Myron Healey

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Myron Healey
Healey in the TV series Stories of the Century, episode "The Dalton Gang"
Born
Myron Daniel Healey

(1923-06-08)June 8, 1923
Petaluma, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 21, 2005(2005-12-21) (aged 82)
Simi Valley, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1943–1994
Spouses
Dorothy Ann Pemberton
​
​
(m. 1943; div. 1948)​
Leslie Wright Hall
​
​
(m. 1961, divorced)​
Elizabeth Mary D'Errico
​
​
(m. 1963; div. 1968)​
Adair Jameson
​
​
(m. 1971; div. 1972)​
Children2

Myron Daniel Healey (June 8, 1923 – December 21, 2005) was an American actor. He began his career in Hollywood, California during the early 1940s and eventually made hundreds of appearances in movies and on television during a career spanning more than half a century.

Early years[edit]

Healey was born in Petaluma in Sonoma County, California,[1] the son of Dr. and Mrs. Robert D. Healey.[2] He served in World War II as an Air Corps navigator and bombardier,[3] flying in B-26 Martin Marauders in the European Theatre. After the war he continued military duties, retiring in the early 1960s as a captain in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Acting career[edit]

Healey's film debut came in 1943 with Young Ideas.[3] Returning to film work after WWII, he played villains and henchmen in low-budget Western films. He also did some screenwriting. In the post-war period he was frequently seen in Westerns from Monogram Pictures, often starring Johnny Mack Brown, Jimmy Wakely and Whip Wilson.

In the 1950s Healey moved to more "bad guy" roles in other films, including the Bomba and Jungle Jim series, crime dramas and more westerns. He portrayed the bandit Bob Dalton in an episode of the syndicated television series Stories of the Century, starring and narrated by Jim Davis. In 1955 he played a "good guy" for a change as Phyllis Coates' partner in the 1955 Republic Pictures serial Panther Girl of the Kongo.

Earlier in 1952, Healey was cast in one of the first episodes of the syndicated television anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by the "Old Ranger" (Stanley Andrews).

Healey appeared seven times as Captain Bandcroft in The Adventures of Kit Carson (1951–55). He was cast twice in 1957-58 as Becker in two episodes of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Colt .45 starring Wayde Preston, seven times (1950–57) in the long-running The Lone Ranger, and ten times (1952–55) in The Roy Rogers Show television series.

Healey played the outlaw Johnny Ringo in the western television series Tombstone Territory, with Pat Conway as Sheriff Clay Hollister, in the episode "Johnny Ringo's Last Ride" with a teleplay by Sam Peckinpah. He appeared in an episode of the children's western series Buckskin, which aired on NBC from 1958 to 1959. He was a semi-regular on programs produced by Gene Autry's Flying A production company: Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, Jr., The Range Rider, and The Gene Autry Show. He also guest-starred on the crime drama with a modern Western setting, The Sheriff of Cochise, starring John Bromfield, and in the Western set in the 1840s, Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin. He also appeared in an episode of the second season of Zorro.

Between 1960 and 1963, Healey appeared five times on the NBC western Laramie, starring John Smith and Robert Fuller. He appeared ten times on another NBC western, The Virginian, and four times on Laredo. He also made appearances on Gunsmoke.

From 1959 to 1961, he played Major Peter Horry, top aide to Leslie Nielsen, in the miniseries Swamp Fox on Walt Disney Presents, based on the American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.[4]

In 1970 Healey appeared as Wardlow in the TV western "The Men From Shiloh" (the rebranded name of The Virginian) in the episode titled "Jenny".

The television role that Healey may be best remembered is that of "Doc Holliday" in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp TV series which starred Hugh O'Brian. He played that role for one season when Douglas Fowley, the regular Doc Holliday on the series, was away on a movie job

Collectively, Healey appeared in some 140 films, including 81 westerns and three serials. Among his non-western pictures, he appeared in at least two horror films: the Americanized version of the Japanese giant-monster movie Varan the Unbelievable (1958) and The Incredible Melting Man (1977).

Death[edit]

In 2005, Healey broke his hip in a fall and never recovered. He died at the age of 82 at a hospital near his home in Simi Valley, California.[3]

Recognition[edit]

In 2000, Healey received a Golden Boot Award for his contributions to Western films and television programs.[5]

Selected filmography[edit]

Feature films include
Other western appearances include
  • The Cisco Kid (1951-1954)
    • (Season 2 Episode 3: "Postal Inspector") (1951) as Drake, Henchman
    • (Season 2 Episode 9: "Kid Sister Trouble") (1951) as Sloan
    • (Season 3 Episode 17: "The Devil's Deputy") (1953) as E.B. Johnson
    • (Season 5 Episode 2: "The Haunted Stage Stop") (1954) as Don White
    • (Season 5 Episode 9: "Pot of Gold") (1954) as Jim Gault
  • The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1955-1956)
    • (Season 1 Episode 18: "Babe in the Woods") (1955) as Jesse Harkness
    • (Season 2 Episode 2: "Rin Tin Tin Meets Shakespeare") (1955) as Odds-On O'Connor
    • (Season 2 Episode 29: "Rin Tin Tin and the Rainmaker") (1956) as Morrel
  • Cheyenne (1955-1961)
    • (Season 1 Episode 4: "Border Showdown") (1955) as Carl Thompson
    • (Season 2 Episode 1: "The Dark Rider") (1956) as Lew Lattimer
    • (Season 3 Episode 5: "Devil's Canyon") (1957) as Chip Claney
    • (Season 5 Episode 8: "The Return of Mr. Grimm") (1961) as Wesley Mason
    • (Season 5 Episode 10: "The Frightened Town") (1961) as Tully
  • Sheriff of Cochise (1956) (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Red-Haired Visitor") as Dillon
  • Judge Roy Bean (1956)
    • (Season 1 Episode 17: "Checkmate") as Bert Reno
    • (Season 1 Episode 19: "The Eyes of Texas") as Jake Winters
    • (Season 1 Episode 23: "The Katcina Doll") as Hurley
    • (Season 1 Episode 26: "The Travelers") as John Gorman
  • State Trooper (1957-1959)
    • (Season 1 Episode 24: "The Last War Party") (1957) as Red Shawn
    • (Season 2 Episode 18: "Crisis at Comstock") (1958) as Ed Benson
    • (Season 2 Episode 44: "Excitement at Milltown") (1959) as Big Nels
  • Maverick (1958-1961)
    • (Season 1 Episode 27: "Seed of Deception") (1958) as Jim Mundy
    • (Season 3 Episode 12: "Trooper Maverick") (1959) as Jed Benedict
    • (Season 5 Episode 3: "The Golden Fleecing") (1961) as Frank Mercer
  • Wagon Train (1958-1964)
    • (Season 1 Episode 35: "The Rex Montana Story") (1958) as Bill Miller
    • (Season 2 Episode 29: "The Clara Duncan Story") (1959) as Steve Wilson
    • (Season 5 Episode 11: "The Traitor") (1961) as Sergeant Oakes
    • (Season 5 Episode 29: "The Levi Hale Story") (1962) as Deputy Sheriff
    • (Season 6 Episode 31: "The Tom O'Neal Story") (1963) as Mr. O'Neal
    • (Season 7 Episode 1: "The Molly Kincaid Story") (1963) as Doc Curley
    • (Season 7 Episode 21: "The Andrew Elliott Story") (1964) as Sergeant Bob Rollins
    • (Season 7 Episode 32: "The Last Circle Up") (1964) as Wayne Rossen (uncredited)
  • Cimarron City (1959) (Season 1 Episode 17: "Runaway Train") as Clayton Buckley
  • Bat Masterson (1959)
    • (Season 1 Episode 28: "Lottery of Death") as Jack Latigo
    • (Season 2 Episode 1: "To the Manner Born") as Colonel Marc James
  • The Texan (1959-1960)
    • (Season 1 Episode 32: "Badlands") (1959) as Sheriff Ed Courtney
    • (Season 2 Episode 27: "The Governor's Lady") (1960) as Clay Calder
    • (Season 2 Episode 37: "Johnny Tuvo") (1960) as Gait Gaylor
  • Rawhide (1959-1962)
    • (Season 1 Episode 2: "Incident at Alabaster Plain") (1959) as Gun Guard (uncredited)
    • (Season 1 Episode 15: "Incident of the Calico Gun") (1959) as Jeb
    • (Season 3 Episode 14: "Incident of the Big Blowout") (1961) as Lou Calvert
    • (Season 5 Episode 6: "Incident of the Four Horseman") (1962) as Willie
  • Zane Grey Theater (1960)
    • (Season 2 Episode 29: "Utopia, Wyoming") as Cliff Merson
    • (Season 4 Episode 27: "Seed of Evil") as Sam Brady
  • The Alaskans (1960) (Season 1 Episode 28: "Odd Man Hangs") as Fred Simmons
  • Laramie (American TV series)
    • (Season 2 Episode 3: "Three Rode West") (1960) as Frank Skinner
    • (Season 3 Episode 10: "Handful of Fire") (1961) as Army Lieutenant Paul Harmon
    • (Season 3 Episode 22: "The Dynamiters") (1962) as Dan Garnes
    • (Season 4 Episode 9: "Beyond Justice") (1962) as Ben Chantler
    • (Season 4 Episode 23: "The Unvanquished") (1963) as Rafe
  • The Rebel (1961) (Season 2 Episode 26: "The Pit") as Mac McGowan
  • Whispering Smith (1961) (Season 1 Episode 14: "Double Edge") as Jim Conley
  • Gunsmoke (1962)
    • (Season 7 Episode 29: "The Summons") as Jake Moseley
    • (Season 8 Episode 3: "Quint Asper Comes Home") as Mike
  • Have Gun - Will Travel (1963) (Season 6 Episode 17: "Brotherhood") as Stennis
  • The Dakotas (1963) (Season 1 Episode 18: "Sanctuary at Crystal Springs") as Sheriff
  • The Virginian (1963-1970)
    • (Season 1 Episode 30: "The Final Hour") (1963) as Martin Croft
    • (Season 2 Episode 13: "Siege") (1963) as Yance Cooper
    • (Season 3 Episode 22: "You Take the High Road") (1965) as Jack Slauson
    • (Season 4 Episode 1: "The Brothers") (1965) as Sergeant Cohane
    • (Season 4 Episode 23: "Ride a Cock-Horse to Laramie Cross") (1966) as Lomax
    • (Season 5 Episode 14: "Girl on the Glass Mountain") (1966) as Blue
    • (Season 6 Episode 9: "A Bad Place to Die") (1967) as Potts
    • (Season 7 Episode 14: "Stopover") (1969) as Second Drifter
    • (Season 8 Episode 9: "The Bugler") (1969) as Lieutenant Mike Buehl
    • (Season 9 Episode 3: "Jenny") (1970) as Wardlow
  • Bonanza (1964-1968)
    • (Season 6 Episode 14: "The Saga of Squaw Charlie") (1964) as Buck
    • (Season 8 Episode 31: "The Wormwood Cup") (1967) as Sam
    • (Season 9 Episode 17: "The Thirteenth Man") (1968) as Johannsen
    • (Season 9 Episode 19: "The Price of Salt") (1968) as Zeb Williams
  • Daniel Boone (1965-1969)
    • (Season 2 Episode 12: "The First Beau") (1965) as Mike Kravic
    • (Season 3 Episode 6: "Run a Crooked Mile") (1966) as Lynch
    • (Season 5 Episode 24: "For a Few Rifles") (1969) as James Burns
  • The Road West (1967) (Season 1 Episode 20: "The Insider") as Big Foot
  • The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967-1969)
    • (Season 1 Episode 4: "The Natural Way") (1967) as Lank Turner
    • (Season 2 Episode 7: "A Difference of Opinion") (1968) as Sheriff Flagg
    • (Season 2 Episode 24: "Three Stand Together") (1969) as Jack Curson
  • Kung Fu (1973)
    • (Season 1 Episode 4: "An Eye for an Eye") as Opening Scene Trooper with bottle shot off his head (uncredited)
    • (Season 2 Episode 8: "The Soldier) as Captain Malachy
Non-western appearances include
  • Adventures of Superman (1955-1956)
    • (Season 3 Episode 10: "The Bully of Dry Gulch") (1955) as Gunner Flinch
    • (Season 4 Episode 9: "Dagger Island") (1956) as Paul Craymore
    • (Season 4 Episode 13: "The Jolly Roger") (1956) as Captain Mud
  • Behind Closed Doors (1958) (Season 1 Episode 9: "The Enemy on the Flank") as Lister
  • Sea Hunt (1958-1960)
    • (Season 1 Episode 34: "Killer Rock") (1958) as Russ Hodges
    • (Season 3 Episode 12: "The Fearmakers") (1960) as US Coast Guard Commander Jack Carter
  • Perry Mason (1959) (Season 2 Episode 25: "The Case of the Petulant Partner") as Howard Roper
  • Tightrope (1960) (Season 1 Episode 31: "The Penthouse Story") as Al Cummings
  • Bourbon Street Beat (1960) (Season 1 Episode 24: "Neon Nightmare") as Sheriff Clay Tarbo
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 32: "Incident in a Small Jail") as Carly, the Deputy
  • Dante (1961) (Season 1 Episode 16: "Dante Rides Again") as Johnny Poco
  • The Islanders (1961) (Season 1 Episode 20: "Island Witness") as Hightower
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) (Season 1 Episode 12: "Hangover") as Bob Blake
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1963) (Season 1 Episode 26: "An Out for Oscar") as Peter Rogan
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Episode 27: "The Sign of Satan") as Dave Connor
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1965) (Season 3 Episode 23: "Completely Foolproof") as George Foyle
  • Adam-12
    • (Season 2 Episode 10: "Log 143: Cave") (1969) as Jay Finlay
    • (Season 2 Episode 18: "Log 124: Airport") (1970) as Walt Cook
    • (Season 3 Episode 3: "Log 95: Purse Snatcher") (1970) as Carl Tremain
    • (Season 4 Episode 14: "Citizens All") (1972) as Warren Jarvey
    • (Season 5 Episode 13: "O'Brien's Stand") (1973) as Nelson
    • (Season 6 Episode 7: "Van Nuys Division: "Pete's Mustache") (1973) as Donald Whorton
  • Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981) - Lieutenant Olson

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lentz, Harris M. III (2006). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2005: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 164. ISBN 9780786424894. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  2. ^ "Myrton D. Healey In Picture At California". The Petaluma Argus-Courier. Petaluma, California. March 7, 1944. p. 8. Retrieved February 27, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b c Mayer, Geoff (February 9, 2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. pp. 148–149. ISBN 9780786477623. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 1043. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  5. ^ "The Golden Boot Awards". The Old Corral. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.

External links[edit]

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