Ty Hardin obit

Ty Hardin, Star of the TV Western ‘Bronco,’ Dies at 87

He also appeared in the films 'PT 109,' 'The Chapman Report,' 'Berserk' and in several European movies. 

He was not on the list.

Ty Hardin, the hunky actor who starred as a former Confederate officer who wanders the Old West in the 1958-62 ABC series Bronco, has died. He was 87.

Hardin died Thursday in Huntington Beach, Calif. His wife, Carolyn Pampu Hardin, told the Associated Press that he had been “in failing health.”

When Cheyenne star Clint Walker left his show in a contract dispute, executives at Warner Bros. cast Hardin as Bronco Layne to keep the series going. Hardin was given his own Western after Walker returned, and Bronco debuted in September 1958, sticking around for four seasons though April 1962.

Hardin also appeared in his most famous role in other TV Westerns from the Warner Bros. stable, including Maverick and Sugarfoot.

In films released in 1962, Hardin starred opposite Jeff Chandler in the Sam Fuller war movie Merrill’s Marauders and was the object of Glynis Johns’ affection in George Cukor’s The Chapman Report.

He then appeared in such films as the JFK biopic PT 109 (1963), Wall of Noise (1963) — as a horse trainer opposite Suzanne Pleshette — Palm Springs Weekend (1963), Battle of the Bulge (1965), Custer of the West (1967) and, with Joan Crawford, Berserk (1967).

The 6-foot-2 Hardin also starred in several European films in the 1960s and ‘70s and for one season toplined his own Australian TV series, playing an American charter boat operator on Riptide.

Born Orison Whipple Hungerford in New York City on New Year’s Day in 1930, Hardin was raised by his grandparents on a farm outside Austin, Texas. He served in the Korean War, then attended Texas A&M, where he played football for Coach Bear Bryant.

Hardin took a job with Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, and while at a costume rental company to prepare for a party, he was spotted by a talent scout. Paramount signed him and put him in the 1958 movies The Space Children, As Young as We Are, I Married a Monster From Outer Space and The Buccaneer.

By one count, Hardin was married eight times.

 

Actor (47 credits)

 2011 The Back-up Bride

Colonel Sanders

 1997 We Are Angels (TV Series)

Blind Exorcist

- Polvere (1997) ... Blind Exorcist

- Finalmente si vola (1997)

 1992 Rescue Me

Sheriff Gilbert

 1990 Bad Jim

Tom Jefferd

 1989 Born Killer

Sheriff Stone

 1988 Red River (TV Movie)

Cotton

 1985 The Zoo Gang

Dean Haskell

 1981 The Love Boat (TV Series)

Arnold Simmons

- First Voyage, Last Voyage/April, the Ninny/The Loan Arranger (1981) ... Arnold Simmons

 1980 Image of the Beast

The Missionary

 1978 David Cassidy - Man Undercover (TV Series)

Neil Bowen

- Baby Makes Three (1978) ... Neil Bowen

 1978 Flying High (TV Series)

Rod Hunter

- A Hairy Yak Plays Musical Chairs Eagerly (1978) ... Rod Hunter

 1977 Rooster: Spurs of Death!

The Texan

 1977 Fire (TV Movie)

Walt Fleming

 1976 The Quest (TV Series)

Tom Kurd

- Prairie Woman (1976) ... Tom Kurd

 1975 Arpad - Zwei Teufelskerle räumen auf

 1973 Arpad le tzigane (TV Series)

Longuernal

- Der Verrat (1973) ... Longuernal

- Das Gesetz der Zigeuner (1973) ... Longuernal

- Die Geiseln (1973) ... Longuernal

- Ein Maskenball (1973) ... Longuernal

- Der Frauentausch (1973) ... Longuernal

 1972Avanti!

Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)

 1972You're Jinxed, Friend You've Met Sacramento

Jack Thompson 'Sacramento'

 1971 Acquasanta Joe

Jeff Donovan

 1971 The Last Rebel

The Sheriff

 1971 Day of Judgment

The Stranger

 1971Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti

Jonathan Benton

 1970 Last Train to Berlin

Major

 1969Riptide (TV Series)

Moss Andrews

- The Captain's Blood (1969) ... Moss Andrews

- Chance of a Lifetime (1969) ... Moss Andrews

- Clean Sweep (1969) ... Moss Andrews

- Flight of the Curlew (1969) ... Moss Andrews

- Black Friday (1969) ... Moss Andrews

 1968 King of Africa

Lt. King Edwards

 1968 Ragan

Lee Ragan

 1967 Berserk

Frank Hawkins

 1967 Custer of the West

Maj. Marcus Reno

 1967 Death on the Run

Jason

 1965 Battle of the Bulge

Lt. Schumacher

 1965 Savage Pampas

Miguel Carreras

 1964 Man of the Cursed Valley

Johnny Walscott

 1963 Palm Springs Weekend

Doug 'Stretch' Fortune

 1963 Wall of Noise

Joel Tarrant

 1963 PT 109

Ensign Leonard J. Thom

 1962 The Chapman Report

Ed Kraski

 1958-1962 Bronco (TV Series)

Bronco Layne

- Then the Mountains (1962) ... Bronco Layne

- The Immovable Object (1962) ... Bronco Layne

- A Town That Lived and Died (1962) ... Bronco Layne

- Moment of Doubt (1962) ... Bronco Layne

- Until Kingdom Come (1962) ... Bronco Layne

Show all 68 episodes

 1962 Merrill's Marauders

2nd Lt. Lee Stockton

 1959-1961 Sugarfoot (TV Series)

Bronco Layne

- Angel (1961) ... Bronco Layne

- Trial of the Canary Kid (1959) ... Bronco Layne

 196177 Sunset Strip (TV Series)

Drew Dekker

- Strange Bedfellows (1961) ... Drew Dekker

 1961Cheyenne (TV Series)

Bronco Layne

- Duel at Judas Basin (1961) ... Bronco Layne

 1960Maverick (TV Series)

Bronco Layne

- Hadley's Hunters (1960) ... Bronco Layne

 1959 Last Train from Gun Hill

Cowboy Loafer (uncredited)

 1958 The Buccaneer

Soldier (uncredited)

 1958 I Married a Monster from Outer Space

Mac Brody (as Ty Hungerford)

 1958 As Young as We Are

Roy Nielson (as Ty Hungerford)

 1958 The Space Children

Sentry (as Ty Hungerford)