Dean Jagger (November 7, 1903 – February 5, 1991) was an American film, stage, and television actor who won the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...

for his role in Henry King's '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949).

Early life

Dean Jeffries Jagger (or Dean Ida Jagger) was born in Columbus Grove or

Lima, Ohio Lima ( ) is a city in Allen County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 35,579. It is located in northwest Ohio along Interstate 75 in Ohio, Interstate 75, appr ...

. Growing up on a farm, he wanted to act, and practiced oratory on cows while working. He later won several oratory competitions. At age 14, he worked as an orderly at a sanatorium.Dean Jagger Got Start Denouncing 'Demon Rum' Hopper, Hedda. ''Los Angeles Times'', February 26, 1950: D1. He dropped out of school several times before finally attending

Wabash College Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832, by a group of Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, the institution was originally named "The Wabash Teachers Seminary an ...

. While there he was a member of

Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly referred to as Lambda Chi, is a fraternities and sororities, collegiate fraternity in North America. With over 300,000 initiates as of 2024, it is the third-largest social fraternity in the world by number of initia ...

fraternity and played football. He dropped out in his second year, realizing he was not suited to an academic life. At age 17, he taught all eight grades in a rural elementary school, before heading to Chicago. He studied at the Conservatory of Drama with Elias Day, and through him got a job on the Chautauqua circuit.

Career

Early stage appearances

Jagger studied acting at Chicago's Lyceum Arts Conservatory. He eventually played Young Matt in a production of ''Shepherd of the Hills'' on stage in Chicago. This experience resulted in him deciding to try his luck in New York City. He joined a stock company as

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...

's replacement. He performed in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

, on the radio and on stage, making his Broadway debut in 1925 in a bit part in a George M. Cohan production. He was in a play ''Remote Control'' in 1928.Lee Tracy Awarded Long-Term Contract by Paramount Schallert, Edwin. ''Los Angeles Times'', April 26, 1934: 15

Early films

Jagger visited Los Angeles on a vaudeville show with Irene Rich. While there, he made his film debut in '' The Woman from Hell'' (1929) with

Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...

. "My good notices," he later recalled, "had a reverse effect on the industry, which was suddenly revolutionized by sound pictures. With the one film to my credit, I was considered part of that group of untouchables – silent film stars." He followed it with ''Handcuffed'' (1929). Jagger decided to move into film production, helping raise money to make a feature that ultimately never was released. He returned to New York City.

''Tobacco Road''

Jagger's big career break came when cast in a lead role in the play '' Tobacco Road'' in 1933. The play was a huge hit and ran until 1941, though Jagger left the show in 1934 to appear in ''They Shall Not Die'', which only ran 62 performances.

Hollywood

In April 1934, Jagger signed a contract with Paramount, for which he made '' You Belong to Me'' (1934) with Lee Tracy, then '' College Rhythm'' (1934) with Jack Oakie, '' Behold My Wife!'' (1934) with

Sylvia Sidney Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Kosow; August 8, 1910 – July 1, 1999) was an American stage, screen, and film actress whose career spanned 70 years. She rose to prominence in dozens of leading roles in the 1930s. She was nominated for the Academy ...

, '' Wings in the Dark'' (1935) with

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. As a performer, she was known for her ability to adapt to her screen partner's acting style. Born in Helena, Monta ...

and

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

, '' Home on the Range'' (1935) with

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Coogan's role in Charlie Chaplin's film ''The Kid (1921 film), The Kid'' (1921) made him one o ...

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor, whose Hollywood career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in dramas, come ...

and

Evelyn Brent Evelyn Brent (born Mary Elizabeth Riggs; October 20, 1895 – June 4, 1975) was an American film and stage actress. Early life Brent was born in Tampa, Florida and known as "Betty." When she was 10 years old, her mother Eleanor ( Warner) die ...

, '' Car 99'' (1935) with

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

and Ann Sheridan, '' People Will Talk'' (1935) with Charlie Ruggles, and '' Men Without Names'' (1935) with Fred MacMurray. Paramount gave him a lead role in the B Western '' Wanderer of the Wasteland'' (1935). He was back in supporting parts in ''It's a Great Life'' (1935), '' Woman Trap'' (1936), and ''

13 Hours by Air ''13 Hours by Air'' (also known as ''20 Hours by Air'') is a 1936 American drama film made by Paramount Pictures and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The film stars Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Kenyon Nicholson and B ...

'' (1936). Victor Halperin borrowed him to play the lead role in '' Revolt of the Zombies'' (1936). He went to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

for '' Pepper'' (1936) and '' Star for a Night'' (1936), then to MGM for '' Under Cover of Night'' (1937). Dean Jagger in Dangerous Number trailer

Jagger did '' Woman in Distress'' (1937) at Columbia, and '' Dangerous Number'' (1937) and '' Song of the City'' (1937) at MGM. Jagger appeared in

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

' '' Escape by Night'' (1937) and '' Exiled to Shanghai'' (1937). Jagger played ''Michael Drops In'' in summer stock and returned to Broadway to star in ''Missouri Legend'' (1938), which ran 48 performances. He was also in short runs for ''Everywhere I Roam'' (1938–39), ''Brown Danube'' (1939), ''Farm of Three Echoes'' (1939–40) with

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

, and ''Unconquered'' (1940) by

Ayn Rand Alice O'Connor (born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum; , 1905March 6, 1982), better known by her pen name Ayn Rand (), was a Russian-born American writer and philosopher. She is known for her fiction and for developing a philosophical system which s ...

''Brigham Young''

Jagger made his breakthrough with his portrayal of

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

leader

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

in ''

'' (1940) at 20th Century Fox, alongside

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

for director

Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Western (genre), Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven f ...

. He was cast on the basis of his performance in ''Missouri Legend''.''Church News'', July 7, 2003. According to George D. Pyper, a technical consultant on the film who had personally known Brigham Young, Jagger not only resembled Young, but he also spoke like him and had many of his mannerisms. Thirty-two years later, in 1972 he was baptized a member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

. Fox signed him to a long-term contract and put him in ''

Western Union The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Denver, Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the co ...

'' (1941) for

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), better known as Fritz Lang (), was an Austrian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety Obituari ...

. He was announced for the Biblical film ''The Great Commandment'' and a biopic of

Lewis and Clark Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohe ...

with

, but neither was made. Instead, Jagger appeared in '' The Men in Her Life'' (1941) for Columbia, '' Valley of the Sun'' (1942) at RKO, and '' The Omaha Trail'' (1942) at MGM.

King Brothers

Jagger had a rare lead role in ''

I Escaped from the Gestapo ''I Escaped from the Gestapo'' is a 1943 film from King Brothers Productions, directed by Harold Young (director), Harold Young about a forger forced to work for Nazi spies. It stars Dean Jagger, Mary Brian and John Carradine. The film was also ...

'' (1943) for the King Brothers, then went back to supporting roles for '' The North Star'' (1943) for Sam Goldwyn. The King Brothers gave him top billing again with '' When Strangers Marry'' (1944). Jagger acted in ''

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

'' (1944) at Monogram, which was distributed to King films. Jagger went to England to appear in '' I Live in Grosvenor Square'' (1945) with

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in British cinema for 2 ...

and

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French W ...

. He had good roles in ''Sister Kenny'' (1946) with

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, model, comedian, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in ...

and '' Pursued'' (1947) with

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He is known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances. He received nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Holl ...

. He did ''

Driftwood Driftwood is a wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves. It is part of beach wrack. In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides ...

'' (1947) for Republic and started appearing on TV shows such as '' The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse'', '' Studio One'', and '' The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre''. Jagger returned to Broadway for ''Dr. Social'' (1948), but it had a short run. He had the lead role in '' 'C'-Man'' (1949).

''Twelve O'Clock High'' and 1950s

Jagger received an

for his role in '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949), made at Fox and directed by Henry King. In the film, he played the World War II veteran, middle-aged adjutant Major/Lt. Col. Harvey Stovall, who acts as an advisor to the commander, General Savage (

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...

). Jagger stayed a supporting actor, though, appearing in '' Sierra'' (1950) with

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, and has been described as the most highly decorated enli ...

at Universal, '' Dark City'' (1950) for Hal Wallis, ''

Rawhide Rawhide may refer to: *Rawhide (material), a hide or animal skin that has not been tanned * Whip made from rawhide Entertainment * ''Rawhide'' (1926 film), a Western directed by Richard Thorpe * ''Rawhide'' (1938 film), a Western starring baseball ...

'' (1951) with Hathaway and Power at Fox, and '' Warpath'' (1951) at Paramount with Edmond O'Brien and directed by

Byron Haskin Byron Conrad Haskin (April 22, 1899 – April 16, 1984) was an American film and television director, special effects creator and cinematographer. He is best known for directing '' The War of the Worlds'' (1953), one of many films where he ...

. Jagger had a lead role in the strongly anti-communist film '' My Son John'' (1952) at Paramount. He was in '' Denver and Rio Grande'' (1952), again with Haskin and O'Brien, and episodes of '' Gulf Playhouse'', ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vi ...

'', ''

Cavalcade of America ''Cavalcade of America'' is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company, although it occasionally presented musicals, such as an adaptation of ''Show Boat'', and condensed biographies of popular Composer, composers. It was ...

'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', and '' Studio 57''. He appeared in the biblical epic '' The Robe'' (1953) as the weaver Justus of Cana, and was in '' Private Hell 36'' (1954). He played retired Army Major General Tom Waverly honored by Bob Wallace (

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

) and Phil Davis (

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; ; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. Kaye starred ...

) in the musical '' White Christmas'' (1954), and an impotent local sheriff in the modern Western '' Bad Day at Black Rock'' (1955), starring

for MGM. He was also in ''

The Eternal Sea ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American biographical war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. The film follows the career of Captain John Hoskins, who lose ...

'' (1955) at Republic, '' It's a Dog's Life'' (1955) at MGM, ''

On the Threshold of Space ''On the Threshold of Space'' (aka ''Threshold of Space'') is a 1956 drama directed by Robert D. Webb, starring Guy Madison, Virginia Leith and John Hodiak. It was Hodiak's final film; he died six months before it was released. ''On the Thresho ...

'' (1956) at Fox, and '' Red Sundown'' (1956) at Universal. For the 1956 British science-fiction film ''

X the Unknown ''X the Unknown'' is a 1956 British science fiction horror film directed by Leslie Norman and starring Dean Jagger, Leo McKern and Edward Chapman. It was made by the Hammer Film Productions company and written by Jimmy Sangster, at the sug ...

'', Jagger refused to work with director

Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey III (; January 14, 1909 – June 22, 1984) was an American film and theatre director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Wisconsin, he studied in Germany with Bertolt Brecht and then returned to the United States. Hollywood ...

because Losey was on the

Hollywood blacklist The Hollywood blacklist was the mid-20th century banning of suspected Communists from working in the United States entertainment industry. The blacklisting, blacklist began at the onset of the Cold War and Red Scare#Second Red Scare (1947–1957 ...

. Losey came off the project after a few days of shooting and was replaced by Leslie Norman. An alternative version is that Losey was replaced due to illness. Half the budget, $30,000, went to Jagger's fee.Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes, ''The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films'', Titan Books, 2007. p. 18 Jagger was in ''

The 20th Century Fox Hour ''The 20th Century Fox Hour'' is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title ...

'', ''

Three Brave Men ''Three Brave Men'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Ray Milland, Ernest Borgnine and Frank Lovejoy. The film was based on real-life events arising in Greenbelt, Maryland,Knepper, Cathy D. ''Greenbelt, Maryla ...

'' (1956), ''

The Great Man ''The Great Man'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by and starring José Ferrer. The screenplay was written by Ferrer and Al Morgan from Morgan's novel of the same name. It was loosely based on the controversial career of Arthur Godfrey, ...

'' (1956) (second-billed to

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic and Latino Americans, Hi ...

), '' Zane Grey Theatre'', "Bernadine" (1957) with

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, television personality, radio host and philanthropist. He sold nearly 50 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and has acted in many films. Boone ...

, an episode of ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...

'', '' Forty Guns'' (1957) for

Sam Fuller Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American film director, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and actor. He was known for directing low-budget genre movies with controversial themes, often made outside t ...

, and '' The Proud Rebel'' (1958) with

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in ...

and directed by

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz (; born Manó Kaminer; from 1905 Mihály Kertész; ; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silen ...

. Jagger also portrayed the father of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

's character in 1958's ''

King Creole ''King Creole'' is a 1958 American Musical film, musical drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and based on the 1952 novel ''A Stone for Danny Fisher'' by Harold Robbins. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, the film stars Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, W ...

'', directed by Curtiz. Jagger was in ''

The Nun's Story ''The Nun's Story'' is a 1956 novel by Kathryn Hulme. It was a Book of the Month selection and reached No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list, ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Premise The lead character of the book, Sister Luk ...

'' (1959), playing the father of

Audrey Hepburn Audrey Kathleen Hepburn ( Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress. Recognised as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Holly ...

's character, and '' Cash McCall'' (1960), and played the traveling manager for an evangelist played by

Jean Simmons Jean Merilyn Simmons (31 January 1929 – 22 January 2010) was a British actress and singer. One of J. Arthur Rank's "well-spoken young starlets", she appeared predominantly in films, beginning with those made in Britain during and after the ...

in the acclaimed 1960 drama '' Elmer Gantry''. He was in two failed pilots, including ''The House on K Street''. In the 1960s, Jagger increasingly worked on television appearing in ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...

'' (" Static"), ''

NBC Sunday Showcase ''NBC Sunday Showcase'' was a series of hour-long specials telecast in color on NBC during the 1959–60 season. The flexible anthology format varied weekly from comedies and science fiction to musicals and historical dramas. The recent introdu ...

'', '' Our American Heritage'', ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', '' Dr. Kildare'', '' The Christophers'', ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'', and ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...

''. He also appeared in the films '' Parrish'' (1961), '' The Honeymoon Machine'' (1961) and '' Billy Rose's Jumbo'' (1962).

''Mr. Novak''

Jagger achieved success with the television series ''

Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television drama (film and television), drama television series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award ...

'' (1963–1965), receiving

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

nominations for his role in 1964 and 1965, as well as the California Teachers Association's Communications Award, along with star

James Franciscus James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in six television series: ''Mr. Novak'', ''Naked City (TV series), Naked City'', ''The Investigators (1961 TV series), T ...

, in 1963 for his portrayal of high-school principal Albert Vane. Before he left the show to have a major medical operation, though, he was less than happy with the series, clashing repeatedly with the writers and directors and describing "the Mr. Novak company" afterwards as "a mishmash of unbelievable amateurishness." "It is unforgivable how bad TV is today," he said in 1965. "The people doing it have succumbed to the cliché that there is no time to be good in TV, or that we doing it are lucky to get one good episode out of three. Why?"Oscar-Winning Character Actor Dean Jagger Dies: ome EditionOliver, Myrna. ''Los Angeles Times'', February 6, 1991: 1. Jagger officially left the show in December 1964 because of an ulcer. Jagger's appearances in the 1960s included episodes of '' The F.B.I.'' and '' The Fugitive'', as well as films '' First to Fight'' (1967), ''

Firecreek ''Firecreek'' is a 1968 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Vincent McEveety and starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda, the latter in his first of two roles that year as a villain (the second being Sergio Leone's ''Once Upon a ...

'' (1968), '' Day of the Evil Gun'' (1968), '' Smith!'' (1968) with

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006), known as Glenn Ford, was a Canadian-born American actor. He was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-office draws of th ...

, '' The Lonely Profession'' (1969), '' Tiger by the Tail'' (1970), '' The Kremlin Letter'' (1970), ''Men at Law'', '' The Brotherhood of the Bell'' (1970), again with Ford, and an episode of '' The Name of the Game''. He had a semiregular role on the series '' Matt Lincoln'' (1970) as the father of the title character, and parts in ''

Vanishing Point A vanishing point is a point (geometry), point on the projection plane, image plane of a graphical perspective, perspective rendering where the two-dimensional perspective projections of parallel (geometry), parallel lines in three-dimensional ...

'' (1971), ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'', and ''Incident in San Francisco'' (1971). In 1971, Jagger appeared on ''

''. He played a prospector named Charlie in the Christmas episode "Don't Bring Your Guns to Town, Santa".

Later career

Jagger was in '' The Glass House'' (1972), ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

'', ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

'' (Jagger appeared as Caine's grandfather, who wants little to do with him, but starts Caine on his series-long search for his half-brother Danny), ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western television series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel (and, after Duel's death, Roger Davis) as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy ...

'', '' Medical Center'', '' The Stranger'' (1973), '' The Delphi Bureau'', The Lie (1973), '' Shaft'', '' I Heard the Owl Call My Name'' (1973), '' Love Story'', '' The Hanged Man'' (1974), The Great Lester Boggs (1974), '' So Sad About Gloria'' (1975), '' The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case'' (1976), ''

Harry O ''Harry O'', sometimes spelled ''Harry-O'', is an American private detective series that aired for two seasons on ABC from 1974 to 1976. The series starred David Janssen, and Jerry Thorpe was executive producer. ''Harry O'' followed the broad ...

'', ''

Hunter Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...

'', '' End of the World'' (1977), and '' Evil Town'' (1977). He played the syndicate boss in ''

Game of Death ''Game of Death'' () is an incomplete Hong Kong martial arts film, of which portions were filmed between September and October 1972, and was planned and scheduled to be released by 1973, directed, written, produced by and starring Bruce Lee. Th ...

'' (1978) as the nemesis of

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...

. Jagger's later appearances included ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...

'', '' Gideon's Trumpet'' (1980) and ''

Alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

'' (1980). He won a

Daytime Emmy award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NA ...

for a guest appearance in the religious series '' This Is the Life''. His last role was as Dr. David Domedion in the ''

St. Elsewhere ''St. Elsewhere'' is an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels as ...

'' season-three finale "Cheers" in 1985. Dean Jagger has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

at 1523 Vine Street for his contribution to motion pictures.

Personal life and death

When Jagger tried to marry his second wife, Gloria Ling, in 1947, they were denied a marriage license in California due to a state law "forbidding unions between Caucasians and Mongolians ic; Ling's father had been born in China. Within two days, the couple had flown to

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

, and were married under "New Mexico's more liberal statute." In later life, Jagger suffered from heart disease. He died in his sleep in Santa Monica, California. He was 87. He was survived by his third wife, Etta, a daughter and two stepsons. Jagger joined

later in his life.

Complete filmography

* '' The Woman from Hell'' (1929) as Jim Coakley * '' Handcuffed'' (1929) as Gerald Morely * ''

Whoopee! ''Whoopee!'' is a 1928 musical comedy play with a book based on Owen Davis's play, ''The Nervous Wreck.'' The musical libretto was written by William Anthony McGuire, with music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Gus Kahn. The musical premiered o ...

'' (1930) as Deputy (uncredited) * '' You Belong to Me'' (1934) as Military School Instructor * '' College Rhythm'' (1934) as Coach Robbins * '' Behold My Wife!'' (1934) as Pete * '' Home on the Range'' (1935) as Thurman * '' Wings in the Dark'' (1935) as Top Harmon * '' Car 99'' (1935) as Trooper Jim Burton * '' People Will Talk'' (1935) as Bill Trask * '' Men Without Names'' (1935) as Jones * '' Wanderer of the Wasteland'' (1935) as Adam Larey * ''It's a Great Life'' (1935) as Arnold * '' Woman Trap'' (1936) as 'Honey' Hogan * '' Thirteen Hours by Air'' (1936) as Hap Waller * '' Revolt of the Zombies'' (1936) as Armand Louque * '' Pepper'' (1936) as Bob O'Ryan * '' Star for a Night'' (1936) as Fritz Lind * '' Under Cover of Night'' (1937) as Alan Shaw * '' Woman in Distress'' (1937) as Fred Stevens * '' Dangerous Number'' (1937) as Vance Dillman * '' Song of the City'' (1937) as Paul Herrick * '' Escape by Night'' (1937) as James 'Capper' Regan * '' Exiled to Shanghai'' (1937) as Charlie Sears * '' Having Wonderful Time'' (1938) as Charlie - Emma's Husband (uncredited) * ''

'' (1940) as Brigham Young * ''

'' (1941) as Edward Creighton * '' The Men in Her Life'' (1941) as David Gibson * '' Valley of the Sun'' (1942) as Jim Sawyer * '' The Omaha Trail'' (1942) as 'Pipestone' Ross * ''

'' (1943) as Torgut Lane * '' The North Star'' (1943) as Rodion Pavlov * '' When Strangers Marry'' (1944) as Paul Baxter * ''

'' (1944) as U.S. Marshal John Masters * '' I Live in Grosvenor Square'' (1945) (US title: ''A Yank in London'') as Sergeant John Patterson * '' Sister Kenny'' (1946) as Kevin Connors * '' Pursued'' (1947) as Grant Callum * ''

'' (1947) as Dr. Steve Webster * '' C-Man'' (1949) as Cliff Holden - alias William Harrah * '' Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949) as Major Stovall * '' Sierra'' (1950) as Jeff Hassard * '' Dark City'' (1950) as Captain Garvey * ''

'' (1951) as Yancy * '' Warpath'' (1951) as Sam Quade * '' My Son John'' (1952) as Dan Jefferson * '' Denver and Rio Grande'' (1952) as General William J. Palmer * '' It Grows on Trees'' (1952) as Phil Baxter * '' The Robe'' (1953) as Justus * '' Executive Suite'' (1954) as Jesse Q. Grimm * '' Private Hell 36'' (1954) as Captain Michaels * '' White Christmas'' (1954) as Major General Thomas F. Waverly * '' Bad Day at Black Rock'' (1955) as Tim Horn * ''

'' (1955) as Vice-Admiral Thomas L. Semple * '' It's a Dog's Life'' (1955) as Mr. Wyndham * '' Red Sundown'' (1956) as Sheriff Jade Murphy * ''

'' (1956) as Dr. Hugo Thornton * ''

'' (1956) as Dr. Adam Royston * ''

'' (1956) as John W. Rogers - Secretary of the Navy * ''

'' (1956) as Philip Carleton * '' Bernardine'' (1957) as J. Fullerton Weldy * '' Forty Guns'' (1957) as Sheriff Ned Logan * '' The Proud Rebel'' (1958) as Harry Burleigh * ''

'' (1958) as Mr. Fisher * ''

'' (1959) as Dr. Van Der Mal * ''The House on K-Street'' (1959 TV movie) as Dr. Morgan Jarrett * '' Cash McCall'' (1960) as Grant Austen * '' Elmer Gantry'' (1960) as William L. Morgan * ''Jarrett of K Street'' (1960 TV movie) as Dr. Morgan Jarrett * '' Static (The Twilight Zone)'' (1961) as Ed Lindsay * '' Parrish'' (1961) as Sala Post * '' The Honeymoon Machine'' (1961) as Admiral Fitch * '' Billy Rose's Jumbo'' (1962) as John Noble * ''

'' (1963) (Season 1 Episode 24: "The Star Juror") as George Davies * '' The Fugitive'' "Right In The Middle Of The Season" (1966) as Tony Donovan * '' First to Fight'' (1967) as Lieutenant Colonel E.J. Baseman * ''

'' (1968) as Whittier * '' Day of the Evil Gun'' (1968) as Jimmy Noble * '' Smith!'' (1969) as Judge James C. Brown * '' The Lonely Profession'' (1969 TV movie) as Charles Van Cleve * '' Tiger by the Tail'' (1970) as Top Polk * '' The Kremlin Letter'' (1970) as Highwayman * '' The Brotherhood of the Bell'' (1970 TV movie) as Chad Harmon * ''

'' (1971) as Prospector * '' Incident in San Francisco'' (1971 TV movie) as Sam Baldwin * '' The Glass House'' (1972 TV movie) as Warden Auerbach * '' The Stranger'' (1973 TV movie) as Carl Webster * ''The Lie'' (1973 TV movie) as Arnold Edgarton * '' So Sad About Gloria'' (1973) as Frederick Wellman * '' I Heard the Owl Call My Name'' (1973 TV movie) as Bishop * '' The Hanged Man'' (1974 TV movie) as Josiah Lowe * ''The Great Lester Boggs'' (1974) as Grandfather Vandiver * '' The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case'' (1976 TV movie) as Koehler * '' Evil Town'' (1977) as Doctor Schaeffer * '' End of the World'' (1977) as Ray Collins * ''

'' (1978) as Dr. Land * '' Gideon's Trumpet'' (1980 TV movie) as Sixth Supreme Court Justice * ''

'' (1980) as Slade

References

External links

* * *
Dean Jagger papers, MSS 60
a
L. Tom Perry Special Collections

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jagger, Dean 1903 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners Converts to Mormonism Daytime Emmy Award winners Christians from Ohio Latter Day Saints from California Male actors from Ohio People from Columbus Grove, Ohio Wabash College alumni People from Lima, Ohio Male Western (genre) film actors Paramount Pictures contract players