Joel Dee "Jody" McCrea (September 6, 1934 – April 4, 2009) was an American actor. He was the son of actors

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

and

Frances Dee Frances Marion Dee (November 26, 1909 – March 6, 2004) was an American actress. Her first film was the musical ''Playboy of Paris'' (1930). She starred in the film ''An American Tragedy (film), An American Tragedy'' (1931). She is also known ...

Career

McCrea had small roles in his father's film, '' Wichita'' (1955). He was also in '' Lucy Gallant'' (1955). While still at UCLA he had the lead role in ''Johnny Moccasin'' (1956), a half hour film made for television by Laslo Benedek as a white boy raised by Indians after a massacre. McCrea followed this with a good supporting role in a feature starring his father, '' The First Texan'' (1956). McCrea studied under Sanford Meisner for two years in New York City. He appeared on television in '' Chevron Hall of Stars'' ("Flowers for Charlie McDaniels"), ''

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', is a half-hour television sitcom broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in entertainm ...

'' ("Return to California", "George's Gray Suit", "Fighting for Happiness"), '' Conflict'' ("No Man's Road" with

Gig Young Gig Young (born Byron Elsworth Barr; November 4, 1913 – October 19, 1978) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come Fill the Cup'' ...

and

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...

), ''

Studio One in Hollywood ''Studio One'' is an American anthology drama television series that was adapted from a radio series. It was created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. It premiered on November 7, 1948, and ended on Sept ...

'' ("Babe in the Woods" – ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' said that "his playing was not too resourceful"), ''

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon ''Challenge of the Yukon'' is an American radio adventure series that began on Detroit, Michigan, Detroit's WXYT (AM), WXYZ and is an example of a Northern (genre), Northern genre story. The series was first heard on January 3, 1939. The title ...

'' ("The Criminal Collie"), and '' Kraft Theatre'' ("The Last of the Belles"). He had a supporting role in '' Naked Gun'' (1956), and '' The Monster That Challenged the World'' (1957). He made '' Trooper Hook'' (1957) and '' Gunsight Ridge'' (1957) with his father and was one of several young names in ''

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille () was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)#World War I (1914–1918), ''Aéronautique Mil ...

'' (1958) and '' The Restless Years'' (1958). He later briefly hosted '' Country Style, USA'' (1957–59), an Army-produced recruiting television program filmed in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, featuring various

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

entertainers.

''Wichita Town''

In 1959, McCrea costarred with his father in the short-lived

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

western '' Wichita Town'', set in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...

. Joel McCrea appeared as

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

Mike Dunbar. Jody McCrea did not portray the role of Joel's son on the program but as the deputy marshal, Ben Matheson.

1960s roles

McCrea had a small role in '' All Hands on Deck'' (1961) and could be seen in the episode, "The Wrestler" on the ABC

situation comedy A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

, '' Guestward Ho!'', starring Joanne Dru. He toured the country with ''The Tiger'' a production from Moral Rearmament. He did ''The Moon is Blue'' and ''Look Homeward Angel'' in stock. McCrea was cast as

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

(later

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

) John J. Pershing in the 1962 episode, "To Walk with Greatness", on the syndicated television

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

, ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

''. In the early 1960s, McCrea guest starred on the CBS game program, '' I've Got a Secret'' with Garry Moore. His appearance was part of a group of entertainers related to famous Hollywood personalities. McCrea had support parts in '' Force of Impulse'' (1961) and '' The Broken Land'' (1962). McCrea made '' Young Guns of Texas'' (1962) with James Mitchum,

look-alike A look-alike, or double, is a person who bears a strong physical resemblance to another person, excluding cases like twins and other instances of Family resemblance (anthropology), family resemblance. Some look-alikes have been notable individua ...

son of

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 ...

, and Alana Ladd, daughter of

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 ...

. James Mitchum, Alana Ladd and Jody McCrea are billed above the title in that order. The film's supporting cast features

Chill Wills Theodore Childress "Chill" Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American actor and a singer in the Avalon Boys quartet. Early life Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas, on July 18, 1902. Career Wills was a performer from early c ...

and Robert Lowery.

Beach Party films

McCrea had a supporting role in '' Operation Bikini'' (1963) at

American International Pictures American International Pictures, LLC (AIP or American International Productions) is an American film production company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution c ...

starring

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond hair and clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. During the 1950s and 1960s ...

and

Frankie Avalon Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American singer, actor and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including Record ...

. He impressed the studio enough for them to cast him in a comedic role as dumb-minded Deadhead (Bonehead) in '' Beach Party'' (1963), starring Avalon and

Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. She began her professional career at age 12, becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse Cl ...

. When cast in the beach pictures, he realized his comedic potential. When first offered the role of Deadhead, for example, he was quoted at the time as saying that he "wasn't sure what the character would become". McCrea felt that the audience enjoyed Deadhead as they felt superior to him. McCrea was an avid body builder, and the only actor appearing in the

beach movies who could surf. The film was a big hit, and after appearing in '' Law of the Lawless'' (1964) and '' The Greatest Show on Earth'', McCrea reprised his performance as Deadhead in '' Muscle Beach Party'' (1964) and '' Bikini Beach'' (1964). He recorded a 45 rpm single in 1964 for Canjo Records to coincide with the film '' Bikini Beach'' (side A: "Chicken Surfer"/Side B: "Looney Gooney Bird"). He also wrote a script titled ''Stage to Nowhere'' which appears not to have been made. McCrea played the Big Lunk in the 1964 film '' Pajama Party'', with Tommy Kirk and

in the lead parts. McCrea had a small part in '' Young Fury'' (1965) and played Lieutenant Brannin, a cocky

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

officer based loosely on

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point ...

, in

Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...

's '' Major Dundee'' (1965), but his scene was deleted from the final cut. He also appeared in ''

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 ...

'' ("The Betsy Blee Smith Story"), then returned to AIP beach movies with '' Beach Blanket Bingo'' (1965). McCrea played Bonehead, again the same character – but it was his biggest role in the series, having a romance with a mermaid. ''Filmink'' spectulated it was "as if AIP were building him up" as a star. McCrea was back as Bonehead in '' How to Stuff a Wild Bikini'' (1965), the last Beach Party movie in which he appeared. He was replaced by Aaron Kincaid for '' Ghost in the Invisible Bikini''.

Later films

McCrea guest starred on '' Vacation Playhouse'' ("Three on an Island") and '' Pistols 'n' Petticoats'' ("The Pilot"). He had a lead role as a biker in '' The Glory Stompers'' (1967), and starred in '' Sam'' (1967) for

Larry Buchanan Larry Buchanan (January 31, 1923 − December 2, 2004), born Marcus Larry Seale Jr., was a film director, producer and writer, who proclaimed himself a " schlockmeister". Many of his extremely low-budget films have landed on "worst movie" lists or ...

. He was a judge on ''

Dream Girl of '67 A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5–20 minutes, althou ...

''. McCrea had a supporting role in '' Scream Free!'' (1968) and the lead in '' The Girls from Thunder Strip'' (1970). McCrea starred in a Western '' Cry Blood, Apache'' (1970) which he also produced. He retired after ''November Children'' (1972).

Personal life and death

McCrea was married to the former actress Dusty Ironwing, who was an

Lakota Lakota may refer to: *Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes *Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan languages, Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of ...

native American woman, from 1976 until her death in 1996. He raised her children, David Ironwing and Jaquet Ironwing, as his own. After retiring from films he became a rancher in Roswell, New Mexico, but came out of retirement to appear in 1981 in ''Lady Street Fighter''. He died in 2009 of a heart attack at the age of 74.

Filmography

References

External links

*
Jody McCrea
at Brian's Drive-in Theatre

at

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCrea, Jody 1934 births 2009 deaths Male actors from Los Angeles American male film actors Film producers from California American male television actors United States Army soldiers Male Western (genre) film actors People from Roswell, New Mexico 20th-century American male actors