biography
Born Francis Timothy McCown in Los Angeles in August 8, 1922, Rory Calhoun had a rough start in life. Calhoun's father died in 1923, and
in the late 1930s, Rory Calhoun dropped out of high school. Falling into a bad crowd, he stole a car in 1940 and was arrested. After
serving a three-year sentence, he cleaned up his act, taking menial jobs. He was spotted in 1944 by actress-turned agent Sue Carol (the
wife and agent of Alan Ladd), and soon he was under contract to 20th Century Fox. Billed as Frank McCown, he was
given small roles for his first two years as an actor, and even appeared uncredited in The Bullfighters (1945; with Stan Laurel and
Oliver Hardy), one of comedy team Laurel and Hardy's last films. 
Early Hollywood photosCalhoun changed his name in 1947 and began working more as an actor in supporting roles. He married actress Lita Baron in 1948; the couple had three children before divorcing in 1970. In the late 1940s, he acted in his first two western films: Sand (1949; with Coleen Gray), released by 20th Century-Fox; and Massacre River (1949; with Guy Madison), released by Allied Artists. This began a string of western roles for Calhoun, and soon he was getting offers for bigger films, such as How To Marry a Millionaire (1953; with Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, and Lauren Bacall). In 1956, Calhoun formed Rorvic, his own production company. Rorvic produced three films, for which Calhoun served as producer and actor: Apache Territory (1958; with Barbara Bates), The Domino Kid (1957; with Andrew Duggan. Calhoun also wrote the screenplay), and The Hired Gun (1957; with Anne Francis and Vince Edwards). |
the films of rory calhounMassacre River (1949)
Studio shot with Guy Madison before the filming of Massacre River beganHow To Marry a Millionaire (1953)
With Betty Grable in a promotional photo for the 20th Century Fox comedy How to Marry a MillionaireFour Guns to the Border (1954)
With Colleen Miller in the Universal-International western Four Guns to the BorderRiver of No Return (1954)
With Marilyn Monroe in the 20th Century Fox adventure River of No ReturnThe Looters (1955)  
Scenes from the Universal-International adventure The Looters. LEFT: Calhoun discovers a stash of $250,000. CENTER: Making time with Julie Adams. RIGHT: Calhoun gets tough with Emory ParnellAin't Misbehavin' (1955) 
LEFT: Rory Calhoun looks as if he's just seen co-star Mamie Van Doren in this studio shot from the Universal-International musical Ain't Misbehavin'. RIGHT: With Barbara BrittonThe Spoilers (1955)  
From the Universal-International western The Spoilers. LEFT: Calhoun as Alexander McNamara. CENTER: Flirting with Anne Baxter. RIGHT: Slugging it out with Jeff ChandlerThe Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955)
With Gilbert Roland in the RKO western The Treasure of Pancho VillaThe Big Caper (1957)
From the crime drama The Big Caper with Mary CostaThe Hired Gun (1957)
From the western The Hired Gun with Anne FrancisThe Texan (1958-1960 CBS TV Series) Desilu promotional photo from Calhoun's 1958-1960 western series The Texan, aired by CBSThunder in Carolina (1960)
Calhoun oogles sexy Connie Hines in a scene from the low-budget independent feature Thunder in Carolina. Hines is best known for her role as Carol Post on the 1961-1966 TV sitcom Mr. EdThe Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
Whoa! What's a cowboy doing in a torch and toga epic? Calhoun is Dario in Sergio Leone's first directorial assignment The Colossus of Rhodes. This film sported one of the biggest budgets of any sword and sandal film. Also pictured is Mimmo PalmaraThe Young and the Brave (1963)
With Richard Arlen, William Bendix, and Manuel Padilla Jr. in the MGM war drama The Young and the BraveYoung Fury (1965)
Lobby photo from the Paramount western Young FuryApache Uprising (1966)
With Corinne Calvet in the A.C. Lyles western Apache Uprisinglater yearsIn the early 1960s, with good roles in Hollywood drying up, Rory Calhoun went to Europe and made a string of films, including The Colossus of Rhodes, Marco Polo, and Operation Delilah. In the late 1960s, when the bottom fell out of the European film market, Calhoun headed back to the U.S. but initially found few roles. He began working regularly again in the mid 1970s, after his divorce from his second wife. He once again enjoyed an active career, taking many roles on TV and doing some film work. His last film was the 1992 release Pure Country. After struggling with diabetes and emphysema, Rory Calhoun passed away on April 28, 1999, at the age of 76. He was survived by four daughters. |
filmography
FILM
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This page premiered May 8, 2001.
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