Brad Harris obit

Brad Harris, Actor in Sword-and-Sandal Movies, Dies at 84

 

He was not on the list.

Brad Harris, best known for his work in sword-and-sandal movies, died after a short illness Tuesday in Santa Monica, his daughter Sabrina Calley confirmed. He was 84.

“He was just a really wonderful, loving, full of life man,” Calley told Variety. “He made friends wherever he went all over the world, and he will be greatly missed.”

The actor and stuntman worked in Europe for majority of his career, appearing in over 50 spy films and spaghetti Westerns in the 1960s, including “The Fury of Hercules,” “Pirates of the Mississippi,” “Black Eagle of Santa Fe,” “Kiss, Kiss, Kill, Kill,” “Spy Today, Die Tomorrow,” “Death Trip,” “The Mad Butcher” and “Supermen.”

In addition to his movie work, he appeared on the small screen as Deputy Duffy in the soap opera “Falcon Crest” from 1984-1989.

Born in Idaho, Harris later moved to California and attended UCLA on an athletic scholarship where he studied economics. After sustaining injuries from football, he was advised to take up weightlifting, which then sparked an interest in bodybuilding.

Upon graduation, he secured work in the industry as a stand-in and stuntman. Harris got his start as a stuntman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Spartacus,” and later made his big-screen debut in the 1957 biographical film “Monkey on My Back.”

His first leading roles were in Gianfranco Parolini’s 1961 films “Goliath Against the Giants” and “Samson.” Parolini and Harris went on to work together on several titles written and directed by Parolini.

Later in his career, he served as an executive producer on several of his films including “King of Kong Island” and “The Mutations.” Harris worked with Tony Kendall and Parolini in the “Kommissar X” series, which his daughter said ranked among his favorite roles.

Harris married actress Olga Schoberova in 1967. They had a daughter, Sabrina, before they divorced in 1969. In 1971, Schoberova remarried studio executive and producer John Calley, who adopted Sabrina.

More recently, Harris owned a company, Modern Body Design Harris, where he invented and marketed fitness equipment. His daughter said her dad lived by his motto, “Stay fit. Have fun. Harm no one.”

Actor (74 credits)

 2012 Shiver

The Captain

 1999 Boom

Gordon Steele (segment "Il figlio di Maciste")

 1988-1990 Hunter (TV Series)

Security Guard / Brocco

- Broken Dreams (1990) ... Security Guard

- The Bogota Million (1988) ... Brocco

 1984-1989 Falcon Crest (TV Series)

Deputy Duffy

- Missing Links (1989) ... Deputy Duffy

- Devil's Harvest (1985) ... Deputy Duffy

- The Trial (1985) ... Deputy Duffy

- Suitable for Framing (1984) ... Deputy Duffy

- Going Once, Going Twice (1984) ... Deputy Duffy

Show all 7 episodes

 1984-1989 Dallas (TV Series)

Mason

- Counter Attack (1989) ... Mason

- Showdown at the Ewing Corral (1988) ... Mason

- Love Stories (1984) ... Mason

 1987 Der Stein des Todes

Brain

 1986 Riptide (TV Series)

Fenner & Gordon's Henchman #2

- A Matter of Policy (1986) ... Fenner & Gordon's Henchman #2

 1984 The New Mike Hammer (TV Series)

Case

- Dead Man's Run (1984) ... Case

 1983 I sette magnifici gladiatori

Scipio

 1983 Hercules

King Augeias

 1982 Good-bye Cruel World

Policeman

 1982 The Incredible Hulk (TV Series)

Jordan

- A Minor Problem (1982) ... Jordan

 1981 Splendor in the Grass (TV Movie)

Minor Role (uncredited)

 1980 Challenge of the Tiger

Leopard (as Bradford Harris)

 1979 Derrick (TV Series)

Bob Dryer

- Besuch aus New York (1979) ... Bob Dryer

 1979 Zwei tolle Käfer räumen auf

Don Fernando Hidalgo

 1978 Brass Target

Lt. Rowan

 1977 The Beast in Heat

Don Lorenzo (uncredited)

 1977 Lady Dracula

Kommissar

 1975 Who Breaks... Pays

Placido (as Robin McDavid)

 1974 The Freakmaker

Brian Redford

 1974 The Girl in Room 2A

Charlie

 1974 This Time I'll Make You Rich

Brad McCoy / Keule (as Robin MacDavid)

 1972 Zambo, King of the Jungle

George Ryon aka Zambo

 1972 Death Is Sweet from the Soldier of God

Django / Durango

 1971 FBI Operation Pakistan

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1971 Three Giants of the Roman Empire

Marzio

 1971 Here's Django... Pay or Die!

Durango / Django

 1971 The Mad Butcher

Mike Lawrence

 1970 Wanted Sabata

Sabata

 1970 When the Bell Tolls

Don Vincenzo

 1970 Formula 1: Nell'Inferno del Grand Prix

Ken Stark

 1970 Supermen

Captain Brad Scott

 1970 Patton

Sergeant in Bar (uncredited)

 1969 Poppea's Hot Nights

Claudio Valerio

 1969 Dead Are Countless

Unknown

 1969 Three Golden Serpents

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1968 King of Kong Island

Burt Dawson

 1968 Cheers to Cyanide

George

 1968 Kommissar X - Drei blaue Panther

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1967 Un hombre vino a matar

Sheriff Bill Manners

 1967 Die Slowly, You'll Enjoy It More

Cliff

 1967 Kommissar X - Drei grüne Hunde

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1967 The Ten Million Dollar Grab

Robert Colman

 1967 The Three Fantastic Supermen

Brad McCallum

 1966 Agent Joe Walker: Operation Far East

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1966 Kommissar X - Drei gelbe Katzen

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1966 Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill

Capt. Tom Rowland

 1965 Our Man in Jamaica

Captain Mike Jefferson

 1965 Black Eagle of Santa Fe

Cliff McPherson

 1964 Die Goldsucher von Arkansas

Phil Stone

 1964 Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke

Donald Ramsey

 1964 Mystery of the Red Jungle

Larry McLean

 1964 Mission to Hell

Joe Warren

 1963 Die Flußpiraten vom Mississippi

Tom Cook

 1963 The Black Panther of Ratana

Larry Finch

 1962 The Old Testament

Simone

 1962 Anno 79: La distruzione di Ercolano

Marcus Tiberius

 1962 It Happened in Athens

Garrett (uncredited)

 1962 Hong Kong Hot Harbor

Polizeiinspektor McLean

 1962 The Fury of Hercules

Hercules

 1961 Samson

Samson

 1961 Goliath Against the Giants

Goliath

 1960 Spartacus

Gladiator / Soldier (uncredited)

 1960 Ocean's 11

Minor Role (uncredited)

 1960 13 Fighting Men

Pvt. Fowler

 1960 Tall Story

Student by Fire (uncredited)

 1959 Li'l Abner

Muscleman Luke (uncredited)

 1959 Speed Crazy

Bit Part (uncredited)

 1957 Navy Log (TV Series)

Marine Extra

- 3 or 4 Unknown Episodes (1957) ... Marine Extra (uncredited)

 1957 Monkey on My Back

Spike McAvoy

 1956 Citizen Soldier (TV Series)

Soldier Extra (4 or 5 episodes) (1957) (uncredited)

 1956 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (TV Series)

Bit Part

- Unknown Episode (1956) ... Bit Part (uncredited)

 1955 The McConnell Story

Pilot (uncredited)

 

Stunts (48 credits)

 1987 Der Stein des Todes (stunt performer - uncredited)

 1986 Riptide (TV Series) (stunt performer - 1 episode)

- A Matter of Policy (1986) ... (stunt performer - uncredited)

 1980 Challenge of the Tiger (stunt performer - uncredited)

 1975 Who Breaks... Pays (stunts - uncredited)

 1974 This Time I'll Make You Rich (stunts - uncredited)

 1972 Zambo, King of the Jungle (stunts - uncredited)

 1972 Death Is Sweet from the Soldier of God (stunts - uncredited)

 1971 FBI Operation Pakistan (stunts - uncredited)

 1971 Three Giants of the Roman Empire (stunts - uncredited)

 1971 Here's Django... Pay or Die! (stunts - uncredited)

 1970 Wanted Sabata (stunts - uncredited)

 1970 When the Bell Tolls (stunts - uncredited)

 1970 Formula 1: Nell'Inferno del Grand Prix (stunts - uncredited)

 1970 Supermen (stunts - uncredited)

 1969 Poppea's Hot Nights (stunts - uncredited)

 1969 Three Golden Serpents (stunts - uncredited)

 1968 King of Kong Island (stunts - uncredited)

 1968 Cheers to Cyanide (stunts - uncredited)

 1968 Kommissar X - Drei blaue Panther (stunts - uncredited)

 1967 Un hombre vino a matar (technical advisor: stunts - uncredited)

 1967 Die Slowly, You'll Enjoy It More (stunts - uncredited)

 1967 Kommissar X - Drei grüne Hunde (stunt coordinator - uncredited)

 1967 The Ten Million Dollar Grab (stunts - uncredited)

 1967 The Three Fantastic Supermen (stunts - uncredited)

 1966 Agent Joe Walker: Operation Far East (stunt coordinator)

 1966 Kommissar X - Drei gelbe Katzen (stunt coordinator)

 1966 Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill (stunt coordinator)

 1965 Our Man in Jamaica (action coordinator - uncredited)

 1965 Black Eagle of Santa Fe (action coordinator - uncredited)

 1964 Die Goldsucher von Arkansas (action coordinator - uncredited)

 1964 Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke (stunts - uncredited)

 1964 Mystery of the Red Jungle (action coordinator - uncredited)

 1964 Mission to Hell (action coordinator)

 1963 Die Flußpiraten vom Mississippi (action coordinator)

 1963 The Black Panther of Ratana (action coordinator - uncredited)

 1962 The Old Testament (stunts - uncredited)

 1962 Anno 79: La distruzione di Ercolano (stunts - uncredited)

 1962 Hong Kong Hot Harbor (stunt coordinator)

 1962 The Fury of Hercules (stunts - uncredited)

 1961 Samson (stunts - uncredited)

 1961 Goliath Against the Giants (stunts - uncredited)

 1960 Spartacus (stunts - uncredited)

 1958 Cowboy (Stunt double: Richard Jaeckel - uncredited)

 1957 Jailhouse Rock (stunts - rumored)

 1957 3:10 to Yuma (stunt double: Richard Jaeckel - uncredited)

 1957 Loving You (stunt double - rumored)

 1957 West Point (TV Series) (stunt double - 1 episode)

- The Command (1957) ... (stunt double: Richard Jaeckel - uncredited)

 1956 Love Me Tender (stunts - rumored)

 

Producer (8 credits)

 2012 Shiver (executive producer)

 1974 The Freakmaker (associate producer)

 1971 Here's Django... Pay or Die! (executive producer - uncredited)

 1970 Wanted Sabata (executive producer) / (producer)

 1970 Formula 1: Nell'Inferno del Grand Prix (associate producer - as Bradford Harris)

 1968 King of Kong Island (executive producer - as Brad J. Harris)

 1968 Sexy Baby (associate producer - as Bradford Harris)

 1961 Eco nel villaggio (Short) (producer)

 

Writer (3 credits)

 1977 Lady Dracula (story - as Bradford Harris)

 1970 Formula 1: Nell'Inferno del Grand Prix

 1967 Un hombre vino a matar (dialogue - uncredited)