Post by teleadm on Jul 30, 2021 19:07:22 GMT
Do you remember him? At the heights of his popularity between the mid-1950's and mid 1960's. A beefcake before they were called beefcakes. His acting career was going nowhere until a casting director suggested that he should throw of his shirt a bit more, and then he attracted attention. Never on any critics lists, but cinema owners liked to see his name on posters since it meant good business. Critics might have forgotten that they once gave him a Best Male Newcomer Golden Globe Award not for one bit two movies from 1953, The Glory Brigade and The Kid from Left Field. Today his three most remembered movies are mostly remembered because of their youthful stars. OK, his Spartan movie gained new interest after Zach Snyder's 300 movie from 2006.
Richard Egan (1921 - 1987)
Born into a devout Catholic family in San Francisco, he won a public-speaking competition in 1938 that helped fire his interest in performing, he got surprising support from his brother who was a priest. Somewhere martial arts also came in.
During WWII he had to left studies in 1943, he served in the United States Army as a judo and knife fighting instructor during World War II.
After honourably being discharged as as a Captain he earned a master's degree in theater history from Stanford University, with the help of the G.I. Bill. From there, he went on to teach public speaking at Northwestern University. 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.
There he is is with gun and hat making his uncredited movie debut in The Story of Molly X 1949, it didn't lead to more than more uncredited roles, so far.
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.
That lead to Khyber Patrol 1954, not great but in the right direction.
Underwater 1955, a notorious Howard Hughes flop, though Hedda Hopper declared Egan as a star of the future after seeing this movie.
In the meantime Twentieth Century Fox needed a star to fill out their screens in Cinemascope, offering a contact of both leads and co-star roles (losing the girl) for seven years.
Seven Cities of Gold 1955 was his first star vehicle and did well at the box-office.
The View from Pompey's Head 1955 also did well at the box-office.
Egan and Elvis relaxing during Love Me Tender 1956, a routine western that co-starred a fad that would soon be gone. Youthful audiences made it a hit.
Egan with Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee in A Summer's Place 1959, plus Max Steiner theme music made this a hit.
Carrying Hayley Mills in Pollyanna 1960, though not a commercial hit at the times but has over the years become a favorite version of Eleanor H. Porter's beloved novel.
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The 300 Spartans 1963 ended his very loose Fox contract. A nearly forgotten peplum movie, and far from as bad as this OP had read about it would be.
Egan tried his hand in TV-series Empire 1963 - 1964, the last 13 episodes renamed as Redigo, after Egan's character.
In the last 1960's he acted in a few low budget action movie, The Destructers, Chubasco 1968 and Lana Turner's comeback disaster The Big Cube 1969.
Very sparse in TV-appearances he acted with Barbara Stanwyck in the Made-for-TV ghost chiller The House That Wouldn't Die 1970
Next to last movie, The Amsterdam Kill 1977, co-starring with Robert Mitchum, Bradford Dillman (pic) and Leslie Nielsen. All four old-timers considered this movie as a paid vacation of the Orient and Amsterdam.
In 1974, he acted on the stage and for the next 8 years and toured extensively in stage productions starting with No Hard Feelings 1974 until 1976. In 1976 he appeared in Time Out For Ginger, 1976 to 1979 in Hanky Panky, 1979 to 1981 in Broken Up and 1982 in I Ought To Be In Pictures.
In later years he had a recurring role in the daily soap Capitol and appearing in nearly only one episode per year.
In 1956 he married Patricia Hardy, a marriage that would last until his death, and produce 5 children. His daughter Maureen became a MTV director, winning an award for a Screaming Infidelities video. His son Rich founded Vagrant Records. His other children respectfully remains in anonymity.
The above is not a complete list of everything Mr Egan did, just bits and pieces.
Thanks for watching!
Opinions of all kinds are very welcome!
(spelling errors are included)
Richard Egan (1921 - 1987)
Born into a devout Catholic family in San Francisco, he won a public-speaking competition in 1938 that helped fire his interest in performing, he got surprising support from his brother who was a priest. Somewhere martial arts also came in.
During WWII he had to left studies in 1943, he served in the United States Army as a judo and knife fighting instructor during World War II.
After honourably being discharged as as a Captain he earned a master's degree in theater history from Stanford University, with the help of the G.I. Bill. From there, he went on to teach public speaking at Northwestern University. 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.
There he is is with gun and hat making his uncredited movie debut in The Story of Molly X 1949, it didn't lead to more than more uncredited roles, so far.
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.
That lead to Khyber Patrol 1954, not great but in the right direction.
Underwater 1955, a notorious Howard Hughes flop, though Hedda Hopper declared Egan as a star of the future after seeing this movie.
In the meantime Twentieth Century Fox needed a star to fill out their screens in Cinemascope, offering a contact of both leads and co-star roles (losing the girl) for seven years.
Seven Cities of Gold 1955 was his first star vehicle and did well at the box-office.
The View from Pompey's Head 1955 also did well at the box-office.
Egan and Elvis relaxing during Love Me Tender 1956, a routine western that co-starred a fad that would soon be gone. Youthful audiences made it a hit.
Egan with Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee in A Summer's Place 1959, plus Max Steiner theme music made this a hit.
Carrying Hayley Mills in Pollyanna 1960, though not a commercial hit at the times but has over the years become a favorite version of Eleanor H. Porter's beloved novel.
The 300 Spartans 1963 ended his very loose Fox contract. A nearly forgotten peplum movie, and far from as bad as this OP had read about it would be.
Egan tried his hand in TV-series Empire 1963 - 1964, the last 13 episodes renamed as Redigo, after Egan's character.
In the last 1960's he acted in a few low budget action movie, The Destructers, Chubasco 1968 and Lana Turner's comeback disaster The Big Cube 1969.
Very sparse in TV-appearances he acted with Barbara Stanwyck in the Made-for-TV ghost chiller The House That Wouldn't Die 1970
Next to last movie, The Amsterdam Kill 1977, co-starring with Robert Mitchum, Bradford Dillman (pic) and Leslie Nielsen. All four old-timers considered this movie as a paid vacation of the Orient and Amsterdam.
In 1974, he acted on the stage and for the next 8 years and toured extensively in stage productions starting with No Hard Feelings 1974 until 1976. In 1976 he appeared in Time Out For Ginger, 1976 to 1979 in Hanky Panky, 1979 to 1981 in Broken Up and 1982 in I Ought To Be In Pictures.
In later years he had a recurring role in the daily soap Capitol and appearing in nearly only one episode per year.
In 1956 he married Patricia Hardy, a marriage that would last until his death, and produce 5 children. His daughter Maureen became a MTV director, winning an award for a Screaming Infidelities video. His son Rich founded Vagrant Records. His other children respectfully remains in anonymity.
The above is not a complete list of everything Mr Egan did, just bits and pieces.
Thanks for watching!
Opinions of all kinds are very welcome!
(spelling errors are included)
Fans of classic era dipso dramas should stick with THE LOST WEEKEND or DAYS OF WINE & ROSES
