Don Megowan (May 24, 1922 – June 26, 1981) was an American actor. He played the

Gill-man The Gill-man, commonly called The Creature from The Black Lagoon, or simply The Creature, is the movie monster of the 1954 black-and-white film ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' and its two sequels '' Revenge of the Creature'' (1955) and '' Th ...

on land in ''

The Creature Walks Among Us ''The Creature Walks Among Us'' is a 1956 American monster horror film and the third installment of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' series from Universal Pictures, following the previous year's '' Revenge of the Creature''. The film is ...

'', the final part of the ''

Creature from the Black Lagoon ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' is a 1954 American black-and-white 3D monster horror film produced by William Alland and directed by Jack Arnold, from a screenplay by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross and a story by Maurice Zimm. It stars ...

trilogy A trilogy is a set of three distinct works that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games. Three-part works that are considered components of ...

Early life

Don Megowan was born in

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...

to Robert and Leila (née Dale) Megowan. His mother Leila worked as a negative cutter for

Pathé Pathé SAS (; styled as PATHÉ!) is a French major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas and television networks across Europe. It is the name of a network of Fren ...

. At 6'7" Megowan was very active in sports, playing baseball, football, and throwing discus. He went to the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

on a football scholarship before serving in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

.Don Megowan "Coolest Father in the World"
Interview with Vikki Megowan by Tom Weaver a
Classic Images.com

Career

Megowan starred in the

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

films '' The Werewolf'' in the role of Sheriff Jack Haines, in ''

The Creation of the Humanoids ''The Creation of the Humanoids'' is a 1962 American science fiction film release, directed by Wesley Barry and starring Don Megowan, Erica Elliot, Frances McCann, Don Doolittle, and Dudley Manlove. The film is not based on the plot of Jack Willi ...

'' (1962) as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the anti-robot Order of Flesh and Blood, who must stop the Humanoids, and in ''The Creature Walks Among Us'' as the

. Megowan also appeared in

Westerns The Western is a genre of fiction typically set in the American frontier (commonly referred to as the "Old West" or the "Wild West") between the California Gold Rush of 1849 and the closing of the frontier in 1890, and commonly associated wit ...

: ''

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier ''Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier'' is a 1955 American Western adventure drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is an edited and recut compilation of the first three episodes of the ''Davy Crockett'' television miniseries. ...

'' (1955), ''

The Great Locomotive Chase ''The Great Locomotive Chase'' is a 1956 American adventure western film produced by Walt Disney Productions, based on the Great Locomotive Chase that occurred in 1862 during the American Civil War. Filmed in CinemaScope and in color, the film ...

'' (1956), '' Snowfire'' (1958), '' Tarzan and the Valley of Gold'' (1966), '' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968), and

Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...

Blazing Saddles ''Blazing Saddles'' is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Be ...

'' (1974), in which he is credited as "Gum Chewer," but actually played the cowboy who walked up on stage to

Madeline Kahn Madeline Gail Kahn (''née'' Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She was known for her comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including '' What's Up, Doc ...

during her saloon number. In 1962, he starred with Cameron Mitchell in the

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

, '' The Beachcomber''. He guest starred in various programs, including the Westerns: ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

'' (twice), ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'' (twice), '' The Californians'', '' The Tall Man'', '' Maverick'', '' Cimarron City'', '' Have Gun–Will Travel'', ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series starring Dale Robertson in 201 episodes that aired from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until i ...

'', ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'', '' Lawman'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

'', '' Colt .45'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

The Americans ''The Americans'' is an American historical drama, period spy fiction, spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX (TV channel), FX. It aired for six seasons from 2013 to 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also served as showrunners ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', and ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

''. He was also cast in episodes of such series as ''

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

'', U.S. Marshal, ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

'', and ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...

''.

Death

Megowan, a smoker from age 12 to 48, died of throat cancer at age 59. His weight had dwindled from nearly 300 pounds to barely 150. He is interred in

Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California, was founded in 1905. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed there. History The proposed establishment of "the larges ...

.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Filmography

*1951: '' The Mob'' .... Bruiser - Big Longshoreman at Union Hall (uncredited) *1951: '' On the Loose'' .... Club Emerald Headwaiter (uncredited) *1951: '' The Kid from Amarillo'' .... Rakim *1953: '' Sangaree'' .... River Pirate (uncredited) *1954: ''

Prince Valiant ''Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur'', often simply called ''Prince Valiant'', is an American comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full s ...

'' ....

Sir Lancelot Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), alternatively written as Launcelot and other variants, is a popular character in the Arthurian legend's chivalric romance tradition. He is typically depicted as King Arthur's close companio ...

(uncredited) *1955: ''

'' .... William Travis *1955: ''

To Catch a Thief '' To Catch a Thief'' is a 1955 American romantic thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, from a screenplay by John Michael Hayes based on the 1952 To Catch a Thief (novel), novel of the same name by David Dodge (novelist), David Dodge. The ...

'' .... Detective at Costume Ball (uncredited) *1955: '' A Lawless Street'' .... Dooley Brion *1956: ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, revised considerably by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madc ...

'' .... Henri (uncredited) *1956: ''

'' ....

on land (uncredited) *1956: ''

'' .... Marion A. Ross *1956: '' The Werewolf'' .... Sheriff Jack Haines *1956: ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hoste ...

S4Ep12 "The End of the Week" .... Hank Curtis *1956: '' Gun the Man Down'' .... Ralph Farley *1957: '' The Delicate Delinquent'' .... Policeman (uncredited) *1957: '' Hell Canyon Outlaws'' .... Henchman Walt *1957: ''

The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...

'' .... Early Man *1958: '' Snowfire'' .... Mike McGowan *1958: '' The Man Who Died Twice'' .... T. J. Brennan *1958: '' A Lust to Kill'' .... Cheney Holland *1958: '' Money, Women and Guns'' .... John Briggs *1958: '' The Buccaneer'' .... Pirate with Axe (uncredited) *1958: ''

Tales of Frankenstein ''Tales of Frankenstein'' is an unsold TV pilot filmed in 1958. It was a co-production of Hammer Film Productions and Columbia Pictures. The film is a mixture of elements from both the Hammer and Universal Pictures versions of Frankenstein, based ...

'' (TV Short) .... The Monster *1958: ''

''.... Gregg Dewey in Episode "Dead to Rights" *1959: '' The Jayhawkers!'' .... China *1959: ''

'' .... John C. Regan in Episode "The Magnificent Adah" *1960: '' Road of the Giants / ''La strada dei giganti'' .... Clint Farrell *1961: ''

Guns of the Black Witch ''Guns of the Black Witch'' () is a 1961 adventure film directed by Domenico Paolella. Cast * Don Megowan: Jean * Silvana Pampanini: Delores * Emma Danieli: Elisa * Livio Lorenzon: Guzman * Germano Longo: Michel * Loris Gizzi: Governor ...

'' .... Jean *1961: ''

''.... Sheriff Tom Grant *1962: ''

'' .... Capt. Kenneth Cragis *1962: '' The Beachcomber'' (TV Series) .... Capt.Huckabee *1963: '' For Love or Money'' .... Gregor Garrison *1966: '' Tarzan and the Valley of Gold'' .... Mr. Train *1967: '' Border Lust'' *1968: '' The Devil's Brigade'' .... Luke Pehelan *1968: '' If He Hollers, Let Him Go!'' .... Officer *1974: '' Scream of the Wolf'' (TV Movie) .... Grant *1974: ''

'' .... Gum Chewer *1974: '' Melvin Purvis: G-Man'' (TV Movie) .... Hamburger Stand Man *1974: ''

Truck Turner ''Truck Turner'', also known as ''Black Bullet'', is a 1974 American blaxploitation film, starring Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Kotto, and directed by Jonathan Kaplan. The screenplay was written by Michael Allin, Leigh Chapman (under a pseudonym, J ...

'' .... Garrity *1975: '' The Kansas City Massacre'' (TV Movie) .... Boss Stringer *1977: '' The Great Gundown'' .... Baldy *1979: '' Mrs. R's Daughter'' (TV Movie) .... Larsen (final film role)

References

Sources

* ''The American Film Institute catalog of motion pictures ..., Numbers 1941–1950'' by American Film Institute * ''Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes: Interviews with Actors, Directors ...'' by Tom Weaver

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Megowan, Don 1922 births 1981 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Inglewood, California Male actors from Los Angeles Military personnel from California United States Army personnel of World War II University of Southern California alumni Western (genre) television actors Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery