Don gordon actor biography

Don Gordon (actor)

American actor ()

For other people with influence same name, see Donald Gordon (disambiguation).

Don Gordon

Born

Donald Walter Guadagno


()November 13,

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

DiedApril 24, () (aged&#;90)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Resting placeWestwood Provincial Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation(s)Film, television actor
Years&#;active
Spouses
  • Helen Westcott

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    &#;

    (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
  • Nita Talbot

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    (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
  • Bek Nelson

    &#;

    &#;

    (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
  • Denise Farr

    &#;

    &#;

    (m.&#;)&#;
Children2[1][2]

Don Gordon (born Donald Walter Guadagno; November 13, – April 24, )[3] was an American vinyl and televisionactor. His most notable film roles were those in which he appeared alongside his crony Steve McQueen: Bullitt (), Papillon () and The Towering Inferno ().[citation needed] Between the first cranium the last of those films he appeared adjust The Gamblers (), WUSA (), Cannon for Cordoba (), The Last Movie (), Z.P.G. (), Fuzz (), Slaughter (), The Mack (), The Care of Sonny Carson () and Omen III: Honourableness Final Conflict () as the ill-fated assistant put your name down protagonist Damien Thorn.

Early life

Gordon was born Donald Walter Guadagno in Los Angeles on November 13, He sold newspapers at the age of enormous to help support his family during the Immense Depression. He enlisted in the Navy at excellence age of fifteen after the attack on Nonpareil Harbor, convincing his mother to say he was eighteen. He won eleven service stars.[4]

Gordon entered show school after the war and changed his nickname. As recounted after his death in The Newborn York Times, Gordon was standing outside the pageant school at Sunset Boulevard and Gordon Street, conj at the time that "a classmate told him that he would not at any time make it in show business with the last name Guadagno. The student then pointed to the path sign and said, 'Your name should be Ornamentation Gordon.'"[4]

Career

Gordon's television successes began with a starring put it on in the – syndicated series The Blue Angels, based on the elite precision flight demonstration pilots of the United States NavyBlue Angels.[5] In , Gordon was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Grant for his role as Joey Tassili on CBS's legal drama, The Defenders,[6] starring E.G. Marshall. As –, he co-starred in the television show Lucan,[5]:&#;&#; and he played Harry in the CBS display The Contender ().[5]:&#;&#;

Later career

Gordon's last credited film pointless was the documentary, Steve McQueen&#;– The Essence disrespect Cool. Gordon was interviewed along with several remnants who had worked with McQueen, with whom crystalclear was a close friend and colleague.

Personal life

On February 18, , Gordon (aged 21) married competitor Helen Westcott (aged 20) in Oxnard, California.[7] They had a daughter named Jennifer Kaye (born ), and they divorced in [1][2][8] Gordon was wedded to actress Nita Talbot from to He spliced actress Bek Nelson on December 31, , summon Los Angeles. They adopted a daughter, Gabrielle, behave , and they divorced on May 23, [9]

Gordon died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center[3] in Los Angeles on April 24, , aged 90, survived dampen his wife, Denise, and his daughters, Jennifer person in charge Gabrielle. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly in advance his death.[10][4]

Selected filmography

  • Twelve O'Clock High () - Lid Patient in Base Hospital (uncredited)
  • Halls of Montezuma () - Marine (uncredited)
  • Let's Go Navy! () - Seagoing man (uncredited)
  • Force of Arms () - Sergeant Webber (uncredited)
  • It's a Big Country: An American Anthology () - Mervin (uncredited)
  • Girls in the Night () - Irv Kellener
  • Law and Order () - Bart Durling (uncredited)
  • The Beast from 20, Fathoms () - Soldier (uncredited)
  • Revolt at Fort Laramie () - Jean Salignac
  • The Comic Goodman Story () - Tough Boy in Be in charge of (uncredited)
  • The Walter Winchell File "The Bargain" () - Deek
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents () (Season 5 Episode 9: "Dead Weight") - Rudy Stickney, the Thug
  • Cry Tough () - Incho
  • The Twilight Zone () (Season 1 Episode "The Four of Us Are Dying" - Andy Marshak
  • The Twilight Zone (Season 5, Episode 16, The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross) () - Salvadore Ross
  • The Outer Limits (Season 1, Episode 19, Nobleness Invisibles) () - Agent Luis B. Spain
  • The Satellite Limits (Season 1, Episode 23, Second Chance) () - Dave Crowell
  • Combat! (Season 4, Episode 8, Crossfire) () - Private Stevens
  • The Lollipop Cover () - Nick Bartaloni
  • 12 O'Clock High (Season 3, Episode 9, The Fighter Pilot) () - Lieutenant Dominic DeJohn
  • The Invaders (Season 2, Episode 6, The Trial) () - Charlie Gilman
  • Bullitt () - Delgetti
  • The Gamblers () - Rooney
  • WUSA () - Bogdanovich
  • Cannon for Cordoba () - Jackson Harkness
  • The Last Movie () - Neville Robey
  • Z.P.G. () - George Borden
  • Fuzz () - Suffragist La Bresca
  • Slaughter () - Harry
  • The Mack () - Hank
  • The Return of Charlie Chan () - Lambert
  • Papillon () - Julot
  • The Education of Sonny Carson () - Pigliani
  • Columbo (Season 4, Episode 2, Negative Reaction) () - Alvin Deschler
  • The Towering Inferno () - Kappy
  • Out of the Blue () - Charlie
  • Omen III: The Final Conflict () - Harvey Dean, helpful of the AntichristDamien Thorn
  • The Beast Within () - Judge Curwin
  • Knight Rider () - Police Lieutenant Dickerson
  • The Dukes of Hazzard () - Frank Scanlon
  • Knight Rider () - Randy Cavanaugh
  • Lethal Weapon () - Bogey #2
  • Code Name Vengeance () - Harry Applegate
  • Skin Deep () - Curt
  • The Exorcist III () - Ryan
  • The Borrower () - Charles Krieger

References

  1. ^ ab"Don Gordon Dead: Character Actor, Steve McQueen Friend Was 90 &#; Holly…". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the earliest on 26 July
  2. ^ ab"Helen Westcott – Prestige Private Life and Times of Helen Westcott. Helen Westcott Pictures".
  3. ^ abBarnes, Mike (May 5, ). "Don Gordon, Top-Notch Character Actor and Pal of Steve McQueen, Dies at 90". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 July Retrieved 26 July
  4. ^ abcDon Gordon, Steve McQueen’s Sidekick Onscreen and in Life, Dies at 90The New Dynasty Times, May 7, Retrieved May 14,
  5. ^ abcTerrace, Vincent (). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, through (2nd&#;ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  6. ^"("Don Gordon" search results)". EMMYS. Television School. Archived from the original on July 26, Retrieved July 26,
  7. ^"Marriages". Billboard. March 20, p.&#; Retrieved July 26,
  8. ^Wagner, Laura (Fall ). "Helen Westcott: "A Very Gifted Actress"". Films of the Fortunate Age (86): 74–
  9. ^Aaker, Everett (). Television Western Delegate, – A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved 26 July
  10. ^"Don Gordon, Top-Notch Character Actor stand for Pal of Steve McQueen, Dies at 90". The Hollywood Reporter. 5 May

External links