Norman Eugene "Clint" Walker (May 30, 1927 – May 21, 2018) was an American actor. He played cowboy Cheyenne Bodie in the ABC/ Warner Bros.

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

series ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...

'' from 1955 to 1963.

Early life

Clint Walker was born Norman Eugene Walker in

Hartford, Illinois Hartford is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Missouri River. The population was 1,429 at the 2010 census. Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1803-1804 there, near what has ...

, on May 30, 1927; the son of Gladys Huldah (''née'' Schwanda) and Paul Arnold Walker.Walker's biography
from his official website His mother was Czech. He had a twin sister named Lucy. Walker left school to work at a factory and on a

riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...

, then joined the

United States Merchant Marine United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...

at the age of 17 in the last months of World War II. After leaving the Merchant Marine, he did odd jobs in

Brownwood, Texas Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,862 at th2020 census Brownwood is located in the Northern Texas Hill Country and is home to Howard Payne University that was founded in 1889. ...

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

, and

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...

, where he worked as a doorman at the

Sands Hotel The Sands Hotel and Casino was a historic American hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, United States, that operated from 1952 to 1996. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, with a prominent high sign, the Sands was the sevent ...

. Walker was also employed as a

sheet metal Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. Thicknesses can vary significantly; ex ...

worker and a

nightclub A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gen ...

bouncer.

Career

Early films

Walker became a client of Henry Willson, who renamed him "Jett Norman" and cast him to appear in a Bowery Boys film (''

Jungle Gents ''Jungle Gents'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 5, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-fifth film in the series and the film debut of Clint Walker i ...

'') as a

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

-type character. In Los Angeles, he was hired by Cecil B. DeMille to appear in ''

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...

''. A friend in the film industry helped get him a few bit parts that brought him to the attention of Warner Bros., which was developing a Western style television series.

''Cheyenne''

Walker's good looks and imposing physique (he stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall with a 48-inch chest and a 32-inch waist)Cowboy actor inspires local Western writer
, a December 2003 review transcribed from an '' Idaho State Journal'' article helped him land an audition where he won the lead role in the TV series ''

''. Billed as "Clint Walker", he was cast as Cheyenne Bodie, a roaming cowboy hero in the post-

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

era. His casting was announced in June 1955. ''Cheyenne'' originally appeared as part of ''

Warner Bros. Presents ''Warner Bros. Presents'' is the umbrella title for three series that were telecast as part of the 1955-56 season on ABC: ''Cheyenne'', a new Western series that originated on ''Presents'', and two based on classic Warner Bros motion picture prop ...

'' rotating with adaptations of ''

Kings Row ''Kings Row'' is a 1942 film starring Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Field that tells a story of young people growing up in a small American town at the turn of the twentieth century. The picture was directed by Sam Wood ...

'' and ''

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

''. ''Cheyenne'' turned out to be the breakout hit. While the series regularly capitalized on Walker's rugged frame with frequent bare-chested scenes, it was also well written and acted. It proved hugely popular for eight seasons. Walker's pleasant baritone singing voice was also occasionally utilized on the series and led Warner Brothers to produce an album of Walker doing traditional songs and ballads. Early in the series run, Warners announced they would star Walker in a feature, ''The Story of Sam Houston''. It was not made. In April 1956 Walker said "I don't think I'd want any other roles ... Westerns keep me outdoors and active." Warners cast Walker in the lead of a Western feature film, '' Fort Dobbs'' (1958), directed by Gordon Douglas. Howard Thompson described the actor as "the biggest, finest-looking Western hero ever to sag a horse, with a pair of shoulders rivaling King Kong's". Box office returns were modest. Warners tried him in another Douglas-directed Western, ''

Yellowstone Kelly ''Yellowstone Kelly'' is a 1959 American Western film based upon a novel by Heck Allen (using his pen name Clay Fisher, which shows in the film credits) with a screenplay by Burt Kennedy starring Clint Walker as Luther Sage "Yellowstone" Kelly ...

'' (1959), co-starring

Edd Byrnes Edward Byrne Breitenberger (July 30, 1932 – January 8, 2020), known professionally as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the television series '' 77 Sunset Strip.'' He also was featured in the 1978 film '' Gr ...

from another Warners TV show, ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...

''. It was a minor success. A number of ''Cheyenne'' episodes were cut into feature films and released theatrically in some markets, and a brief clip of Walker galloping on horseback as Bodie was featured in an

episode An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption. The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' (), meaning th ...

of ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bure ...

'' starring Jack Kelly. He also guest starred on an episode of ''

''. Warners tried Walker in a third Western feature directed by Douglas, ''

Gold of the Seven Saints ''Gold of the Seven Saints'' is a 1961 American Western film adaptation of a 1957 Steve Frazee novel titled ''Desert Guns''. Released by Warner Brothers, the 88-minute film starred Clint Walker, Roger Moore, Letícia Román, Robert Middleton, a ...

'' (1961), this time co-starring

Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 1 ...

, who was also under contract to Warners.

Post-''Cheyenne''

Lucille Ball Clint Walker The Lucy Show 1965

Walker had a role in '' Kraft Suspense Theatre'' (episode "Portrait of an Unknown Man", alongside

Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...

). He had a supporting role in the

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Gold ...

–

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

comedy, ''

Send Me No Flowers ''Send Me No Flowers'' is a 1964 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay by Julius Epstein, based on the play of the same name by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore, which had a brief run on Broadway in 1960. ...

'' (1964).

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

cast him in the leading role in the war drama '' None but the Brave'' (1965), the only film Sinatra directed. After doing some guest appearances in ''

The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to '' I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distin ...

'' he fought a grizzly bear in Paramount's Western, '' The Night of the Grizzly'' (1966). He starred in a family adventure movie shot in India, ''

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...

'' (1966). Walker had his biggest feature film hit to date when he played the meek convict Samson Posey in the war drama ''

The Dirty Dozen ''The Dirty Dozen'' is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Ralph M ...

'' (1967). Walker returned to Westerns with '' More Dead Than Alive'' (1969). The ''New York Times'' described the actor as "a big, fine-looking chap and about as live-looking as any man could be. And there is something winning about his taciturn earnestness as an actor, although real emotion seldom breaks through". Walker had support roles in two comic Westerns, ''

Sam Whiskey ''Sam Whiskey'' is a 1969 American Western comedy film directed in DeLuxe Color by Arnold Laven and starring Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, Clint Walker and Ossie Davis. "Way ahead of its time," said Reynolds of the film. "I was playing light ...

'' (1969) and '' The Great Bank Robbery'' (1969).

1970s

Walker was one of many names in '' The Phynx'' (1970) and returned to TV with the leads in some

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other dis ...

s that appeared as

made for television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

s on the ''

ABC Movie of the Week ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

'', '' Yuma'' (1971), '' Hardcase'' (1972), and ''

The Bounty Man ''The Bounty Man'' is a 1972 American made-for-television Western film directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and starring Clint Walker, Richard Basehart, John Ericson and Margot Kidder. Plot A bounty hunter and his old rival both chase after a killer. ...

'' (1972). In May 1971 he was seriously injured in a skiing accident on Mammoth Mountain when one of his ski poles went through his chest but he recovered. Walker supported Telly Savalas in the biopic ''

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (, Orozco rebelled in March 1912, both for Madero's continuing failure to enact land reform and because he felt insufficiently rewarded for his role in bringing the new president to power. At the request of Madero's c ...

'' (1972) and starred a short-lived series in 1974 called ''

Kodiak Kodiak may refer to: Places * Kodiak, Alaska, a city located on Kodiak island * Kodiak, Missouri, an unincorporated community *Kodiak Archipelago, in southern Alaska * Kodiak Island, the largest island of the Kodiak archipelago ** Kodiak Launch C ...

'', playing an Alaskan patrolman. He starred in the made-for-television

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage i ...

'' Killdozer!'' The same year as well as '' Scream of the Wolf'' (1974). Walker starred in ''

Baker's Hawk ''Baker's Hawk'' is a 1976 American Western film directed by Lyman D. Dayton and starring Clint Walker, Burl Ives, Diane Baker, Lee H. Montgomery and Alan Young. It is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Jack Bickham.Snowbeast ''Snowbeast'' is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film starring Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux, Robert Logan and Clint Walker, and follows the story of a bloodthirsty Bigfoot-like monster terrorizing a ski resort in the Colorado Rockies. It ...

'' (1977), and '' The White Buffalo'' (1977). He starred in the Canadian '' Deadly Harvest'' (1977) and had a small role in ''

Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

'' and ''Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women'' (1979).

Literary pursuits

Walker met western author Kirby Jonas through James Drury, a mutual friend. Jonas and Walker subsequently spent two years collaborating on a storyline by Walker involving gold and the

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are a Native American people of the southwest, who speak a Uto-Aztecan language. Their homelands include the Río Yaqui valley in Sonora, Mexico, and the area below the Gila River in Arizona, Southwestern United Sta ...

. The partnership led to the publication of the

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...

Western novel Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 20th century and ...

''Yaqui Gold'' (). Clint Walker Star on Texas Trail of Fame

Honors

Walker has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 1505 Vine Street, near its intersection with

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...

(approximate coordinates: ). In 2004, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Am ...

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

. He received the Golden Boot Award in 1997. In 2017 he was presented an inlaid bronze star medallion on the Texas Trail of Fame in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District.

Personal life and death

Walker had three marriages, each of which lasted approximately twenty years. Walker married Verna Garver in 1948. The marriage produced one daughter, Valerie (born 1950) before ending in divorce in 1968. Valerie became one of the first female

airline An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...

pilots. In 1974, Walker married Giselle Hennessy, who died in 1994. Walker then married Susan Cavallari in 1997. Eventually he took up residence in

Grass Valley, California Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, California, United States. Situated at roughly in elevation in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this northern Gold Country city is by car from Sacramento, from Sacramento ...

. Walker supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for president ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic United States President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater, the Republican nomi ...

. In May 1971, Walker narrowly escaped death in a

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

accident at Mammoth Mountain, California. While following the contours of the twisting, irregular terrain Walker began tumbling out of control before coming to an abrupt, violent stop in which he was pierced through the heart with a

ski pole Ski poles, also referred to as poles (in North America), sticks (UK), or stocks (Australia), are used by skiers for balance and propulsion. Modern ski poles are most commonly made from aluminum and carbon fiber, though materials such as bamboo ar ...

. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. However, a doctor detected faint signs of life and rushed Walker to surgery, where his damaged heart was repaired. Within two months, Walker was working again.St. Petersburg ''Times'', May 26, 1971, pg. 17 Walker has said about the accident that he had a

near-death experience A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death which researchers claim share similar characteristics. When positive, such experiences may encompass a variety of sensations including detac ...

. Walker died of

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

in Grass Valley, California, on May 21, 2018, nine days before his 91st birthday.

Filmography

*1954: ''

'' as

Type (uncredited) *1955–1963: ''

'' (TV series) as Cheyenne Bodie / Ace Black / Jim Thornton Merritt *1956: ''

'' as Sardinian Captain *1957: ''The Travellers'' as Cheyenne Bodie *1958: '' Fort Dobbs'' as Gar Davis *1959: ''

'' as Luther 'Yellowstone' Kelly *1960: ''Requiem to Massacre'' as Cheyenne Bodie *1961: ''

'' as Jim Rainbolt *1963: ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

'' *1964: ''

'' as Bert Power *1965: '' None but the Brave'' as Capt. Dennis Bourke *1965–1966: ''

'' (TV Series, 2 episodes) as Frank / Frank Wilson *1966: '' The Night of the Grizzly'' as Jim Cole *1966: ''

'' as Hugh Bowen *1967: ''

'' as Samson Posey *1969: '' More Dead Than Alive'' as Cain *1969: ''

'' as O. W. Bandy *1969: '' The Great Bank Robbery'' as Ranger Ben Quick *1970: '' The Phynx'' as Cheyenne *1971: '' Yuma'' (TV Movie) as Marshal Dave Harmon *1972: '' Hardcase'' (TV Movie) as Jack Rutherford *1972: ''

'' (TV Movie) as Kinkaid *1972: ''

'' as Scotty *1974: ''

'' (13 episodes) as Cal "Kodiak" McKay *1974: '' Scream of the Wolf'' (TV Movie) as Byron Douglas *1974: '' Killdozer!'' (TV Movie) as Lloyd Kelly *1976: ''

Snowbeast ''Snowbeast'' is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film starring Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux, Robert Logan and Clint Walker, and follows the story of a bloodthirsty Bigfoot-like monster terrorizing a ski resort in the Colorado Rockies. It ...

'' (TV Movie) as Sheriff Paraday *1977: '' Deadly Harvest'' as Grant Franklin *1978: ''

'' (TV Mini-Series) as Joe Bean *1979: ''Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women'' (TV Movie) as Wendell *1983: '' Hysterical'' as Sheriff *1983: ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

'' (Episode: "Friend of the Family/Affair on Demand/Just Another Pretty Face") as Bill *1985: '' The Serpent Warriors'' as Morgan Bates *1985: ''All American Cowboy'' (TV Movie) *1991: '' The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' (TV Movie) as Cheyenne Bodie *1993: ''

Tropical Heat ''Tropical Heat'' (known as ''Sweating Bullets'' in the United States) is a Canadian action series produced in co-operation with Mexico and Israel that aired between April 8, 1991 to October 18, 1993. The series ran for three seasons totaling ...

'' (TV) — episode "The Last of the Magnificent" *1994: ''

'' as Sheriff (cameo appearance) (Scene deleted) *1995: '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' (TV) as Cheyenne Bodie, episode "Gunfighters" *1998: '' Small Soldiers'' as Nick Nitro (Voice) (final film role)

References

External links

* *
"Clint Walker: Top Gun of Warner's TV" by Herb Fagen (1999 interview)
@ ''Classic Images'' magazine, issue # 212, p. 12
"Belleville had its share of fame: Nice guy Clint Walker became Hollywood hunk"
by Jaime Ingle — ''News-Democrat'' (Wednesday, June 18, 2008)

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Clint 1927 births 2018 deaths 20th-century American male actors American country singer-songwriters American male film actors American male television actors American people of Czech descent American sailors California Republicans Country musicians from California Country musicians from Illinois Country musicians from Texas Illinois Republicans Male actors from Illinois Male actors from Las Vegas Male Western (genre) film actors Military personnel from Illinois People from Brownwood, Texas People from Grass Valley, California People from Long Beach, California People from Los Angeles People from Madison County, Illinois Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Illinois Singer-songwriters from Texas American twins Warner Bros. contract players Western (genre) television actors United States Merchant Mariners United States Merchant Mariners of World War II