Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, Aug 8, 1922–April 28, 1999), the American film and TV actor, starred in many Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), River of No Return (1955), and Motel Hell (1980).
Of Irish ancestry, Francis Timothy McCown was born in Los Angeles, the son of Elizabeth Cuthbert and Floyd Conley McCown, a professional gambler. He spent his early years in Santa Cruz, CA.
At age 13, he stole a revolver, for which he was sent to the California Youth Authority’s Preston School of Industry reformatory at Ione, CA. He escaped while in the adjustment center (jail within the jail).
He left home at 17 to escape beatings from his stepfather and began hot-wiring cars.
After robbing jewelry stores, he stole a car and drove it across state lines. This was a federal offense, so when he was recaptured, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He served his sentence at the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. He remained there until he was paroled shortly before his 21st birthday.
Calhoun worked at odd jobs, mechanic, logger in California’s redwoods, hard-rock miner in Nevada, cowboy in Arizona, fisherman, truck driver, crane operator, and forest firefighter.
Spotted by Alan Ladd
In January 1944, he met actor Alan Ladd while riding horseback in Hollywood Hills. Impressed with Calhoun’s physique, Ladd introduced him to his wife Sue Carol, a talent agent. She arranged for him to have screen test at 20th Century Fox, and he was cast in uncredited roles for Something for the Boys (1944) and Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944). He had a one-line role in a Laurel and Hardy comedy, The Bullfighters (1945), credited as Frank McCown.
Actors: Calhoun, Rory–B-Level Star
Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, Aug 8, 1922–April 28, 1999), the American film and TV actor, starred in many Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), River of No Return (1955), and Motel Hell (1980).
Of Irish ancestry, Francis Timothy McCown was born in Los Angeles, the son of Elizabeth Cuthbert and Floyd Conley McCown, a professional gambler. He spent his early years in Santa Cruz, CA.
At age 13, he stole a revolver, for which he was sent to the California Youth Authority’s Preston School of Industry reformatory at Ione, CA. He escaped while in the adjustment center (jail within the jail).
He left home at 17 to escape beatings from his stepfather and began hot-wiring cars.
After robbing jewelry stores, he stole a car and drove it across state lines. This was a federal offense, so when he was recaptured, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He served his sentence at the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. He remained there until he was paroled shortly before his 21st birthday.
Calhoun worked at odd jobs, mechanic, logger in California’s redwoods, hard-rock miner in Nevada, cowboy in Arizona, fisherman, truck driver, crane operator, and forest firefighter.
Spotted by Alan Ladd
In January 1944, he met actor Alan Ladd while riding horseback in Hollywood Hills. Impressed with Calhoun’s physique, Ladd introduced him to his wife Sue Carol, a talent agent. She arranged for him to have screen test at 20th Century Fox, and he was cast in uncredited roles for Something for the Boys (1944) and Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944). He had a one-line role in a Laurel and Hardy comedy, The Bullfighters (1945), credited as Frank McCown.