biography
Born in Somerset, Kentucky on December 6, 1928, actor Lance Fuller was brought to Hollywood by MGM as a teenager when he tested for The Yearling (1946)
in 1943. Although he didn't get the part, he began his acting career taking bit parts in such films as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943; with
Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi), To Have and Have Not (1944; with Humphrey Bogart), and
Song of Scheherazade (1947; with Yvonne De Carlo and Brian Donlevy). By the time Fuller
grew into adulthood, he was 6'3" and had quite a bit of experience as an actor. At the age of 23, he married actress Joi Lansing.
In early 1952, Fuller was drafted into the Army, which proved to be a setback for both his career and marriage. He and Lansing separated in late 1952 and were divorced in 1953.In 1953, after years of bit parts, Fuller got his big break when he signed with Universal-International, and he acted in a string of films through the late 1950s. His best-known films include This Island Earth (1954; with Faith Domergue and Rex Reason); Slightly Scarlet (1956; with John Payne and Rhonda Fleming); and The She-Creature (1956; with Marla English). In the late 1950s, Universal dumped nearly all its contract players, leaving Fuller to contend with lesser scripts in films such as The Bride and the Beast (1958; written by Edward D. Wood Jr.) and Saint of Devil's Island (1961; with Eartha Kitt). He also dabbled in screenwriting in the late 1950s. |
the films of lance fullerThe Other Woman (1954)
With Cleo Moore in the campy 20th Century Fox noir The Other WomanPearl of the South Pacific (1955) 
From the RKO adventure Pearl of the South Pacific. LEFT: With David Farrar and Dennis Morgan. RIGHT: With Virginia MayoThis Island Earth (1955)
From Universal's science fiction adventure This Island Earth with Faith Domergue, Rex Reason, and Jeff MorrowGirls in Prison (1956)
Lance Fuller wrestles with Richard Denning in the American International crime drama Girls in PrisonKentucky Rifle (1956)
With Cathy Downs and Chill Wills in the low-budget western Kentucky RifleRunaway Daughters (1956) 
LEFT: With Gloria Castillo in the American International teen torment feature Runaway Daughters. RIGHT: With Adele JergensSecret of Treasure Mountain (1956)
With William Prince in the Columbia western Secret of Treasure MountainVoodoo Woman (1957)
With Marla English in the American International horror flick Voodoo WomanThe Bride and the Beast (1958) 
From the campy horror flick The Bride and the Beast. RIGHT: With Johnny Roth. LEFT: With Charlotte Austin and Johnny Roth. Edward D. Wood Jr. wrote the screenplay for this filmlater yearsLance Fuller's film career stalled in the late 1950s, as was the case for many actors once under contract to a major studio. He was successful in finding guest-starring roles on popular TV series, but he was unable to have his own series. As a result of his flagging career and increasing emotional instability, he quit the business in 1962. In 1968, Fuller made headlines when a police officer in Los Angeles caught him vandalizing cars with an iron pipe; he attacked the officer, who then shot Fuller in the chest and left him in critical condition. After recovering, he attempted a comeback and landed small roles in several feature films and a few TV programs in the 1970s, finally retiring at the end of the decade. He passed away in Los Angeles after a heart attack at age 73 on December 22, 2001. It is unknown if Fuller left any survivors. It appears that his only marriage was to Joi Lansing. |
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This page premiered June 25, 2010.
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