Don Collier obit

Don Collier, Actor on ‘The High Chaparral,’ ‘Outlaws’ and Many Other Westerns, Dies at 92

He also appeared opposite John Wayne in three films and played the "Gum Fighter" in fun TV commercials for bubble gum. 

He was not on the list.

Don Collier, the rugged actor who built a career filled with Westerns with turns in three John Wayne films and work on such shows as The High Chaparral, Outlaws and The Young Riders, has died. He was 92.

Collier died Monday of lung cancer in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, friend and casting director Susan McCray (Little House on the Prairie) told The Hollywood Reporter.

On the big screen, Collier performed alongside Wayne in El Dorado (1966), The War Wagon (1967) and The Undefeated (1969) and acted with Audie Murphy in Seven Ways From Sundown (1960) and with Val Kilmer in Tombstone (1993).

He played U.S. Marshal Will Foreman in the 1960 to 1962 NBC series Outlaws, with Barton MacLane , Jock Gaynor, and Bruce Yarnell. He appeared as a deputy marshal to MacLane in the first season of Outlaws and was promoted to full marshal in the second season, with Yarnell as the new deputy.

Collier has made more than seventy film and television appearances. He appeared with John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Anthony Quinn, Dean Martin, Tom Selleck, James Arness, and Elvis Presley. After Massacre River, he acquired roles in Fort Apache and Davy Crockett, Indian Scout starring Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen. Prior to his lead role in Outlaws, Collier appeared in the first seasons of both CBS’s long-running Gunsmoke and NBC’s powerhouse western Bonanza. He guest-starred in 1957 in NBC’s Wagon Train with Ward Bond during its first year on the air.

One of his earliest television appearances was in 1952 in the syndicated Death Valley Days anthology series. In 1964, he played the role of ski lodge owner Peter Hayes in the Perry Mason episode The Case of the Fifty Millionth Frenchman. He appeared in 1965 in Chuck Connors’ NBC western series Branded. In a later Death Valley Days appearance, Collier was cast as Frank Dalton in the 1964 episode, There Was Another Dalton Brother. In the story line, while starting his job as a deputy U.S. Marshal, Dalton must question Frank Johnson , a suspect in a missing persons case. Johnson is the father of Dalton’s girlfriend, Emmy.

From 1967 to 1971, he was cast as Sam Butler, the ranch foreman, in sixty-two episodes of NBC’s The High Chaparral, a David Dortort series with Leif Erickson, Linda Cristal, Cameron Mitchell, Mark Slade, and Henry Darrow. In 1972, he appeared in George Peppard’s NBC series Banacek and in CBS’s family drama, The Waltons. In 1974, he guest-starred in the initial season of Michael Landon’s NBC family western drama, Little House on the Prairie. A decade later, he starred in the first season of Landon’s other NBC series, Highway to Heaven, with co-star Victor French. In 1976, he appeared in an episode of the CBS western series Sara.

Starting in the 1970s, Collier starred for years as the “Gum Fighter” in commercials for Hubba Bubba bubble gum (“Big bubbles, no trouble!”).

Collier also appeared with New York Yankees legends Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Whitey Ford in the spring training-set Safe at Home! (1962).

The blue-eyed, deep-voiced Collier got his big break in 1960 when he was hired to portray Deputy Will Foreman on NBC’s Outlaws, also starring Barton MacLane, and he starred on that show for its two seasons.

He returned to another NBC Western to play the honorable ranch foreman Sam Butler on The High Chaparral. He remained with that series for all four of its seasons, through 1971.

“Mine is a simple part to play, a man who punches cattle for a living,” he said in a 1968 interview. “And I play it pretty straight.”

Collier then recurred as shopkeeper William Tompkins on the 1989-92 ABC Western The Young Riders.

Donald Mounger Collier was born in Inglewood on Oct. 17, 1928. After stints with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Merchant Marine, he attended Hardin–Simmons College in Texas (on an athletic scholarship) and Brigham Young University in Utah.

Back in California, Collier came to the attention of actor Francis Lederer and agent Henry Willson, who represented the likes of Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter and Robert Wagner. His horse-riding skills helped him land his Outlaws gig.

Collier guest-starred on five episodes of Bonanza from 1960-72, playing different characters each time, and showed up on installments of many other series, from The Virginian, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Branded and Death Valley Days to The Waltons, Banacek and Little House on the Prairie. He later narrated The Desert Speaks, a series of documentaries for the University of Arizona.

Don Collier: Confessions of an Acting Cowboy was released on DVD last year.

Prior to his acting career, the Santa Monica native served both in the Navy and the Merchant Marine.

He also narrated a series of documentaries for the University of Arizona titled "The Desert Speaks."

He worked on a western radio drama series titled West of the Story and was sidekick to Fred Imus on Sirius Radio's weekly show, Fred's Trailer Park Bash until Imus' death in 2011.

Survivors include his children, Pamela, Diane, Steven and Mike; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

 

Actor

 No Name and Dynamite Davenport (post-production)

Angus

 2020 Legend

 2019 The Marshal

Red

 2008 Jake's Corner

Eight Seconds

 2006 Incident at Alma (Short)

Sherrif Carter

 1997 Vanishing Point (TV Movie)

Sheriff

 1995 Legend (TV Series)

Hank Vine

- Knee-High Noon (1995) ... Hank Vine

 1995 Bonanza: Under Attack (TV Movie)

U.S. Marshal

 1994 Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice (TV Movie)

Sheriff at Dillion Ranch

 1993 Tombstone

High Roller

 1993 Benefit of the Doubt

Charlie

 1993 Telling Secrets (TV Movie)

Sgt. Barnett

 1992 Renegade (TV Series)

Clint the Rancher

- Payback (1992) ... Clint the Rancher

 1989-1992 The Young Riders (TV Series)

William Tompkins, Shop Keeper / Tompkins / Storekeeper Tompkins / ...

-

 1992 Gunsmoke: To the Last Man (TV Movie)

Sheriff Tom, Tombstone

 1991 Living a Lie (TV Movie)

Sheriff

 1990 Kid

Clarke

 1990 El Diablo (TV Movie)

Jake

 1988-1989 War and Remembrance (TV Mini Series)

Adm. Russ Carton

- Part XII (1989) ... Adm. Russ Carton

- Part VI (1988) ... Adm. Russ Carton

- Part II (1988) ... Adm. Russ Carton

 1988 The Cellar

Sheriff

 1988 Once Upon a Texas Train (TV Movie)

Warden

 1987 Highway to Heaven (TV Series)

Jake

- A Dream of Wild Horses (1987) ... Jake

 1983 September Gun (TV Movie)

Sheriff Mills

 1976-1983 Little House on the Prairie (TV Series)

Sheriff / Schultz

- For the Love of Blanche (1983) ... Sheriff

- The Runaway Caboose (1976) ... Schultz

 1983The Winds of War (TV Mini Series)

Russell Carton

- The Storm Breaks (1983) ... Russell Carton

 1983 Highway Honeys (TV Movie)

Cannonball Shepherd

 1979 The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang (TV Movie)

Frank Dalton

 1979 The Sacketts (TV Mini Series)

L.P. Seeker

- Part II (1979) ... L.P. Seeker

- Part I (1979) ... L.P. Seeker

 1979 Mr. Horn (TV Movie)

Mr. Nickell

 1978 Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid (TV Movie)

Tim

 1978How the West Was Won (TV Series)

Captain Poynton

- Interlude (1978) ... Captain Poynton

- Buffalo Story (1978) ... Captain Poynton

 1977 Aspen (TV Mini Series)

Coker

- Aspen: Chapter III (1977) ... Coker

- Aspen: Chapter II (1977) ... Coker

 1976 Sara (TV Series)

Karl

- Sod House Woman (1976) ... Karl

 1974Chase (TV Series)

- Remote Control (1974)

 1964-1974Gunsmoke (TV Series)

Eli Baines / Price

- The Foundling (1974) ... Eli Baines

- The Promoter (1964) ... Price

 1974 Banacek (TV Series)

Jimmy Scarne

- The Vanishing Chalice (1974) ... Jimmy Scarne

 1973 Key West (TV Movie)

Chief Jim Miller

 1973 The Waltons (TV Series)

Dr. Miller

- An Easter Story (1973) ... Dr. Miller

 1960-1972 Bonanza (TV Series)

Paul Walker / Sheriff Fenton / Ira Tatum / ...

 

 1971 The Man and the City (TV Series)

Ross

- Girls in Truck Seven (1971) ... Ross

 1967-1971 The High Chaparral (TV Series)

Sam Butler

 

 1970 Flap

Mike Lyons

 1969 The Undefeated

Goodyear

 1969 Land of the Giants (TV Series)

Father - Mr. Bara

- Rescue (1969) ... Father - Mr. Bara

 19685 Card Stud

Rowan

 1967 Hondo (TV Series)

Drover

- Hondo and the War Cry (1967) ... Drover

 1967 The War Wagon

Shack

 1962-1967 Death Valley Days (TV Series)

Josiah Wilbarger / Frank Dalton / Jack Slade / ...

- The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1967) ... Josiah Wilbarger

- There Was Another Dalton Brother (1964) ... Frank Dalton

- The Man Who Died Twice (1963) ... Jack Slade

- Loss of Faith (1962) ... Peter Gabriel

 1966 El Dorado

Deputy Joe Braddock (uncredited)

 1966 Paradise, Hawaiian Style

Andy Lowell

 1966 Incident at Phantom Hill

Drum

 1966 Moment to Moment

1st Officer (uncredited)

 1966 The Wackiest Ship in the Army (TV Series)

Capt. Foley

- What Is Honor - A Word? (1966) ... Capt. Foley

 1965 Branded (TV Series)

Jud Foley / Wilkes - Brawler

- Romany Roundup: Part 2 (1965) ... Jud Foley

- Romany Roundup: Part 1 (1965) ... Jud Foley

- That the Brave Endure (1965) ... Wilkes - Brawler

 1965 Peyton Place (TV Series)

John Pearson

 

 1963-1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series)

Luke Adams / Detective Sgt. Newsome

- Kill Me on July 20th (1965) ... Luke Adams

- One Step Down (1963) ... Detective Sgt. Newsome

 1965 Wagon Train (TV Series)

Wyatt Earp

- The Silver Lady (1965) ... Wyatt Earp

 1965 Profiles in Courage (TV Series)

Kinkle

- General Alexander William Doniphan (1965) ... Kinkle

 1964 The Virginian (TV Series)

Marshal Cass

- The Girl from Yesterday (1964) ... Marshal Cass

 1964 Perry Mason (TV Series)

Peter Hayes

- The Case of the Fifty Millionth Frenchman (1964) ... Peter Hayes

 1963 Temple Houston (TV Series)

Seth Warrener

- The Dark Madonna (1963) ... Seth Warrener

 1962 Wide Country (TV Series)

Detective Sgt. Van Anda

- Our Ernie Kills People (1962) ... Detective Sgt. Van Anda

 1960-1962 Outlaws (TV Series)

Deputy Marshal Will Foreman / Marshal Will Foreman / Marshal Will Forman

 

 1962 Safe at Home!

Ken Lawton

 1960 Seven Ways from Sundown

Duncan

 1960 Twelve Hours to Kill

Andy - Policeman

 

 2012Tales of the Frontier (TV Series) (producer - 1 episode)

- Retribution (2012) ... (producer)

 

 2019A Word on Westerns (TV Series documentary)

Self

- The Outlaws: All-Star Villains! with Don Collier (2019) ... Self

- The Rifleman's Johnny Crawford Needs Your Help (2019) ... Self

 2017Western Trails (TV Series)

Self

- Kanab Western Legends Roundup Panel (2017) ... Self

 2016 High Chaparral Reunion 2016 Webcast (Video)

Self

 2015 High Chaparral Reunion Pay Per View Webcast (TV Movie)

Self

 2012 Tales of the Frontier (TV Series)

Self - Host

- Redemption (2012) ... Self - Host

 2002 Dobe and a Company of Heroes (TV Movie)

Self

 1999 Killer Bees? (TV Movie documentary)

Host

 1998Legends & Dreamers (TV Movie documentary)

Self - Host

 1961Here's Hollywood (TV Series)