biography

Brad Harris Born Bradford Harris in St. Anthony, Idaho, on July 16, 1933, Brad Harris played football while attending UCLA in the 1950s. An injury sidelined his football career, so he began bodybuilding as a way to overcome his injury. Following his college career, he remained in Los Angeles and, thanks to his weight training regimen, was hired as a stuntman by film studios, most notably in Spartacus (1960). On occasion, he also had the opportunity to act as well, beginning in the mid 1950s in usually uncredited roles. In the early 1960s, he went to Italy to star in peplum films, starting with Goliath Against the Giants (1961; with Gloria Milland and Fernando Rey). Of the sword and sandal actors who followed Steve Reeves into the Italian cinema, Brad Harris was the first to branch out into other film genres with the German noir Hong Kong Hot Harbor (1962; with Horst Frank). By the mid 1960s, Harris was a star in Germany and was featured in the successful Kommissar X film series. He later moved into spaghetti westerns and horror films.

Brad Harris and Olga SchoberováBrad Harris

RIGHT: Harris was married briefly to actress Olga Schoberová in Las Vegas in November 1967. The couple met on the set of The Secret of the Chinese Orchid in 1964. RIGHT: Bodybuilding photo of Harris from the early 1970s

By 1970, Harris was writing and producing films and headed his own production company, Three Star Films, including distribution and foreign sales in Rome, Italy. In addition, he acted as creative consultant for various German film companies. He developed and was assigned to produce Croc for Warner Bros. and Triad for Universal Studios and was the president of Modern Body Design, a successful fitness product corporation.

Gordon Scott and Brad HarrisGordon Scott and Brad Harris

Early 1960s photo of Gordon Scott having fun with a reporter in Rome while Brad Harris observes (thanks to Peter Vlachoutsakos)

the films of brad harris

Goliath Against the Giants (1961)

Brad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad Harris
Brad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad Harris

From Goliath Against the Giants, released by Medallion to US television in 1963

Samson (1961)

Brad Harris and Alan SteelBrad Harris and Alan SteelBrad HarrisBrad Harris

From the adventure Samson, released in the US by Medallion Pictures. LEFT and CENTER A: with Alan Steel. CENTER B and RIGHT: Harris as the title character

The Fury of Hercules (1962)

Brad HarrisBrad Harris

Harris is the title character in the sword and sandal adventure The Fury of Hercules

79 AD (1962)

Brad Harris

As Marcus Tiberius in the adventure 79 AD

Mission to Hell (1964)

Brad Harris

From Harris' action flick Mission to Hell

Death is Nimble, Death is Quick (1966)

Brad Harris

Harris portrays Captain Tom Rowland in the action comedy Death is Nimble, Death is Quick, the third entry in the Kommissar X series of films

The Three Fantastic Supermen (1967)

Brad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad Harris

From the comedic action flick The Three Fantastic Supermen

Maniacs on Wheels (1970)

Olga Schoberová and Brad Harris

With Olga Schoberová in the racing-themed film Maniacs on Wheels

Return of the Gladiator (1971)

Brad Harris

As Marzio in the adventure Return of the Gladiator

Zambo, King of the Jungle (1972)

Brad HarrisBrad Harris

Harris as the title character in the adventure Zambo, King of the Jungle

The Mutations, aka The Freakmaker (1974)

Brad Harris and Donald PleasenceBrad Harris and Julie Ege

From the effective horror flick The Mutations. LEFT: With Donald Pleasence. RIGHT: With Julie Ege. In addition to starring in this film, Harris also served as associate producer

This Time I'll Make You Rich (1974)

Brad Harris

From the action comedy This Time I'll Make You Rich

Hercules (1983)

Brad HarrisSybil Danning, Lou Ferrigno, and Brad HarrisBrad Harris and Lou Ferrigno

From Hercules. LEFT: Brad Harris as Augias. CENTER: With Sybil Danning and Lou Ferrigno. RIGHT: With Lou Ferrigno

later years

Harris acted in and served as executive producer for the horror release Shiver (2012; with Casper Van Dien and Rae Dawn Chong), which was shot in Los Angeles. Sadly, he passed away on November 7, 2017 at the age of 84. He was survived by his daughter, Sabrina.

the brad harris gallery

Brad HarrisBrad HarrisBrad Harris as GoliathBrad Harris as Goliath

filmography

This listing includes films for which Harris has written screenplays and served as producer:
FILM
Shiver (2012) with Casper Van Dien and Rae Dawn Chong
Boom (1999)
Jungle Heat (1994) (Harris co-authored the screenplay)
Death Stone (1987) with Tony Kendall and Elke Sommer
Hercules (1983) with Lou Ferrigno, Sybil Danning, and Rossana Podesta
The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1983) with Lou Ferrigno, Dan Vadis, Sybil Danning, and Mandy Rice-Davies
Good-bye Cruel World (1982) with Dick Shawn, LaWanda Page, and Priscilla Pointer
Challenge of the Tiger (1980) with Richard Harrison
Return of Superbug (1979) with Sal Borgese
Brass Target (1978) with Sophia Loren, John Cassavetes, George Kennedy, and Robert Vaughn
Lady Dracula (1977) with Stephen Boyd; Harris co-starred and wrote the screenplay
SS Hell Camp (1977)
Achtung! The Desert Tigers (1976) with Richard Harrison and Gordon Mitchell
Who Breaks... Pays (1975) with Giancarlo Prete
This Time I'll Make You Rich (1974) with Antonio Sabato; Harris co-starred and was a co-producer
The Mutations (1974) with Donald Pleasence, Julie Ege, Tom Baker, Jill Haworth, and Michael Dunn
The Girl in Room 2a (1973) with Rosalba Neri
Django Adios (1972) with Jose Torres
Zambo, King of the Jungle (1972) with Raf Baldassarre and Daniele Vargas
Durango Is Coming, Pay or Die (1972) with Erika Blanc
Meat is Meat (1971) (aka The Strangler of Vienna and The Mad Butcher) with Victor Buono, Karin Field, and John Ireland
The Return of the Gladiator (1971) with Massimo Serato and Raf Baldassare
Three Supermen in the Jungle (aka Fantastic Supermen and the Amazon) (1971) with Femi Benussi, George Martin, and Frank Brana
Tiger Gang (1971)
Maniacs on Wheels (1970) with Olga Schoberová; Harris served as actor and producer
Cin Cin Cianuro (1968) with Gordon Mitchell
King of Kong Island (1968) (producer)
Death Trip (1967) with Samson Burke
The Fantastic Three (aka Three Fantastic Supermen) (1967)
Mr. Dynamite (1967) with Lex Barker
The Ten Million Dollar Grab (1966) with Dana Andrews
Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill (1966) with Tony Kendall
So Darling, So Deadly (1966) with Tony Kendall
Death is Nimble, Death is Quick (1965) with Dan Vadis
Our Man in Jamaica (1965) with Larry Pennell
Black Eagle of Santa Fe (1964) with Horst Frank and Tony Kendall
Golden Hell on the Mekong (aka Mission to Hell) (1964)
Massacre at Marble City (1964)
The Secret of the Chinese Carnation (1964) with Klaus Kinski and Horst Frank
White Freight from Hong Kong (1964)
79 A.D. (1963) (aka The Destruction of Herculaneum) with Susan Paget and Philippe Hersent
Pirates of the Mississippi (aka Mississippi Pirates) (1963) with Dan Vadis and Tony Kendall
Hot Harbor Hong Kong (1962)
The Old Testament (1962) with Alan Steel, Carlo Tamberlani, and Philippe Hersent; directed by Gianfranco Parolini
The Fury of Hercules (1961) with Alan Steel
Goliath Against the Giants (1961) with Gloria Milland and Fernando Rey
Samson (1961) with Alan Steel

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Hunter, episode Broken Dreams, originally aired January 27, 1990
Dallas, episode Counter Attack, originally aired January 13, 1989
Falcon Crest, episode Missing Links, originally aired March 17, 1989
Dallas, episode Showdown at the Ewing Corral, originally aired December 16, 1988
Hunter, episode The Bogota Million, originally aired March 1, 1988
Riptide, episode A Matter of Policy, originally aired january 14, 1986
Falcon Crest, episode Devil's Harvest, originally aired April 12, 1985
Falcon Crest, episode The Trial, originally aired March 15, 1985
The New Mike Hammer, episode Dead Man's Run, originally aired December 29, 1984
Falcon Crest, episode Suitable for Framing, originally aired December 28, 1984
Falcon Crest, episode Going Once, Going Twice, originally aired December 7, 1984
Falcon Crest, episode Ashes to Ashes, originally aired May 18, 1984
Falcon Crest, episode The Avenger, originally aired May 11, 1984
Dallas, episode Love Stories, originally aired May 4, 1984
The Incredible Hulk, episode A Minor Problem, originally aired May 12, 1982
Derrick, episode Besuch aus New York, originally aired July 27, 1979

brad harris links

The Official Shiver the Movie website (has not been updated since 2013).

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Splatting Image: Brad Harris
Splatting Image, the magazine for the underground film by Andreas Rauscher and Devrim Tuncel, has a great page devoted to Brad Harris. Be sure to check out the entire site.

brad harris trailers

Watch the trailer for Brad Harris's 1974 horror film The Mutations

brad harris film now showing

Watch Brad Harris's 1968 adventure film King of Kong Island (1968)
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This page premiered May 5, 1998.
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