American film and television actor Rory Calhoun was well-known. He began his professional life as an actor but afterward worked as a screenwriter, producer, novelist, etc. When Sue Carol, a Hollywood agent, secured Rory a role at the “20th Century-Fox,” his life was forever altered. Rory was riding a horse in a Los Angeles park when Alan Ladd, Sue’s husband, observed him and told Sue about it. More than eighty films and more than a thousand television episodes of various shows included him. With a Song in My Heart (1952), “The Silver Whip” (1953), “How to Marry a Millionaire” (1953), “Four Guns to the Border” (1954), “The Looters” (1955), “Red Sundown” (1956), “Flight to Hong Kong” (1956), and many others, he made appearances in films such as “Adventure Island” (1947), “Miraculous Journey” (1948), “Massacre River” (1949), Rory made television appearances in shows including “Zane Grey Theatre” (1956), “The Texan” (1960), “Death Valley Days” (1960), “Hawaii Five-O” (1968), “Starsky and Hutch” (1975), and “Gilligan’s Island” (1964), among others. In 1992, his final film, “Pure Country,” was released.
Early Childhood & Life
Francis Timothy McCown, the father of Rory, was born on 8 August 1922 in Los Angeles, California. James McCown, an Irish gambler, and Elizabeth Cuthbert were his parents.
The early years of Rory’s life were spent in Santa Cruz, California. Ten months after his birth, his father passed away, and his mother later wed again.
He adopted his stepfather’s last name and became known as Frank Durgin. His traumatic upbringing led him to engage in theft, robbery, and other illegal crimes.
He was sent to the California reformatory “Preston School of Industry” at the age of 13 after stealing a handgun. From this correction center, he ran away.
At the age of 17, he fled his home to avoid being tortured and beaten by his stepfather. He then started hotwiring automobiles and occasionally robbed jewelry stores and cars. After stealing a car and using it to drive across the state, he was also given a three-year prison sentence.
In Springfield, Missouri, at the “United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners,” he carried out his term. He was freed from prison before turning 21.
Following that, he worked as a mechanic, wood logger, hard-rock miner, cowboy, fisherman, truck driver, etc. until actor Alan Ladd spotted him riding a horse in a Los Angeles park. After then, his life was forever altered.
Career of Rory Calhoun
Rory passed the “20th Century-Fox” screen test thanks to Sue Carol, a Hollywood representative. Before receiving his first credited appearance (as Frank McCown) in “The Bullfighters,” he had very small roles in “Something for the Boys” (1944), “Sunday Dinner for Soldiers” (1944), and “Laurel and Hardy” (1945).
Henry Wilson, a David O. Selznick employee, later signed him as “Rory Calhoun” in Selznick’s business. He was, however, returned to prison in 1945 for assaulting a detective.
His first significant performance came in the 1947 film “The Red House.” In the same year, he contributed to two more films, Adventure Island and That Hagen Girl.
He participated in the production of “Miraculous Journey,” a big hit in 1948. He made two films in 1949: “Massacre River” and “Sand.”
In “Return of the Frontiersman,” he made his first appearance in a negative role (1950). In the same year, he portrayed the lead in “Country Fair.”
Meet Me After the Show (1951), Rogue River (1951), I’d Climb the Highest Mountain (1952), With a Song in My Heart (1953), The Silver Whip (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) are just a few of his other films from the 1950s. Other notable films include “River of No Return” (1954), “The Yellow Tomahawk” (1954), “A Bullet is Waiting,” “The Spoilers” (1955), “Raw Edge” (1956), “The Hired Gun” (1957), and “Ride Out of Revenge” (1958).
He appeared in a variety of films in 1960, a few of which are “Thunder in Carolina,” “The Colossus of Rhodes,” “The Treasure of Monte Cristo,” “Marco Polo,” “The Young and the Brave,” “Apache Rising,” “Our Men in Baghdad,” and “The Emerald of Artatman” (1969). He appeared in cult classics like “Night of the Lepus” (1972), “Motel Hell” (1980), “Angel” (1984), “Hell Comes to Frogtown” (1989), etc. between the 1970s and 1980s.
His final film, “Pure Country,” was released in 1992. He portrayed Earnest Tucker, a rancher, and head of the family, in the film.
Career in Television
In 1958, he made his television debut in “The Texan.” Rory had begun producing and writing movies about this time.
He made an appearance in a 1959 episode of the CBS drama “December Bride.” The program’s title was “Rory Calhoun the Texan.”
He had several television appearances in the 1960s, including “Death Valley Days” (1963), “Bonanza” (1964), “Gunsmoke” (1965), “I Spy” (1966), “Gilligan’s Island” (1967), “Custer” (1969), “Lancer” (1971), and others.
He appeared in several TV shows between 1970 and 1980, including “The Doris Day Show,” “Owen Marshall: Counsellor at Law,” “Hec Ramsey,” “Police Story,” “Moving On,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Fantasy Land,” etc. He had numerous television appearances in the 1980s, including “The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo” (1981), “Hart to Hart” (1982), “The Blue and the Gray” (1985), “Family Feud” (1985), and “The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (1988).
He started appearing regularly on the American soap opera “Capitol” in 1982, and he did so until the show’s cancellation in 1987. In 1993, he made his final television appearance in “Tales from the Crypt.”
Major Works of Rory Calhoun
In 1957, Rory and his business partner Victor Orsatti founded the production company “Rorvic.” Films like “Flight to Hong Kong” (1956), “The Hired Gun” (1957), “Domino Kid” (1957), “Apache Territory” (1958), “Fists of Steel” (1991), etc. were made with his assistance.
He created the technicolor film “Shotgun” (1955). He authored “Domino Kid,” another film, in 1957.
Recognition & Achievements of Rory Calhoun
Calhoun received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Two stars are situated at “7007 Hollywood Boulevard” and “1750 Vine Street,” respectively.
Personal Legacy & Life of Rory Calhoun
With Lita Baron, with whom he had three kids, and with Sue Rhodes, a writer, with whom he had one daughter, Rory was married twice.
His first wife, Lita Baron, claimed that he had committed adultery with more than 70 women, including Betty Grable, at the time of their divorce.
On April 28, 1999, Rory passed away in Burbank, California, at age 76. Diabetes and emphysema-related problems led to his death.
Rory Calhoun’s Net Worth
Rory is one of the wealthiest and most well-liked actors in movies. Rory Calhoun’s net worth is roughly $1.5 million, according to our analysis of data from sources like Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.