Rory Calhoun

Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922 – April 28, 1999) was an American film and television actor, screenwriter and producer. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as How to Marry a Millionaire (1953).

Early life

Born Francis Timothy McCown in Los Angeles, California, Calhoun spent his early years in Santa Cruz, California. The son of a professional gambler, he was of Irish ancestry. He was only nine months old when his father died; Calhoun's mother remarried, and he occasionally went by Frank Durgin, using the last name of his stepfather.

Stardom

Calhoun was promoted to star in the Westerns The Silver Whip (1953) with Dale Robertson and Powder River (1953) with Corinne Calvet. He was in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) as the love interest of Betty Grable, then was back to second male leads in River of No Return (1954) as the boyfriend of Marilyn Monroe who loses her to Robert Mitchum. Both films were big hits.

The Texan

In 1958, on the recommendation of studio boss Desi Arnaz, Calhoun co-produced and starred in the CBS western television series The Texan, which aired on Monday evenings until 1960. He said in a 1959 article that the only two good films he made were With a Song in My Heart and How to Marry a Millionaire, the rest being "terrible".

While filming The Texan, Calhoun would continue to produce and write screenplays throughout his career. The Texan could have filmed a third year had Calhoun not desired to concentrate on films. On March 26, 1959, he appeared as himself in the episode "Rory Calhoun, The Texan" on the CBS sitcom December Bride, starring Spring Byington, a series then in its fifth and final season of production.

Personal life

Calhoun was married twice. He had three daughters with first wife, Lita Baron (m. 1948-1970). When Baron sued Calhoun for divorce, she named Betty Grable as one of 79 women with whom he had adulterous relationships. Calhoun replied to her charge, "Heck, she didn't even include half of them". Calhoun had one daughter with actor Vitina Marcus, and one daughter with second wife (m. 1971-1979; 1982-1999, his death), journalist Sue Rhodes.

Death

Rory Calhoun died on April 28, 1999 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, due to emphysema and diabetes. He was aged 76.

Legacy

For his contributions to the film and television industries, Calhoun was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with two stars in 1960. His motion pictures star is located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard and his television star is located at 1752 Vine Street.