), shot in Germany.[3] He did "Let George Do It" on TV for Hollywood Opening Night (1952). Egan had support roles in RKO's Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) and Split Second (1953). Egan supported Victor Mature in The Glory Brigade (1953), a war movie at 20th Century Fox, then had a small part in The Kid from Left Field (1953). He did "Malaya Incident" and "Double Bet" for Ford Television Theatre(1953). Egan's career received a boost when a casting director, according to Egan, said "Take off your shirt!", and then cast him in a small role in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), as a gladiator who fights Victor Mature.[4] This led to Egan's first leading role, in Edward Small's Wicked Woman (1953). On TV he did "Go Away a Winner" for Schlitz Playhouse (1954), then had another lead in a low budget movie, Gog (1954), produced by Ivan Tors. Small used him as a leading man again in Khyber Patrol (1954). He was used by RKO to costar with Jane Russell in Underwater! (1955), a notorious flop. However it led to Hedda Hopper declaring Egan to be one of the most promising actors of 1954.[9] 20th Century Fox[edit] In July 1954, Darryl F. Zanuck of Fox offered Egan a seven-year contract at two films a year.[3] Egan was third billed in Fox's Untamed (1955), supporting Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward, taking a role that Victor Mature turned down.[10] He was second billed in Fox's Violent Saturday (1955), directed by Richard Fleischer, starring Mature. The film was a success. Fox announced him for Women in the Woods with Sheree North and Rita Moreno but it was not made.[11] Stardom[edit] Egan was top billed in Fox's Seven Cities of Gold (1955), an adventure film. He had the star part in The View from Pompey's Head (1955), which was well received.[citation needed] He starred in The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956), opposite Jane Russell again (playing a part turned down by Marilyn Monroe). Egan went to RKO for a Western, Tension at Table Rock (1956).[12] He followed this with another Western at Fox, Love Me Tender (1956), where Egan was top billed. It was a success at the box office. However this was attributed to the third-billed actor who played Egan's character's brother, Elvis Presley, whose first film it was. The success of the film saw Egan voted as the 13th biggest star in the US according to an exhibitor poll.[13] Egan signed a contract with Universal where he made Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957), and Voice in the Mirror (1958). Back at Fox, Egan supported Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner in The Hunters (1958), and Don Murray in These Thousand Hills (1959). Egan had another hit with A Summer Place (1959) at Warner Bros. However, again, attention focused on younger cast members, in this case Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue.[citation needed] In 1960, Egan appeared with Jane Wyman and Hayley Mills in Disney's Pollyanna. He co-starred with Joan Collins in Fox's Esther and the King (1960). Egan was Rod Serling's first choice to narrate The Twilight Zone, because of his distinctive voice. However, contractual issues got in the way, and Serling himself narrated instead, rather than select any actor other than his first choice.[citation needed] Egan played the lead role of Leonidas I in Fox's The 300 Spartans (1962). Television[edit] Egan starred in the NBC western dramatic series, Empire, which aired from September 25, 1962 to December 31, 1963. In the shortened second season, the program was renamed Redigo after Egan's character, ranch manager Jim Redigo. When the series ended Egan starred in a TV thriller Fanfare for a Death Scene (1964). He did "Massacre at Fort Phil Kearney" for Theatre of Stars (1966) and the TV movie Valley of Mystery (1967). In 1966, when asked about his lack of film roles, he said, "They want anti-heroes now, and it's just not for me. I'm just not right for that. It's much easier to be cynical than to make a positive statement, to set up a man only to knock him down, than to show convincingly a man who successfully sticks by his beliefs. We desperately need something to give strength and fortitude to the lost. I want to be a part of that. Part of the solution. And if I can't . . . well . . . I'm sure not interested in becoming part of the problem instead."[1] Egan had the lead in some low-budget films, Chubasco (1968) and The Destructors (1969) and a support part in The Big Cube (1969). Egan had the lead in Moonfire (1970) and co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck in The House That Would Not Die. He had the lead in the TV movie The Day of the Wolves (1971) and a support part in Left Hand of Gemini (1972) and Shootout in a One Dog Town (1974). Later career[edit] Egan began guest starring on TV series like The Streets of San Francisco, Matt Helm, The Quest, and Police Story. He had a lead in Throw Out the Anchor! (1974).[citation needed] In 1974, he returned to the stage and for the next 8 years toured extensively in stage productions starting with No Hard Feelings.[14] (1974 until 1976). In 1976 he appeared in Time Out For Ginger, 1976 to 1979 in Hanky Panky, 1979 to 1981 in Broken Up [15] and 1982 in I Ought To Be In Pictures.[16] Egan had the lead in a TV movie, Mission to Glory: A True Story (1977), and supported Robert Mitchum in The Amsterdam Kill (1977) and starred in the low-budget Western The Sweet Creek County War (1979).[17] Egan joined the political soap opera, Capitol, as a recurring character in 1982.[1][18] Personal life[edit] Egan met his wife, Patricia Hardy, in 1956.[19] The couple married in June 1958 and remained together for almost 30 years until his death.[19] They had five children, including son Rich Egan, the founder of Vagrant Records, daughter Maureen Egan, a writer and director, as well as Patricia, Kathleen, and Colleen.[19] Egan was respected within the acting community for having helped a number of young actors get their first break in the film industry. One of those young actors was Ryan O'Neal. He worked out at the same gym as Egan, who got him credited work in four episodes of Empire.[citation needed] Richard Egan died in Santa Monica, California, on July 20, 1987, of prostate cancer.[1] He is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[1][20] Partial filmography[edit] The Story of Molly X (1949) – Police Detective (uncredited) The Good Humor Man (1950) – Officer Daley The Damned Don't Cry! (1950) – Roy Whitehead Return of the Frontiersman (1950) – Cowhand (uncredited) The Killer That Stalked New York (1950) – Treasury Agent Owney (uncredited) Wyoming Mail (1950) – Beale Undercover Girl (1950) – Jess Faylen Kansas Raiders (1950) – First Lieutenant Highway 301 (1950) – Herbie Brooks Up Front (1951) – Capa Bright Victory (1951) – Sgt. John Masterson Hollywood Story (1951) – Police Lt. Bud Lennox The Golden Horde (1951) – Gill Flame of Araby (1951) – Captain Fezil The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) – Sgt. Reuben Bernard Cripple Creek (1952) – Strap Galland alias Gillis One Minute to Zero (1952) – Capt. Ralston The Devil Makes Three (1952) – Lt. Parker Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) – Briggs Split Second (1953) – Dr. Neal Garven The Glory Brigade (1953) – Sgt. Johnson The Kid from Left Field (1953) – Billy Lorant Wicked Woman (1953) – Matt Bannister Gog (1954) – Dr. David Sheppard Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) – Dardanius Khyber Patrol (1954) – Capt. Kyle Cameron Underwater! (1955) – Johnny Gray Untamed (1955) – Kurt Hout Violent Saturday (1955) – Boyd Fairchild Seven Cities of Gold (1955) – Jose Mendoza The View from Pompey's Head (1955) – Anson 'Sonny' Page The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) – Jim Blair Tension at Table Rock (1956) – Wes Tancred Love Me Tender (1956) – Vance Reno Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957) – William "Bill" Keating Voice in the Mirror (1958) – Jim Burton The Hunters (1958) – Colonel Dutch Imil These Thousand Hills (1959) – Jehu A Summer Place (1959) – Ken Jorgenson Pollyanna (1960) – Dr. Edmond Chilton Esther and the King (1960) – King Ahasuerus The 300 Spartans (1962) – King Leonidas Chubasco (1967) – Sebastian The Destructors (1968) – Dan Street The Big Cube (1969) – Frederick Lansdale Downhill Racer (1969) – Extra in bar scene (uncredited) Moonfire (1970) – Sam Blue The House That Would Not Die (1970, TV movie) – Pat McDougal The Day of the Wolves (1971) – Pete Anderson Left Hand of Gemini (1972) Throw Out the Anchor! (1974) – Jonathon Mission to Glory: A True Story (1977) – Father Eusibio Francisco Kino The Amsterdam Kill (1977) – Ridgeway The Sweet Creek County War (1979) – Judd Firman References[edit] ^ a b c d e f g h i j Thackery Jr., Ted (July 22, 1987). "Richard Egan, 65, Dies; Portrayed Rugged Heroes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 Sep 2013. ^ Hopper, Hedda (Jan 16, 1955). "Make Room for Dick Egan--HE'S ON HIS WAY!: Husky Californian Has Acting Ability and a Virile Charm Which Spell Success in Hollywood". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. k27. ^ a b c d HOWARD THOMPSON (Mar 27, 1955). "END OF ECLIPSE FOR AN EAGER EGAN". New York Times. p. X5. ^ a b c Scott, John L. (Aug 2, 1953). "Actor Muscles Way Into Fatter Roles: Richard Egac Muscles Way Into Fatter Roles". Los Angeles Times. p. D1. ^ "STUDIO BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. 7 June 1950. p. B6. ^ THOMAS F. BRADY (July 11, 1950). "COWAN TO PRODUCE A COMEDY FEATURE: 'The Customer Is Always Right' Will Be Filmed Here Using 3-Dimensional Process". New York Times. p. 25. ^ Schallert, Edwin (June 21, 1951). "Drama: Gaynor Star Build-up Proceeds; 'County Line' Adds Paula Raymond". Los Angeles Times. p. A9. ^ Strong, Edwin J. (June 8, 1952). "Drama-Arts: WAR ERUPTS IN COLORADO IN MOVIE BUT STILL GRIM". Los Angeles Times. p. E1. ^ Hopper, Hedda (Jan 2, 1955). "FILM STARS OF 1955!: Future Stars Are Rich in Talent! Hedda Hopper Names Eighteen Likely Candidates for 1955 Honors". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. k14. ^ "M-G-M TO MAKE 27 FILMS IN YEAR: 8 Movies Will Start Within 60 Days -- Three Broadway Plays on Studio Schedule". New York Times. August 4, 1954. p. 17. ^ THOMAS M. PRYOR (9 Feb 1955). "'WOMAN OF WOODS' ON FOX' SCHEDULE: Sheree North, Richard Egan, Rita Moreno Will Have Top Roles in Northwest Film". New York Times. p. 32. ^ "Drama: Richard Egan Wins Big Western Role". Los Angeles Times. Feb 23, 1956. p. A8. ^ Richard L. Coe. (Oct 30, 1957). "Dick to Stick By the Flicks". The Washington Post and Times Herald. p. D6. ^ Daniels, Mary (Apr 14, 1974). "Theater: Egan: The finish hasn't worn off". Chicago Tribune. p. e18. ^ Wilkinson (25 Jan 1980). "Classic Hero Supports Old-Fashioned Attitudes". Arizona Republic. ^ Anna Dooling (21 May 1982). "Name of the Game is Hustle For Visiting Veteran Actor". Albuquerque Journal. ^ "The Sweet Creek County War (1979)", IMDb, retrieved 2019-12-20 ^ "Capitol (TV Series 1982–1987)", IMDb, retrieved 2019-12-20 ^ a b c Barnes, Mike (2011-08-30). "Actress Patricia Hardy Dies at 80 – Star of films, TV shows in the 1950s was married to veteran actor Richard Egan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2011-09-02. ^ "Richard Egan". Find a Grave. May 20, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2019. External links[edit] Richard Egan on IMDb Richard Egan at Find a Grave v t e Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor Richard Widmark (1948) Gene Nelson / Richard Todd (1950) Kevin McCarthy (1952) Richard Burton (1953) Richard Egan / Steve Forrest / Hugh O'Brian (1954) Joe Adams / George Nader / Jeff Richards (1955) Ray Danton / Russ Tamblyn (1956) John Kerr / Paul Newman / Anthony Perkins (1957) James Garner / John Saxon / Patrick Wayne (1958) John Gavin / Bradford Dillman / Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (1959) George Hamilton / Barry Coe / Troy Donahue / James Shigeta (1960) Michael Callan / Mark Damon / Brett Halsey (1961) Warren Beatty / Richard Beymer / Bobby Darin (1962) Keir Dullea / Peter O'Toole / Omar Sharif / Terence Stamp (1963) Albert Finney / Stathis Giallelis / Robert Walker (1964) Harve Presnell / George Segal / Topol (1965) Robert Redford (1966) James Farentino (1967) Dustin Hoffman (1968) Leonard Whiting (1969) Jon Voight (1970) James Earl Jones (1971) Desi Arnaz Jr. (1972) Edward Albert (1973) Paul Le Mat (1974) Joseph Bottoms (1975) Brad Dourif (1976) Arnold Schwarzenegger (1977) Brad Davis (1979) Ricky Schroder (1980) Timothy Hutton (1981) Ben Kingsley (1983) Authority control BNE: XX1615030 BNF: cb139408303 (data) GND: 129968714 ISNI: 0000 0000 4048 7598 LCCN: no95008479 NKC: xx0157443 NTA: 073872016 SNAC: w64x8hsx SUDOC: 075891298 VIAF: 24791625 WorldCat Identities: lccn-no95008479 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Egan_(actor)&oldid=1001372963" Categories: 1921 births 1987 deaths 20th Century Fox contract players 20th-century American male actors United States Army personnel of World War II Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from prostate cancer Male actors from San Francisco Northwestern University faculty Stanford University alumni University of San Francisco alumni New Star of the Year (Actor) Golden Globe winners American expatriates in the Philippines Male Western (genre) film actors United States Army officers Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019 Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017 Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with NKC identifiers Wikipedia articles with NTA identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Languages Afrikaans العربية Català Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano עברית مصرى 日本語 Português Русский Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 19 January 2021, at 11:41 (UTC). 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