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Dan Duryea
Dan Duryea.jpg
Duryea as "Waco Johnny" Dean in Winchester '73 (1950)
Born (1907-01-23)January 23, 1907
Died June 7, 1968(1968-06-07) (aged 61)
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California
Occupation Actor
Years active 1933–1968
Spouse(s)
Helen Bryan
(m. 1932; died 1967)
Children 2, including Peter Duryea

Dan Duryea (/ˈdʊri./ duurr-EE-ay, January 23, 1907 – June 7, 1968) was an American actor in film, stage, and television. Known for portraying a vast range of character roles as a villain, he nonetheless had a long career in a wide variety of leading and secondary roles.

Early life

Duryea was born and raised in White Plains, New York. He graduated from White Plains High School in 1924 and Cornell University in 1928. While at Cornell, Duryea was elected into the Sphinx Head Society, Cornell's oldest senior honor society. He majored in English, and in his senior year succeeded Franchot Tone as president of the college drama society.

As his parents did not approve of his choice to pursue an acting career, Duryea became an advertising executive. After six stress-filled years, he had a heart attack that sidelined him for a year.

Acting career

The-Little-Foxes-Breakfast
Tallulah Bankhead, Charles Dingle, Carl Benton Reid and Dan Duryea in the original Broadway production of The Little Foxes (1939)

Stage

Returning to his earlier love of acting and the stage, Duryea made his name on Broadway in the play Dead End, followed by The Little Foxes, in which he portrayed Leo Hubbard. He also appeared on Broadway in Many Mansions (1937) and Missouri Legend (1938).

Film

Dan Duryea in Along Came Jones trailer
Trailer for Along Came Jones (1945)
Dan Duryea Jane Wyman John McIntire Wagon Train 1962
With Jane Wyman and John McIntire in television series Wagon Train (1962)

In 1940, Duryea moved to Hollywood to appear in the film version of The Little Foxes. He continued to establish himself with supporting and secondary roles in films such as The Pride of the Yankees (1942) and None But the Lonely Heart (1944). As the 1940s progressed, he found his niche as the "sniveling, deliberately taunting" antagonist in a number of films noir (Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, The Great Flamarion, Criss Cross, Too Late for Tears, Johnny Stool Pigeon), and Westerns such as Along Came Jones and Black Bart, although he was sometimes cast in more sympathetic roles (Black Angel, One Way Street). In 1946, exhibitors voted him the eighth most promising "star of tomorrow".

Duryea co-starred opposite Gary Cooper three times in the 1940s: Ball of Fire, Pride of the Yankees and Along Came Jones. In the 1950s, Duryea co-starred with James Stewart in three films, Winchester '73 (as the dastardly "Waco Johnny" Dean), Thunder Bay, and Night Passage. He was featured in several other westerns, including Silver Lode, Ride Clear of Diablo, and The Marauders, and in more film-noir productions like 36 Hours, Chicago Calling, Storm Fear, and The Burglar.

In his last years, Duryea reteamed with Stewart for the adventure film The Flight of the Phoenix, about men stranded in the Sahara desert by a downed airplane, appearing as a mild-mannered accountant, closer to his real-life persona. He worked in overseas film productions including the British neo-noir thriller Do You Know This Voice? (1964), the Italian Western The Hills Run Red, aka Un Fiume di dollari, (1966) and the spy thriller Five Golden Dragons (1967) in West Germany, while continuing to find roles on American television. He also appeared twice on the big screen with his son, character actor Peter Duryea, in the low-budget Westerns Taggart (1964) and The Bounty Killer (1965).

Television

Duryea starred as the lead character China Smith in the television series China Smith from 1952 to 1953 and The New Adventures of China Smith from 1954 to 1956.

He later guest-starred as Roy Budinger, the self-educated mastermind of a criminal ring dealing in silver bullion, in the episode "Terror Town" on October 18, 1958, of NBC's western series Cimarron City. On season 1, episode 15 of Wagon Train, he guest-starred as the title character in "The Cliff Grundy Story" (December 1957). He reappeared as Cliff, saving Robert Horton's Flint McCullough from being "Shanghaied" in S1 E39 "The Sacramento Story" which aired 6/24/1958.

In 1959, Duryea appeared in the third episode of The Twilight Zone, "Mr. Denton on Doomsday". He guest starred on NBC's anthology series The Barbara Stanwyck Show and appeared in an episode of Rawhide in 1959, "Incident Of The Executioner." On September 15, 1959, Duryea guest-starred as the outlaw Bud Carlin in the episode "Stage Stop", the premiere of NBC's Laramie western series. Duryea appeared again as Luke Gregg on Laramie on October 25, 1960, in the episode "The Long Riders". Duryea also put in a great comic performance in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in an episode called "Three Wives Too Many" (1964).

Three weeks later, on November 16, 1960, Duryea played a mentally unstable pioneer obsessed by demons and superstitions in "The Bleymier Story" of NBC's Wagon Train. Elen Willard played his daughter; James Drury, his daughter's suitor. Duryea was cast twice in 1960 as Captain Brad Turner in consecutive episodes of the NBC western series Riverboat. He spoofed his tough-guy image in a comedy sketch about a robbery on the Dec. 4, 1960 episode of The Jack Benny Program. Dan also guest starred in a 1962 episode of Tales of Wells Fargo TV western series as Marshal Blake opposite Dale Robertson.

In 1963, Duryea portrayed Dr. Ben Lorrigan on NBC's medical drama, The Eleventh Hour. In 1967, a television version of Winchester '73 was released in which Duryea played the part of Bart McAdam, an uncle to Lin and Dakin McAdam. A notable co-star in the film was John Saxon (Dakin McAdam). From 1967 to 1968, he appeared in a recurring role as Eddie Jacks on the soap opera Peyton Place.

Personal life

Duryea was different from the unsavory characters he often portrayed. He was married for 35 years to his wife, Helen, until her death in January 1967. The couple had two sons: Peter (who worked for a time as an actor), and Richard, a talent agent. At home, Duryea lived a quiet life at his house in the San Fernando Valley, devoting himself to gardening, boating, and community activities including, at various times, active membership in the local parent-teacher association and Scout Master of a Boy Scout troop.

On June 7, 1968, Duryea died of cancer at the age of 61. His remains are interred in Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Complete filmography

Year Film Role Director Notes
1934 The Tango on Broadway Laurita's Boyfriend Louis J. Gasnier uncredited
1941 The Little Foxes Leo Hubbard William Wyler
1941 Ball of Fire Duke Pastrami Howard Hawks
1942 The Pride of the Yankees Hank Hanneman Sam Wood
1942 That Other Woman Ralph Cobb Ray McCarey
1943 Sahara Jimmy Doyle Zoltán Korda
1944 Man from Frisco Jim Benson Robert Florey
1944 Mrs. Parkington Jack Stilham Tay Garnett
1944 None But the Lonely Heart Lew Tate Clifford Odets
1944 The Woman in the Window Heidt / Tim, the Doorman Fritz Lang
1944 Ministry of Fear Cost / Travers the Tailor Fritz Lang
1945 Main Street After Dark Posey Dibson Edward L. Cahn
1945 The Great Flamarion Al Wallace Anthony Mann
1945 The Valley of Decision William Scott Jr. Tay Garnett
1945 Along Came Jones Monte Jarrad Stuart Heisler
1945 Lady on a Train Arnold Waring Charles David
1945 Scarlet Street Johnny Prince Fritz Lang
1946 Black Angel Martin Blair Roy William Neill
1946 White Tie and Tails Charles Dumont Charles Barton
1948 Black Bart Charles E. Boles / Black Bart George Sherman
1948 River Lady Beauvais George Sherman
1948 Another Part of the Forest Oscar Hubbard Michael Gordon
1948 Larceny Silky Randall George Sherman
1949 Criss Cross Slim Dundee Robert Siodmak
1949 Manhandled Karl Benson Lewis R. Foster
1949 Too Late for Tears Danny Fuller Byron Haskin
1949 Johnny Stool Pigeon Johnny Evans William Castle
1950 One Way Street John Wheeler Hugo Fregonese
1950 Winchester '73 Waco Johnny Dean Anthony Mann
1950 The Underworld Story Mike Reese Cy Endfield
1951 Chicago Calling William R. Cannon John Reinhardt
1951 Al Jennings of Oklahoma Al Jennings Ray Nazarro
1953 Thunder Bay Gambi Anthony Mann
1953 Sky Commando Colonel Ed (E.D.) Wyatt Fred F. Sears
1953 Terror Street Major Bill Rogers
1954 World for Ransom Mike Callahan / Corrigan Robert Aldrich (uncredited)
1954 Ride Clear of Diablo Whitey Kincade Jesse Hibbs
1954 Rails Into Laramie Jim Shanessy Jesse Hibbs
1954 Silver Lode Fred McCarty Allan Dwan
1954 This Is My Love Murray Myer Stuart Heisler
1955 Foxfire Hugh Slater Joseph Pevney
1955 The Marauders Avery Gerald Mayer
1955 Storm Fear Fred Blake Cornel Wilde
1956 Battle Hymn Sergeant Herman Douglas Sirk
1957 The Burglar Nat Harbin Paul Wendkos
1957 Night Passage Whitey Harbin James Neilson
1957 Slaughter on Tenth Avenue John Jacob Masters Arnold Laven
1958 Kathy O' Harry Johnson Jack Sher
1960 Platinum High School Major Redfern Kelly Charles Haas
1962 Six Black Horses Frank Jesse Harry Keller
1965 Daniel Boone Simon Perigore
1964 He Rides Tall Bart Thorne R. G. Springsteen
1964 Do You Know This Voice? John Hopta
1964 Walk a Tightrope Carl Lutcher Frank Nesbitt
1964 Taggart Jay Jason R. G. Springsteen
1965 The Bounty Killer Willie Duggan Spencer Gordon Bennet
1965 The Flight of the Phoenix Standish Robert Aldrich
1966 Incident at Phantom Hill Joe Barlow Earl Bellamy
1966 The Hills Run Red Colonel Winny Getz
1967 Winchester '73 Bart McAdam TV Movie
1967 Five Golden Dragons Dragon #1 Jeremy Summers
1967 Stranger on the Run O.E. Hotchkiss Don Siegel TV Movie
1968 The Bamboo Saucer Hank Peters Frank Telford final film role

Partial television appearances

  • China Smith (1952–1953) (26 episodes) as China Smith
  • The New Adventures of China Smith (1954-1956) (26 episodes) as China Smith
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1952–1958) (5 episodes) as China Smith / Federal Agent Sam Ireland / Pete Richards
  • December Bride (1955) (Episode: "High Sierras") as himself
  • Wagon Train (1957–1964) (7 episodes) as Sam Race / Amos / Samuel Bleymier / Joshua Gilliam / Survivor / Cliff Grundy
  • Zane Grey Theater (1958) (Season 2 Episode 16: "This Man Must Die") as Kirk Joiner
  • Laramie (1959) (Season 1 Episode 1: "Stage Stop") as Bud Carlin
  • Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1959) (Season 5 Episode 15: "Texas John Slaughter: Showdown at Sandoval") as Dan Trask
  • The Twilight Zone (1959) (Season 1 Episode 3: "Mr. Denton on Doomsday") as Al Denton
  • Rawhide (1959) (Season 1 Episode 3: "Incident with an Executioner") as Jardin
  • Laramie (1960) (Season 2 Episode 6: "The Long Riders") as Luke Gregg
  • Bonanza (1960) (Season 2 Episode 3: "Badge Without Honor") as U.S. Dep. Marshall Gerald Eskith
  • Route 66 (1961) (Season 1 Episode 24: "Don't Count Stars") as Mike McKay
  • Zane Grey Theater (1961) (Season 5 Episode 22: "Knight of the Sun") as Henry Jacob Hanley
  • Laramie (1961) (Season 3 Episode 4: "The Mountain Men") as Ben Sanford
  • Naked City (1962) (Season 4 Episode 3: "Daughter, Am I In My Father's House?") as Clyde Royd
  • Tales of Wells Fargo (1962) (Season 6 Episode 23: "Winter Storm") as Marshal Blake
  • Going My Way (1962) (Season 1 Episode 9: "Mr. Second Chance") as Harold Harrison
  • Rawhide (1962) (Season 5 Episode 9: "Incident of the Wolvers") as Abner Cannon
  • Rawhide (1963) (Season 6 Episode 9: "Incident of Prophecy") as Brother William
  • Route 66 (1963) (Season 4 Episode 9: "A Cage in Search of a Bird") as Jay Leonard Ringsby
  • Bonanza (1964) (Season 6 Episode 5: "Logan's Treasure") as Sam Logan
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Episode 12: "Three Wives Too Many") as Raymond Brown
  • Combat! (TV series) (1965) (Season 3 Episode 23: "Dateline") as Barton
  • The Virginian (1966) (Season 5 Episode 6: "The Challenge") as Ben Crayton
  • Combat! (TV series) (1967) (Season 3 Episode 23: "A Little Jazz") as Bernie Wallace
  • Peyton Place (1967–1968) (60 episodes) as Eddie Jacks

Radio performances

  • Suspense, “The Man Who Couldn't Lose" (1947)
  • Suspense, “The Man from Homicide” (1951)
  • Suspense, "Remember Me" (1952)

See also

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