Rory calhoun francis timothy mccown, august 8, 1922 april 28, 1999 rory calhoun was born 99 years ago today. Rory calhoun, usually a western star, is terrifically cast as the traditional and likable farmer vincent whos a local demigod in his county, thanks to his uniquely flavored, homemade smoked ham recipe. Porkys ii nancy parsons rod ball wyatt knight movie film star press photo. Perpetuating his career into the 1980s and 90s, a more weatherbeaten rory calhoun was. Rory calhoun was an american film and television actor, screenwriter and. Calhoun then worked as a lumberjack, miner and cowboy until, while riding in the hollywood hills, he met the movie star alan ladd, who was impressed with the young mans physique and invited him home to meet mrs ladd, the agent sue. With his widows peak and swarthy good looks, rory calhoun was a hardened, postwar fascimile of pretty boy robert taylor. Rory calhoun full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Rory calhoun western movies to watch free westerns theater. Apr 17, 2014 rory calhoun western movies to watch free. Red sundown 1956, directed by jack arnold for universalinternational, is a particularly good one. Rory calhoun posed in cowboy outfit movie star news.
Motel hell 1980 it takes all kinds of critters to make farmer vincent fritters. Rory calhoun 19221999 was a popular film star of the 1950s and early 1960s who. Two army officers compete for the hand of the colonels daughter in this western romance which features a subplot involving a sneaky gambler and indians on the warpath. The son of a professional gambler, he was of scotirish and spanish. This week in horror movie history, back on october 18th of 1980, affable farmer vincent smith and his jovial sister ida debuted their secret recipe to the world in motel hell. He is best remembered for starring in western films, such as the silver whip 1953, how to marry a millionaire 1953, and river of no return 1954. Dec 21, 2017 the june 30, 1971, issue of variety, in the hollywood production pulse section, lists a movie everyman directed by jerry schafer for hollywood international pictures with actors rory calhoun, ruth roman, rosie grier, jim mitchum, tom bosley, jesse white, john fiedler, and percy helton which started filming jun 14, 1971, in dallas. See the article in its original context from april 30, 1999, section c, page 21 buy reprints. I hated the initial star trek movie for years, but it was on one of my highdef channels recently in all its widescreen glory and i was very surprised at how much i enjoyed it. The last wagon 1956 richard widmark, felicia farr, susan kohner.
Rory calhoun shown proudly viewing his garden of victims in a still from 1980s motel hell printed photograph signed in ink. Aug 11, 2014 calhoun wasnt the only aging blist star to change roles in 1980, the year that saw ronald reagan elected president after an upbeat campaign that emphasized the need to restore the greatness of an america lost to the tumult and cultural shifts of the preceding decades. While any parallels are surely accidental, theyre also tough to ignore. Not enough good movie roles were coming his way, so he took a producing role in a few westerns, working with journeyman director ray nazarro. Rory calhoun francis timothy mccown, august 8, 1922 april 28, 1999 rory calhoun was born 96 years ago today. Motel hell is a 1980 american comedy horror film directed by kevin connor and starring rory calhoun, nancy parsons, and nina axelrod. Shown with nancy parsons in a captioned movie still from motel hell 1980. He made a string of mediumbudgeted 50s westerns that have held up really well. Rory starred in over 80 films and television episodes. Rory calhoun hollywood walk of fame star by mike splat.
Calhoun wasnt the only aging blist star to change roles in 1980, the year that saw ronald reagan elected president after an upbeat campaign that emphasized the need to restore the greatness of an america lost to the tumult and cultural shifts of the preceding decades. Rory calhoun was never a major star but at the beginning of his career in the late he was one of the hottest young actors to grace the american screen. Powder river 1953 rory calhoun, cameron mitchell length western by. The plot follows farmer, butcher, motel manager, and meat entrepreneur vincent smith, who traps travelers and harvests them for his human sausages. Handsome leading man rory calhoun s successful film and television career spanned well over 50 years. Countdown to rory calhouns highest rated films 19471980 film actor and cowboy hero ratings average sources include imdb, rotten. Rory made his screen debut in the film something for the boys 1944. Rory s life changed when a hollywood agent, sue carol, got him an audition at the 20th centuryfox. Rorys life changed when a hollywood agent, sue carol, got him an audition at the 20th centuryfox. Through the sixties and seventies the 1970s and 1980s, calhoun made. Rory calhoun original vintage movie posters, stills, lobby cards and other authentic film memorabilia for sale. The son of a professional gambler, he was of scotirish and spanish ancestry. Handsome leading man rory calhouns successful film and television career spanned well over 50 years.
Rory calhoun, 76, star of many cowboy movies the new. May 21 the empire strikes back is released and is the highestgrossing film of the year just as its predecessor, star wars, was three years prior. Rory calhoun western movies to watch free westerns tv. Rory calhoun was an american actor, producer, and screenwriter. Rory calhoun celebrity profile check out the latest rory calhoun photo gallery. Canadian pacific 1949 full western movie randolph scott full movie by yasar kara. Rory calhoun, 76, star of many cowboy movies the new york times. Set in the 1800s lawless oregon a gunfighter seeks vengeance when his innocent brother is lynched and his beautiful indian wife is claimed by the local tyrant.
Rory calhoun motel hell cult 1980 horror ltd ed german. Before becoming an actor he worked as a boxer, a lumberjack, a truck driver and a cowpuncher. Good ol farmermotel owner and meat goods renaissance man vincent smith rory calhoun, star of many an old western is the charming but slightly sinister owner motel hello which he runs with his slovenly sister ida nancy parsons from the porkys films. Holiday gift ideas for fans of star wars, marvel, game. Before becoming an actor he worked as a boxer, a lumberjack, a truck driver and a. The biggest baddie, mcgarretts archenemy, wo fat, was caught in 1980. Perpetuating his career into the 1980s and 90s, a more weatherbeaten rory calhoun was seen in the lead of the satirical horror film motel hell 1980, was quite funny as a washedup macho movie star in avenging angel 1985, and stole the show from ostensible leadingman george strait in pure country 1992. After working a series of odd jobs, the future actor was spotted by alan ladd in a. Texanand in the 1980s took many television roles unrelated to westerns. Ray nazarro in 1957 and 1958, rory calhoun was juggling his career between movies and television. Rory calhoun born francis timothy mccown, august 8, 1922 april 28, 1999 was an american film and television actor, screenwriter and producer.
Rory calhoun, usually a western star, is terrifically cast as the traditional and likable farmer vincent whos a local demigod in his county, thanks to. Apr 30, 1999 rory calhoun, 76, star of many cowboy movies. Cliff gorman, dick shawn, donna wilkes, susan tyrrell, rory calhoun, john diehl genre. Artists and tried to star in it, but universal would not loan him. Rory calhoun biography, movie highlights and photos. Perpetuating his career into the 1980s and 90s, a more weatherbeaten rory calhoun was seen in the lead of the satirical horror film featurev33403motel hellmotelhell 1980, was quite funny as a washedup macho movie star in featurev3431avenging angelavengingangel 1985, and stole the show from ostensible leadingman george.
In the mid1940s,after a difficult childhood and adolescence, calhoun found work as a lumberjack in santa cruz, california. The last wagon 1956 richard widmark, felicia farr, susan kohner by jerry gilchrist. Its not on dvd or bluray and when you find it somewhere, its never in color. See more ideas about rory calhoun, american actors and movie stars.
Domino kidrory calhoun, andrew duggan, kristine miller, yvette duguay, eugene iglesias 1957. Rory calhoun 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. Perpetuating his career into the 1980s and 90s, a more weatherbeaten rory calhoun was seen in the lead of the satirical horror film motel hell 1980, was quite funny as a washedup macho movie.
The june 30, 1971, issue of variety, in the hollywood production pulse section, lists a movie everyman directed by jerry schafer for hollywood international pictures with actors rory calhoun, ruth roman, rosie grier, jim mitchum, tom bosley, jesse white, john fiedler, and percy helton which started filming jun 14, 1971, in dallas. He started his career as an actor, but later donned many hats screenwriter, producer, author etc. Rory starred in over 80 films and 1,000 television episodes. Tall and handsome, he benefited from a screen test at 20th centuryfox, arranged for. Rory calhoun occasionally allowed us to see where he kept his other gun. Rory calhoun biography, movie highlights and photos allmovie. Perpetuating his career into the 1980s and 90s, a more weatherbeaten rory calhoun was seen in the lead of the satirical horror film motel hell 1980, was quite funny as a washedup macho movie star in avenging angel 1985, and stole the show from ostensible leadingman george strait in. The masked, bladewielding maniac was en vogue during the 70s and 80s, but motel hell was unlike the michael myerses, the phantom killers, and the mrs. Rory calhoun starred in many b westerns, but he wasalso a screenwriter, director. Rory calhoun biography facts, childhood, family of actor. He also wrote the novels the man from padera 1979 and cerrado 1980. Upcoming, new, and past rory calhoun movies, tv shows, tv movies, appearances, specials, and more plus, a biography, news, awards, and nominations. Cowboy star rory calhoun was another henry willson discovery.