Robert Vaughn - # 143

Robert Vaughn, at 83, actor played ‘Man from U.N.C.L.E’

He was number 143 on the list.

Robert Vaughn, the debonair, Oscar-nominated actor whose many film roles were eclipsed by his hugely popular turn in television’s “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” has died. He was 83.

Mr. Vaughn died Friday morning after a brief battle with acute leukemia, according to his manager, Matthew Sullivan.

“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” was an immediate hit, particularly with young people, when it debuted on NBC 1964. It was part of an avalanche of secret agent shows (“I Spy,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Secret Agent”), spoofs (“Get Smart”), books (“The Spy Who Came in From the Cold”) and even songs (“Secret Agent Man”) inspired by the James Bond films.

Mr. Vaughn’s urbane superspy Napoleon Solo teamed with Scottish actor David McCallum’s Illya Kuryakin, a soft-spoken, Russian-born agent.

The pair, who had put aside Cold War differences for a greater good, worked together each week for the mysterious U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement) in combatting the international crime syndicate THRUSH.

“Girls age 9 to 12 liked David McCallum because he was so sweet,” Mr. Vaughn remarked in a 2005 interview in England. “But the old ladies and the 13- to 16-year-olds liked me because I was so detached.”

“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” was also a big hit abroad, particularly in McCallum’s native Great Britain.

The show aired until early 1968, when sagging ratings brought it to an end. In his “The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Book,” Jon Heitland blamed its demise on a shift from straight adventure to more comic plots in the show’s third season that turned off many viewers, as well as time slot changes.

Mr. Vaughn and McCallum reunited in 1983 for a TV movie, “The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E.” in which the super spies were lured out of retirement to save the world once more. (McCallum has found stardom anew in his 14th season playing Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the hit CBS drama “NCIS”.)

In recent years, Mr. Vaughn had starred for eight seasons on the British crime-caper series “Hustle,” playing Albert Stroller, the lone Yank in a band of London-based con artists. “Hustle” also aired in the U.S.

“I imagined that Napoleon Solo had retired from U.N.C.L.E., whatever U.N.C.L.E. was,” Mr. Vaughn recalled in 2006. “What could he do now to use his talents and to supplement his government pension? I imagined Stroller as Napoleon Solo, The Later Years.”

Before “U.N.C.L.E.” Mr. Vaughn made his mark in movies, earning an Oscar nomination in 1959 for his supporting role in “The Young Philadelphians,” in which he played a wounded war veteran accused of murder.

The next year, he turned in a memorable performance as a gunfighter who had lost his nerve in “The Magnificent Seven.” Making that movie, Mr. Vaughn recalled in 2005, had presented the cast with a vexing problem: no script.

“We had to improvise everything,” he said. “I had to go to the costume department myself and choose the black vest and the black hat.”

A liberal Democrat, Mr. Vaughn became passionately opposed to the Vietnam War while he was making “U.N.C.L.E.” and delivered anti-war speeches at colleges and other venues around the country. He also debated the war with conservative William F. Buckley on the latter’s TV talk show, “Firing Line.”

He became a friend of U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and campaigned for him during his 1968 run for the presidency. When Kennedy was assassinated that year, Mr. Vaughn was so upset that he moved to England for five years. — associated press.

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1956      The Ten Commandments             Spearman / Hebrew at Golden Calf          

1957      Hell's Crossroads              Bob Ford             Western film directed by Franklin Adreon.

No Time to Be Young      Buddy Root         Film noir drama film directed by David Lowell Rich.

1958      Teenage Cave Man          The Symbol Maker's Teenage Son             Independent black-and-white adventure–science fiction film produced and directed by Roger Corman.

Unwed Mother Don Bigelow       Drama film directed by Walter A. Doniger.

1959      Good Day for a Hanging                 Eddie Campbell                 Western film directed by Nathan H. Juran.

The Young Philadelphians             Chester A. Gwynn           

    Drama film directed by Vincent Sherman.

    Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

    Based on the 1956 novel, The Philadelphian, by Richard P. Powell.

1960      The Magnificent Seven Lee         Western film directed by John Sturges.

1961      The Big Show]             Klaus Everard    

    DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope drama film directed by James B. Clark.

    Based on Jerome Weidman's novel I'll Never Go There Any More.

1963      The Caretakers Jim Melford       

    Drama film produced and directed by Hall Bartlett.

    Based on the 1959 novel The Caretakers by Dariel Telfer.

1964      To Trap a Spy     Napoleon Solo   Feature length film of the Pilot episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. directed by Don Medford.

1965      The Spy with My Face     Spy-fi spy film based on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and directed by John Newland.

1966      One Spy Too Many          Feature-length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s two–part season two premiere episode "Alexander the Greater Affair" written by Dean Hargrove and directed by Joseph Sargent.

The Glass Bottom Boat  

    Romantic comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin.

    Also known as The Spy in Lace Panties.

    Uncredited cameo appearance

One of Our Spies is Missing         

    Feature length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s second season two–part episode "The Bridge of Lions Affair" directed by E. Darrell Hallenbeck and written by Howard Rodman.

    Based on The Bridge of Lions novel by Henry Slesar.

1967      The Spy in the Green Hat              Feature-length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s third season two–part episode "The Concrete Overcoat Affair" directed by Joseph Sargent and written by Peter Allan Fields with the story by David Victor.

The Venetian Affair         Bill Fenner         

    Spy film directed by Jerry Thorpe.

    Based on a novel of the same name by Helen MacInnes.

The Karate Killers             Napoleon Solo   Feature-length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s third season two–part episode "The Five Daughters Affair" directed by Barry Shear and written by Norman Hudis with the story by Boris Ingster.

1968      The Helicopter Spies       Feature-length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s fourth season two–part episode "The Prince of Darkness Affair" directed by Boris Sagal and written by Dean Hargrove.

How to Steal the World Feature-length film of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s two–part series finale episodes "The Seven Wonders of the World Affair" directed by Sutton Roley and written by Norman Hudis.[

Bullitt    Walter Chalmers               Drama–thriller film directed by Peter Yates and produced by Philip D'Antoni.

1969      If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium       Antonio, Photographer DeLuxe Color romantic comedy film directed by Mel Stuart.

The Bridge at Remagen Major Paul Kreuger        

    War film directed by John Guillermin.

    Based on the book The Bridge at Remagen: The Amazing Story of March 7, 1945 by writer and U. S. Representative Ken Hechler.

1970      Julius Caesar       Servilius Casca   British independent adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name, directed by Stuart Burge and written by Robert Furnival.

The Mind of Mr. Soames               Dr. Michael Bergen         

    Sci-fi–drama film directed by Alan Cooke.

    Based on Charles Eric Maine's 1961 novel of the same name.

1971      The Statue          Ray Whiteley     

    British comedy film directed by Rodney Amateau.

    Based on the play Chip, Chip, Chip by Alec Coppel.

Clay Pigeon         Neilson                 Action film directed by Lane Slate and Tom Stern.

1974      The Man from Independence     Harry S Truman                 Biographical–drama film directed by Jack Smight[94][95] and written by Edward DeBlasio.

The Towering Inferno     Senator Parker Action–drama disaster film directed by John Guillermin.

1975      Wanted: Babysitter         Stuart Chase      

    Thriller–drama film directed by René Clément.

    Also known as in French: La Baby-Sitter, Italian: Babysitter - Un maledetto pasticcio, and German: Das ganz große Ding.

1976      Atraco en la jungla  Tony     

    Adventure–crime film directed by Gordon Hessler.

    Also known as 3–Way Split. Blue Jeans and Dynamite, and Double Cross.

1977      Demon Seed      Proteus IV                

    Sci-fi–horror film directed by Donald Cammell.

    Based on the novel of the same name by Dean Koontz.

Starship Invasions            Prof. Allan Duncan          

    Science fiction film directed, produced, and written by Ed Hunt

    Also known as in French: L'invasion des soucoupes volantes.

1978      The Lucifer Complex       Glen Manning    Science fiction film directed by Kenneth Hartford & David L. Hewitt and written by Hewitt & Dale Skillicorn.

Brass Target       Col. Donald Rogers         

    Post-World War II suspense film directed by John Hough.

    Based on the novel The Algonquin Project by Frederick Nolan.

Hawaii Five-O    Rolande                Episode: "The Spirit is Willie"

1979      Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff              Dr. Neal    Drama film directed by Marvin J. Chomsky.

1980      Cuba Crossing    Hud       

    Action film directed by Chuck Workman.

    Also known as Assignment: Kill Castro

Virus      Senator Barkley        

    Japanese post-apocalyptic Science fiction film directed by Kinji Fukasaku.

    Based on Sakyo Komatsu's eponymous 1964 novel in which the English version was printed in 2012.

    Also known as Virus (復活の日 Fukkatsu no hi) (literal translation: Day of Resurrection) in Japanese.

Hangar 18           Gordon Cain       Action science fiction film directed by James L. Conway and written by Ken Pettus with the story by Thomas C. Chapman and Conway.

Battle Beyond the Stars Gelt            Science fiction–adventure film directed by Jimmy T. Murakami.

1981      S.O.B.    David Blackman           Comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards.

1983      Superman III       Ross Webster     British superhero film directed by Richard Lester and based on the DC Comics character Superman.

Great Transport                Dr. Emil Kovac  

    Action–drama war film directed by Veljko Bulajić

    Also known as in Serbo-Croatian: Veliki transport.

1986      Black Moon Rising            Ed Ryland            Action film directed by Harley Cokliss and written by John Carpenter.

The Delta Force                 Gen. Woodbridge           

1987      Hour of the Assassin       Sam Merrick      

They Call Me Renegade Lawson                

Killing Birds         Dr. Fred Brown

1988      Skeleton Coast Maj. Schneider

Captive Rage      Eduard Delacorte            

Another Way: D-Kikan Joho         Mr. D     Japanese film

1989      The Emissary      Ambassador Ed MacKay               

That's Adequate               Adolf Hitler        

C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.        Colonel Masters               

River of Death   Dr. Wolfgang Manteuffel             

Transylvania Twist           Lord Byron Orlock           

1990      Buried Alive        Gary Julian         

Nobody's Perfect             Dr. Duncan         

1991      Going Under       Wedgewood      Also known as Dive!

1992      Blind Vision         Mr. X    

1994      Dust to Dust       Mayor Sampson Moses

1995      Witch Academy                The Devil            

1996      Joe's Apartment               Senator Dougherty         

Milk & Money   Uncle Andre      

1997      Menno's Mind   Senator Zachary Powell

Motel Blue          Chief MacIntyre               

Vulcan Vince Baxter      

An American Affair          Prof. Michaels  

1998      Visions Agent Silvestri  

McCinsey's Island             Walter Denkins

The Sender         Ron Fairfax         

BASEketball        Baxter Cain         Vaughn's 100th feature film

2001      Pootie Tang        Dick Lecter         

2002      Cottonmouth     Judge Mancini  

2003      Happy Hour        Tulley Sr.             

Doug McPlug: The Life and Times                             

Hoodlum & Son                 Benny 'The Bomb' Palladino       

2004      Scene Stealers   Dr. Gadsden Braden       

2BPerfectlyHonest          Nick      

Gang Warz          Chief Hannigan

2012      Excuse Me for Living       Jacob    

The Magnificent Eleven American Bob   

2014      A Cry from Within            Doc Williams     

2016      The American Side           Silver-Haired Man           

Gold Star             Carmine               (final film role)

Television

    Medic (1955 guest appearance as Dr. Charles A. Leale in "Black Friday")

    Gunsmoke (1956 as Kid in "Cooter")

    State Trooper (1956 as Mitch in "Another Chance")

    Zane Grey Theater (1956 as Johnny in "Courage is a Gun")

    Frontier (1956 as Cliff in "The Return of Jubal Dolan")

    Father Knows Best (1956 as Mr. Beekman in "Betty Goes Steady" episode)

    Tales of Wells Fargo (1957 as Billy the Kid in the episode "Billy the Kid")

    Whirlybirds (1958 as Dr. Bob Dixon in the episode "Dr. Dixon")

    The Rifleman (1958 as Dan Willard in "The Apprentice Sheriff" episode)

    Wagon Train (1958 as Roy Pelham in "The John Wilbot Story"; Season 1; Episode 37)

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959 in "Dry Run" episode)

    Zorro (1959 as Miguel Roverto in "Spark of Revenge" episode)

    Law of the Plainsman (1959 as Theodore Roosevelt in "The Dude", and as Ross Drake in "The Innocents")

    Wichita Town (1959 as Frank Warren in "Passage to the Enemy")

    The Lineup (1959 as Bart Wade in "Prelude to Violence")

    Bronco (1959 as Sheriff Lloyd Stover in "Borrowed Glory")

    The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1960 as Dr.Collins in "Emergency")

    Checkmate (1960 as Abner Benson in "Interrupted Honeymoon")

    Men into Space (1960 as Perry Holcomb in "Moon Cloud")

    The Rebel (1960 as Asa Bannister in "Noblesse Oblige")

    Laramie (1960 as Sandy Kayle in "The Dark Trail")

    The Man from Blackhawk (1960 as Hayworth in "Remember Me Not")

    Thriller (1961 as Dr. Frank Cordell in "The Ordeal of Dr. Cordell")

    The Asphalt Jungle (1961 as Warren W. Scott in "The Scott Machine")

    Target: The Corruptors (1961 as Lace in the episode "To Wear a Badge")

    Bonanza (1962 as Luke Martin in "The Way Station")

    The Eleventh Hour (1962–63; 2 episodes)

    The Untouchables (1963 as Charlie Argos in "The Charlie Argos Story")

    The Virginian (1963 as Simon Clain in "If You Have Tears")

    The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963 as Jim Darling in "It's a Shame She Married Me")

    The Lieutenant (1963–64)

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–68)

    The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966; The Mother Muffin Affair)

    Please Don't Eat the Daisies (television series; cameo as Napoleon Solo in "Say UNCLE", 1966)

    The Woman Hunter (1972 television film)

    The Protectors (1972–74)

    Columbo: Troubled Waters (1975)

    Columbo: Last Salute to the Commodore (1976)

    Captains and the Kings (1976 mini-series, as Charles Desmond)

    Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977)

    The Feather and Father Gang (1977, in the "Murder at F-Stop II" episode)

    Centennial (1978, later part of the mini-series)

    The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978 as Charles Pendragon in the "Nightmare at Pendragon Castle" episode)

    The Rebels (1979) as Seth McLean

    Hawaii Five-O (1979 as Rolande in "The Spirit is Willie" episode)

    Backstairs at the White House (1979 TV mini-series as Woodrow Wilson)

    Trapper John, M.D. (1980; 2 episodes)

    Fantasies (1982 television film)

    Inside the Third Reich (1982 television film)

    The Day the Bubble Burst (1982 television film)

    The Blue and the Gray (1982 mini-series)

    The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen-Years-Later Affair (1983 television film)

    Silent Reach (1983 television film)

    The Hitchhiker (1984; television series, episode "Face to Face", as Dr. Christopher Hamilton)

    The Last Bastion (1984 Australian mini-series; as Douglas MacArthur)

    Private Sessions (1985)

    Murrow (1986 television film)

    Hunter (1989; "City Under Siege" parts 1-3, as Deputy Chief Curtis Moorehead)

    Murder, She Wrote (3 guest appearances)

    Emerald Point N.A.S. (2 episodes)

    The A-Team (Season 5, as General Hunt Stockwell)

    Dark Avenger (1990; television movie, as commissioner Peter Kinghorn)

    Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone (1990–; advertising)[129]

    Tatort (1992; German television series, episode "Camerone")

    Danger Theatre (1993; host, 7 episodes)

    Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993–94 as Rykker in "Dragonswing" and "Dragonswing II")

    Escape to Witch Mountain (1995; television film)

    Diagnosis Murder (1996 in "Murder Murder")

    The Nanny (1996 as Maxwell Sheffield's father in "Me and Mrs. Joan")

    Walker, Texas Ranger (1996 as Dr. Stuart Riser in "Plague")

    Law & Order (1997–98; 3 episodes)

    The Magnificent Seven (TV series) (1998-2000; 6 episodes)

    Hustle (2004–12; as Albert Stroller)

    Law & Order: SVU (2006, 2015; 2 episodes)

    Little Britain USA (2008; 1 episode)

    Coronation Street (2012 as Milton Fanshaw)