Actor victor french biography

BOXING

Even as a kid Victor liked boxing and would shadow box while watching matches on the television at home. When his friend Al Goossen, a boxing promoter who ran the Ten Goossens Gym in North Hollywood, suddenly passed away, Victor stepped in to help the family-run organization. “I wanted to get involved. I don’t know anything about how good a fighter is, but I like the business. Some people go sailing to relax. I live a half mile from this gym and I spend all my free time here. All my troubles are gone when I walk in here.” [17] He liked it so much he went on to get licensed and was co-winner of the Promoter of the Year in 1985. [18]

FAMILY

About a month after his 24th birthday, Victor French married Judith Schenz on January 9, 1959. His son, Victor A. Jr., was born in 1960 with twin daughters, Kelly and Tracy, arriving in 1962. After sixteen years of marriage, Victor and Judith divorced on July 3, 1975.[19]

On March 14, 1976, Victor married Julie Cobb, daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb. Victor and Julie appeared opposite each other in the critically-acclaimed Company of Angels production of the Arthur Miller playAfter the Fall, which opened May 13, 1977. [20] The marriage did not last and they divorced childless on May 23, 1978. [21] Victor never remarried.

CANCER

Victor was a heavy smoker and in March 1989 he found out he had terminal cancer and by June was hospitalized. [22] His daughter Tracy remembered that Michael Landon would regularly come by the house and hospital to visit Victor while he was battling cancer. [23] It was a match he did not win and Victor French passed away June 16, 1989.

POSTSCRIPT

One thing that Victor French had was a vision. When he was campaigning to keep “Little House on the Prairie” on the air he said, “I can’t think of a time when we needed a show like this more – a show that teaches brotherhood, love, respect for the family, and regard for the law.” [24] Those sentiments ring just as true today

American actor and director (1934–1989)

Victor Edwin French (December 4, 1934 – June 15, 1989) was an American actor and director. He is remembered for roles on the television programs Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven, and Carter Country.

Early career

French appeared with his father in one episode of Gunsmoke, "Prime of Life", and another episode, "The Wishbone", where he was credited as "Victor Frence", both in 1966. Ted French died in 1978.

French appeared in the war film The Quick and the Dead (1963), which was produced by the theatre arts department of Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys, which French attended. Also in 1963, he appeared as one of the "Spencer brothers" in the movie that was a forerunner of the television series The Waltons titled Spencer's Mountain starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara. Both the movie and the series were based upon the same novel by Earl Hamner Jr.

Like his father, French began his television career as a stuntman in mostly Westerns and anthology shows. He guest-starred in 39 television series. Though he had an uncredited role as an office clerk in the film The Magnificent Seven, French's first real Western role was the 1961 episode "The Noose" of the syndicated series Two Faces West. French was cast as Larrimore in the episode "Fargo" on the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series The Dakotas.

French appeared a record 23 times on Gunsmoke, often playing a dangerous or bumbling crook. On October 25, 1971, he portrayed cold-hearted robber and murderer Trafton. French guest-starred in another episode, "Matt's Love Story".

French appeared on The Waltons a year later. In "The Fulfillment", French plays blacksmith Curtis Norton, whose wife could not have children and subsequently adopts an eight-year-old orphan boy who has come to spend the week on Walton's Mounta

Victor Edwin French (ur. 4 grudnia1934 w Santa Barbara, zm. 15 czerwca1989 w Los Angeles) – amerykański aktor, reżyser telewizyjny i kaskader. Odtwórca roli Isaiaha Edwardsa w serialu NBCDomku na prerii (1974–1983) i Marka Gordona w Autostradzie do nieba (1984–1986).

Życiorys

Wczesne lata

Urodził się w Santa Barbara w Kalifornii jako syn Nellie Louise Cowles French (1906–1987) i Teda Trenwitha Frencha (1899–1978), kaskadera filmowego. Jego matka była pochodzenia ormiańskiego. Jego ojciec zaszczepił w nim miłość do zachodniej tradycji i legend.

Kariera

Jego pierwszą pracą była praca z ojcem przy wyczynach kaskaderskich w serialu telewizyjnym Gunsmoke. Brał udział w kursach sztuki teatralnej w Los Angeles Valley College i Cal State Los Angeles, a później wziął udział w przesłuchaniach do ról telewizyjnych. Grał w sztukach takich jak Wszyscy ludzie królaRoberta Penna Warrena, Noc iguanyTennessee Williamsa, Myszy i ludzieJohna Steinbecka, Zabawa jak nigdyWilliama Saroyana i Po upadkuArthura Millera.

Jego debiutem była niewielka rola poplecznika Billa w serialu ABCTV Reader’s Digest (1955) z udziałem Eddiego Alberta. W westernie Johna SturgesaSiedmiu wspaniałych (1960) był recepcjonistą. Został obsadzony w roli Joe w serialu CBSLassie (1965), gdzie był niewymieniony w czołówce. Miał swoje pierwsze prawdziwe aktorskie doświadczenia w westernach, gdzie zazwyczaj grał „złego faceta” ze względu na jego raczej szorstki wygląd,