Richard Carlson (actor)

Richard Dutoit Carlson (April 29, 1912 – November 25, 1977) was an American actor, television and film director, and screenwriter.

Early life

Carlson was the son of a Danish-born lawyer in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He majored in drama at the University of Minnesota, where he wrote and directed plays and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated '' cum laude'' with a Master of Arts degree. Carlson then opened his own repertory theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota. When the theater failed, Carlson moved to New York City.

Career

Broadway

In 1935, Carlson made his acting debut on Broadway in '' Three Men on a Horse'', and appeared with Ethel Barrymore in ''Ghost of Yankee Doodle'' (1937-8) and ''Whiteoaks'' (1938).

In 1937, he wrote and staged the play ''Western Waters'', which ran for only seven performances. He also appeared in ''Now You've Done It'' (1937).

Early films

Carlson then moved to California, where he joined the Pasadena Playhouse. His first film role was in '' The Young in Heart'' (1938). He had a supporting role in ''The Duke of West Point'' (1938) then was second billed to Ann Sheridan in '' Winter Carnival'' (1939). He returned to Broadway for ''Stars in Your Eyes'' (1939). Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cast him in two films with Lana Turner ('' These Glamour Girls'' and '' Dancing Co-Ed'', both released in 1939).

Carlson was the male lead in such films as '' Little Accident'' (1939), '' Beyond Tomorrow'' (1940), '' The Ghost Breakers'' (1940), '' The Howards of Virginia'' (1940), '' Too Many Girls'' (1940), '' No, No, Nanette'' (1941), '' Back Street'' (1941), ''West Point Widow'' (1941), '' The Little Foxes'' (1941), '' Secrets of G32'' (1942), '' The Affairs of Martha'' (1942), '' Highways by Night'' (1942), and ''My Heart Belongs to Daddy'' (1942).

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Carlson appeared in several films for MGM in the early 1940s, including ''White Cargo'' (1942), '' Presenting Lily Mars'' (1943), '' A Stranger in Town'' (1943), '' Young Ideas'' (1943), and ''The Man from Down Under'' (1943).

During World War II, Carlson served in the United States Navy.

Post-war

When he returned to Hollywood, he had few offers of employment, and turned to writing to supplement his income.

He landed supporting roles in '' So Well Remembered'' (1947) and '' The Amazing Mr. X'' (1948) and the lead in '' Behind Locked Doors'' (1948). In 1950, he co-starred with Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger in the highly successful adventure film '' King Solomon's Mines'', filmed on location in the Kenya Colony and the Belgian Congo. While shooting in Africa, Carlson wrote a series of articles for ''The Saturday Evening Post'', collectively titled "Diary of a Hollywood Safari."

Despite the film's success, Carlson remained a supporting actor: '' The Sound of Fury'' (1950), '' Valentino'' (1951), '' A Millionaire for Christy'' (1951), and '' The Blue Veil'' (1951). He did play the lead in the low-budget '' Whispering Smith Hits London'' (1952), and '' Retreat, Hell!'' (1952).

On July 14, 1951, Carlson and then U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey were the guests on the CBS live variety show '' Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town'', in which hostess Faye Emerson visited Minneapolis to accent the kinds of music popular in the city.

Carlson began to appear regularly on television shows such as '' The Ford Theatre Hour'', '' Cameo Theatre'', ''Lights Out'', '' Celanese Theatre'', '' Robert Montgomery Presents'', ''Hollywood Opening Night'', and '' The Ford Television Theatre''.

Carlson appeared in the films '' The Rose Bowl Story'' (1952), ''Eagles of the Fleet'' (1952), and ''Seminole'' (1953).

Carlson wrote episodes of '' Schlitz Playhouse'' and '' Kraft Theatre''.

Science fiction

Carlson played the lead in '' The Magnetic Monster'' (1953) which led to him finding a niche in the newly re-emergent genres of science fiction and horror.

He followed it with leads in '' The Maze'' (1953), '' It Came from Outer Space'' (1953) with Barbara Rush, and ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' (1954) with Julie Adams. He also had the male lead in '' All I Desire'' (1953). He also starred in the 1954 movie '' Riders to the Stars''.

From 1953 to 1956, he starred in the TV series '' I Led 3 Lives''.

Director

Carlson's success in the genre led him to the director's chair for the 1954 science fiction film '' Riders to the Stars'', in which he also starred.

He then directed ''Four Guns to the Border'' (1954).

Carlson kept busy on television in shows like '' General Electric Theatre'', ''Matinee Theatre'', '' Kraft Theatre'', '' Lux Video Theatre'', '' Climax!'', '' Studio One in Hollywood'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', and '' The Best of Broadway''. He also appeared in films like '' The Last Command'' (1955), '' Bengazi'' (1955) and '' The Helen Morgan Story'' (1957).

His third feature as director was ''Appointment with a Shadow'' (1957).

In 1957 and 1958, Carlson played "Mr. Fiction Writer" in three of the nine films made for television collectively titled '' The Bell Laboratory Science Series''. He also directed his final film for the project, ''The Unchained Goddess.''

In 1957 he was cast as two different clergymen, Rabbi Avraham Soltes and Father William Wendt, in the episodes "The Happy Gift" and "Call for Help", respectively, of the syndicated religious anthology series, '' Crossroads''.

Carlson's fourth film as director was '' The Saga of Hemp Brown'' (1958) and he wrote ''Johnny Rocco'' (1958).

''Mackenzie's Raiders''

In the 1958–1959 television season, Carlson portrayed Colonel Ranald Mackenzie of the 4th Regiment of the United States Cavalry in the syndicated western series, '' Mackenzie's Raiders'', with Morris Ankrum, Louis Jean Heydt, Jack Ging, and Brett King among the "Raiders". The series is set at the former Fort Clark near Brackettville in southwestern Texas, where the real Mackenzie was stationed during much of the 1870s. However, the episodes were filmed at the former Corriganville Movie Ranch in Simi Valley, California. In the series theme, Mackenzie and his men must protect the American border from an assortment of outlaws from both the United States and Mexico. Yet the Raiders cannot risk being caught within Mexico, or they would lose the open support of their own government. Carlson also wrote and directed episodes.

In 1959, Carlson was cast as Paul Drake in "The Faithless" of the NBC western series ''Riverboat'', with Darren McGavin. In the story line, Drake is an escaped prisoner with medical training being transported on the river vessel, the ''Enterprise'', back to jail. Having lost his religious faith, Drake refuses to render medical assistance to a two-year-old girl stricken with a communicable disease which threatens the entire vessel. William Phipps and Jeanne Bates play the parents of the child. Bethel Leslie portrays Cathy Norris.

Carlson began directing for television: '' The Man and the Challenge'' (which he also wrote for), ''This Man Dawson'', '' Men Into Space'', ''Alcoa Premiere'', and ''The Detectives''.

His early 1960s credits as actor included '' The Chevy Mystery Show'', '' Tormented'', ''The Aquanauts'' (which he also directed), '' The Loretta Young Show'' (which he also directed), '' Bus Stop'', ''Thriller'' (which he also directed), '' Going My Way'', '' Arrest and Trial'', '' The Fugitive'', ''Wagon Train'', '' The Christophers'', and '' Burke's Law''. He wrote episodes of '' Daktari'' and the movie '' Island of the Lost'' (1967).

In 1965, he played a mad scientist who creates a mutant, killer octopus in the ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' episode "The Village of Guilt".

He was in the films '' Della'' (1965) and '' Kid Rodelo'' (1965), directing the latter. He acted in the series '' The Virginian'', ''Bonanza'' and '' Rawhide''.

In the final two seasons of CBS's '' Perry Mason'', Carlson made two guest appearances, both times as the murder victim. In 1964 he played Anthony Fry in "The Case of the Tragic Trophy;" in 1966, he played Clete Hawley in "The Case of the Avenging Angel."

Later work

Carlson was in the movies ''The Doomsday Flight'' (1966), '' The Power'' (1968), and '' The Valley of Gwangi'' (1968). Carlson's last movie role was in the 1969 Elvis Presley/Mary Tyler Moore film, '' Change of Habit''.

Carlson appeared in episodes of '' The FBI'', '' Lancer'', ''Cannon'', ''Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law'', and '' Mobile One''. His final role was in a 1975 episode of the television series ''Khan!''. Carlson wrote for '' O'Hara, U.S. Treasury'', ''Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law'' and ''Mannix''.

Personal life

Carlson married Mona Carlson in 1939.

He died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 65 on November 25, 1977, in Encino, California. He was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery in West Los Angeles.

Legacy

Carlson is often mistaken for actor Hugh Marlowe. In spite of a notable resemblance, the two were not related.

For his contribution to the television industry, Carlson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6333 Hollywood Blvd.

Filmography

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlson, Richard
1912 births
1977 deaths
University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni
Male actors from Minnesota
American male film actors
United States Navy personnel of World War II
American male screenwriters
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American people of Danish descent
American television directors
People from Albert Lea, Minnesota
20th-century American male actors
Burials at Los Angeles National Cemetery
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players
Film directors from Minnesota
Screenwriters from Minnesota
United States Navy sailors
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American screenwriters
Military personnel from Minnesota