Actor Andrew Prine has died
He was not on the list.
Prine was
born in Jennings, Florida. After graduation from Miami Jackson High School in
Miami, Prine attended the University of Miami and performed at the acclaimed
Jerry Herman Ring Theatre. Prine made his acting debut three years later in an
episode of United States Steel Hour. His next role was in the 1959 Broadway
production of Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel. In 1962, Prine was cast in
Academy Award-nominated film The Miracle Worker as Helen Keller's older brother
James.
In 1962,
Prine landed a lead role with Earl Holliman in the 28-episode series Wide
Country, a drama about two brothers who are rodeo performers. After the
cancellation of Wide Country, Prine continued to work throughout the 1960s and
1970s, and in such television series as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Virginian, Wagon
Train, Dr. Kildare, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Baretta, Combat!, Hawaii Five-O,
Twelve O'Clock High, and The Bionic Woman. He played Dr. Richard Kimble's
brother Ray in an important first-season episode of The Fugitive.
During the
1960s and 1970s, Prine appeared in supporting roles in a number of films.
Prominent among these were three films he made for director Andrew V. McLaglen:
The Devil's Brigade (1968), Bandolero! (1968), and Chisum (1970).
During the
1980s and 1990s, Prine continued to work in film and television. Appearances
included W.E.B., Dallas, Weird Science, and as Steven in the science-fiction
miniseries V and its sequel V: The Final Battle.
Prine worked
with director Quentin Tarantino on an Emmy-winning episode of CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation and in Saving Grace with Holly Hunter, Boston Legal, and Six Feet
Under, in addition to feature films with Johnny Knoxville. The Encore Western
Channel has featured him on Conversations with Andrew Prine, interviewing
Hollywood actors such as Eli Wallach, Harry Carey, Jr., and Patrick Wayne, and
film makers such as Mark Rydell with behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
A life
member of the Actors Studio, Prine's stage work includes Long Day's Journey
into Night with Charlton Heston and Deborah Kerr, The Caine Mutiny
Court-Martial, directed by Henry Fonda, and A Distant Bell on Broadway.
Prine
received the Golden Boot Award for his body of work in Westerns (in 2001) and
two Dramalogue Critics Awards for Best Actor in a leading role.
Andrew Prine, the charming character actor who proved quite
comfortable in the saddle in Bandolero!, Chisum, Wide Country and dozens of
other Westerns on television and the big screen, has died. He was 86.
He died Monday in Paris of natural causes while on vacation
with his wife, actress-producer Heather Lowe, she told The Hollywood Reporter.
“He was the sweetest prince,” she said.
Prine also played the brother of Helen Keller (Patty Duke in
an Oscar-winning turn) in The Miracle Worker (1962) and portrayed a lawman in
Texarkana, Arkansas, who hunts a hooded serial killer alongside Ben Johnson in
the cult classic The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976).
Later in his career, he stood out as Confederate Gen.
Richard B. Garnett in the sprawling Gettysburg (1993).
In 1962-63, the lanky Prine got a taste of fame when he
starred as the younger brother of Earl Holliman — their characters are
traveling rodeo performers — on NBC’s Wide Country. Four years later, he played
the oldest son of Barry Sullivan on another NBC Western, The Road West.
Prine worked with director Andrew V. McLaglen on three
episodes of CBS’ Gunsmoke in 1962-63, and the pair reunited in 1968 for two
films: the William Holden-starring war film The Devil’s Brigade, and
Bandolero!, in which he and George Kennedy take after fugitives across the
Mexican border.
Prine teamed with John Wayne in Chisum (1970), also helmed
by McLaglen, and Rooster Cogburn (1975).
For his body of work in Westerns, he received the Golden
Boot Award in 2001.
The son of a Pullman conductor, Andrew Lewis Prine was born
Feb. 14, 1936, in Jennings, Florida. He graduated from Miami Jackson High
School and attended the University of Miami on a theater scholarship but
dropped out and headed to New York to pursue acting.
In 1958, he took over Anthony Perkins’ role on Broadway in
the Pulitzer Prize-winning Look Homeward, Angel, written by Thomas Wolfe and directed
by George Roy Hill.
“I think one of the reasons I got it is because I was so
thin,” he told Backstage in an undated interview. “I weighed 138 pounds at
6-foot-2, so I looked exactly right for this character, who was supposed to be
this gangly 17-year-old. I swear to God, I think my diet had something to do
with it.
“I was getting free classes at that point from a lady in The
Actors Studio who liked me. But I was a very lazy actor. I was berated by Old
Man [Lee] Strasberg over the years and some other teachers who used to tell me,
‘You’re not paying attention.’ But I did get training, in spite of myself.
“Fortunately, I did Look Homeward for two years, and what I
did while playing the lead and being paid was learn how to act. The stage
manager came backstage every night with copious notes, and his job was to keep
me on target. I learned how to act, really, on Broadway.
Scouts from Universal saw him onstage and wanted him to star
on a rodeo series.
“So I said, ‘I’m just going to go out [to California] and do
[that] and I’m coming right back to Broadway,'” he recalled in a 2013 episode
of A Word on Westerns. “Then I found out how much money they would give me just
to sit on a horse, and I said, ‘So long, Broadway.'”
In 1964, Prine played a doubting brother of David Janssen’s
Richard Kimble on the first season of ABC’s The Fugitive, and he had a
recurring role a year later on the final season of NBC’s Dr. Kildare, but
Westerns were his bread and butter.
In the 1960s, he guest-starred on Bonanza, The Virginian,
Wagon Train, Daniel Boone and Lancer and appeared in the Dean Martin-starring
Texas Across the River (1966), often doing his own stunts.
“I’ve been in many wrecks, as we call them, and broken my
knees and shoulders trying too hard to do stunts I should not have done and was
not qualified to do,” he said.
Prine stayed busy in the next decade, too. “I managed to
take on so many roles in the period during the 1970s because I never met a film
role I didn’t like,” he said in 2013. “I’m a working actor, I don’t wait a year
for a picture.” (He has more than 180 acting credits listed on IMDb.)
To promote the sexploitation thriller The Centerfold Girls
(1974), in which he starred as a sadistic serial killer, Prine posed nude for
the women’s magazine Viva in 1974. His other films of the era included One
Little Indian (1973) with James Garner, the Alan Rudolph-directed Terror Circus
(1973), Grizzly (1976) and The Evil (1978).
Prine played the father of Michael Manasseri and Lee
Tergesen’s characters on the 1994-98 USA series Weird Science and was the
“visitor” known as Steven on the 1983-84 NBC miniseries V and V: The Final
Battle.
He also acted for Quentin Tarantino on a two-part
Emmy-winning episode of CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2005. On
television, he was in everything from The United States Steel Hour, Peter Gunn,
The Defenders and Combat! to The Bionic Woman, Saving Grace, Boston Legal and
Six Feet Under.
Prine was married to actress Sharon Farrell from 1962 to
1963 and to actress Brenda Scott three times — from 1965 to 1966, 1968 to 1969
and 1973 to 1978 — before he wed Lowe in 1986. He also was romantically
involved with actress Karyn Kupcinet when she was murdered in 1963 in an
infamous unsolved Hollywood homicide.
Survivors also include his brother, John, and nephews
Nick (and his wife, Rhonda) and Kevin (and his wife, Kathy).
Filmography
Kiss Her Goodbye (1959) as Kenneth 'Kenny'
Grimes
The Miracle Worker (1962) as James Keller
Advance to the Rear (1964) as Pvt. Owen
Selous
Texas Across the River (1966) as Lt. Sibley
The Devil's Brigade (1968) as Pvt. Theodore
Ransom
Bandolero! (1968) as Deputy Sheriff Roscoe
Bookbinder
This Savage Land (1969, TV Movie) as
Timothy Pride
Generation a.k.a. A Time for Caring, A Time
for Giving (1969) as Winn Garand
Along Came a Spider (1970, TV Movie) as Sam
Howard
Chisum (1970) as Alex McSween
Lost Flight (1970, TV Movie) as Jonesy
Night Slaves (1970, TV Movie) as Fess Beany
/ Noel
Simon, King of the Witches (1971) as Simon
Sinestrari
Squares a.k.a. Honky Tonk Cowboy, Riding
Tall (1972) as Austin Ruth
Another Part of the Forest (1972, TV Movie)
as Oscar Hubbard
Crypt of the Living Dead a.k.a. La tumba de
la isla maldita, Vampire Women (1973) as Chris Bolton
One Little Indian (1973) as Chaplain
Wonder Woman (1974, TV Movie) as George
Calvin
Nightmare Circus (1974) as Andre
Centerfold Girls (1974) as Clement Dunne
Rooster Cogburn (1975) as Fiona's Husband
(uncredited)
The Deputies a.k.a. The Law of the Land
(1976, TV Movie) as Travis Carrington
Grizzly (1976) as Don Stober
The Winds of Autumn (1976) as Wire Hankins
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) as
Deputy Norman Ramsey
The Evil (1978) as Prof. Raymond Guy
Abe Lincoln: Freedom Fighter (1978) as Luke
Amityville II: The Possession (1982) as
Father Tom
They're Playing with Fire (1984) as Michael
Stevens
Eliminators (1986) as Harry Fontana
Chill Factor (1989) as Kioshe Jones
Life on the Edge (1992) as Dr. Roger Hardy
Deadly Exposure (1993) as Richard Anthony
Gettysburg (1993) as Brig. Gen. Richard B.
Garnett
Wolfridge (1994) as Jack Haig
Without Evidence (1995) as John Nelson
Serial Killer (1995) as Perry Jones
The Dark Dancer (1995) as Dr. Paul
Orenstein
The Shadow Men (1998) as MIB #1
Possums (1998) as Mayor Charlie Lawton
The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes a.k.a. X-Ray
Boy, X-treme Teens (1999) as Malcolm Baker
Witchouse 2: Blood Coven (2000) as Sheriff
Jake Harmon / Angus Westmore
Critical Mass (2001) as Sen. Cook
Sweet Home Alabama (2002) as Sheriff Holt
(uncredited)
Gods and Generals (2003) as Brig. Gen.
Richard B. Garnett (uncredited)
Glass Trap (2005) as Sheriff Ed
The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) as Angry Man
Hell to Pay (2005) as Matt Elden
Daltry Calhoun (2005) as Sheriff Cabot
Sutures (2009) as Dr. Hopkins
Treasure of the Black Jaguar (2010) as
Andrew Prine
Lords of Salem (2012) as Reverend Jonathan
Hawthorne
Beyond the Farthest Star (2015) as Senator
John Cutter
Television
U.S. Steel Hour (1 episode, 1957)
Playhouse 90 (1 episode, 1960)
Tombstone Territory (1 episode,
"Revenge", 1960)
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond (1 episode,
1960)
Overland Trail (1 episode, "Sour
Annie", 1960)
Peter Gunn (1 episode, 1960)
The DuPont Show of the Month (1 episode,
1961)
Have Gun — Will Travel (2 episodes,
1960–1961)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1 episode, 1962)
The Defenders (1 episode, 1962)
Alcoa Premiere (2 episodes, 1961–1962)
The New Breed (1 episode, 1962)
Ben Casey (1 episode, 1962)
The Wide Country (28 episodes, 1962–1963)
Vacation Playhouse (1 episode, 1963)
Gunsmoke (3 episodes); as Billy Joe in
S7E33’s “The Prisoner” (1962); as Clay Tatum on S8E5’s “False Front” (1962)
& as Elmo Sippy in S9E5’s “Easy Come” (1963)
The Lieutenant (1 episode, 1963)
The Great Adventure (1 episode, 1963)
Advance to the Rear (1964)
Profiles in Courage (1 episode, 1964)
Wagon Train a.k.a. Major Adams, Trail
Master (2 episodes, 1964–1965)
Combat! (1 episode, "Billy the
Kid", 1965)
Kraft Suspense Theatre (1 episode, 1965)
Bonanza (1 episode, "Jonah",
1965)
Dr. Kildare (7 episodes, 1963–1965)
Convoy (1 episode, 1965)
Twelve O'Clock High (2 episodes, 1964–1965)
The Fugitive (2 episodes, 1964–1965)
The Road West (Unknown episodes, 1966)
Tarzan (1 episode, 1966)
The Invaders (1 episode, 1967)
Daniel Boone (1 episode, 1968)
Felony Squad (1 episode, 1968)
Ironside (2 episodes, 1968)
The Virginian (5 episodes, 1965–1969)
Love, American Style (1 episode, 1969)
Insight (1 episode, 1970)
Lancer (2 episodes, 1968–1970)
The Name of the Game (2 episodes,
1968–1970)
Matt Lincoln (1 episode, 1970)
The Most Deadly Game (1 episode, 1970)
Dan August (1 episode, 1970)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1 episode,
1971)
Dr. Simon Locke a.k.a. Police Surgeon (1
episode, 1971)
The F.B.I. (3 episodes, 1968–1973)
The Delphi Bureau (1 episode, 1973)
Kung Fu (1 episode, 1974)
Banacek (1 episode, 1974)
Hawkins (1 episode, 1974)
Barnaby Jones (2 episodes, 1973–1974)
Cannon (2 episodes, 1971–1974)
Amy Prentiss (1 episode, 1974)
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1 episode,
"Demon in Lace", 1975)
Barbary Coast (1 episode, 1975)
Hawaii Five-O (1 episode, 1975)
The Family Holvak (2 episodes, 1975)
Riding With Death (1 episode, 1976)
Baretta (2 episodes, 1975–1976)
Quincy, M.E. (1 episode, 1977)
Tail Gunner Joe (1977)
Hunter (1 episode, 1977)
The Bionic Woman (1 episode, 1977)
The Last of the Mohicans (1977)
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
a.k.a. The Christmas Coal Mine Miracle (1977)
Abe Lincoln: Freedom Fighter (1978)
W.E.B. (5 episodes, 1978)
Donner Pass: The Road to Survival (1978)
Flying High (1 episode, 1979)
Mind Over Murder (1979)
The Littlest Hobo (2 episodes, 1979)
M Station: Hawaii (1980)
One Day at a Time (1980)
Callie & Son a.k.a. Callie and Son
a.k.a. Rags to Riches (1981)
A Small Killing (1981)
Darkroom (1 episode, Undated)
Hart to Hart (1 episode, 1982)
The Fall Guy (1 episode, 1983)
V a.k.a. V: The Original Miniseries (1983)
Boone as A.W. Holly in "The
Graduation" (1983)
Trapper John, M.D. (1 episode, 1984)
No Earthly Reason (1984)
They're Playing with Fire (1984)
V: The Final Battle (1984)
Matt Houston (2 episodes, 1984)
Cover Up (1 episode, 1984)
And the Children Shall Lead a.k.a.
Wonderworks: And the Children Shall Lead (1985)
Danger Bay (2 episodes, 1986)
Paradise a.k.a. Guns of Paradise (1
episode, 1988)
Dallas (1 episode, 1989)
Freddy's Nightmares a.k.a. Freddy's
Nightmares - A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series (2 episodes, 1989)
In the Heat of the Night (1 episode, 1990)
Murder, She Wrote (4 episodes, 1984–1991)
Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1 episode, 1991)
Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the
U.S.S. Indianapolis (1991)
Matlock (1 episode, 1991)
FBI: The Untold Stories (1 episode, 1992)
Room for Two (26 episodes, 1992)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1 episode, 1993)
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1 episode,
1993)
Scattered Dreams a.k.a. Scattered Dreams:
The Kathryn Messenger Story (1993)
Married... with Children (1 episode, 1994)
Weird Science (Unknown number of episodes,
1994–1996)
Night Stand with Dick Dietrick (1 episode,
1995)
The Avenging Angel (1995)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1 episode,
1995)
University Hospital (1 episode, 1995)
Pointman (1 episode, 1995)
Baywatch Nights (1 episode, 1996)
Melrose Place (1 episode, 1996)
Walker, Texas Ranger a.k.a. Walker (1
episode, 1997)
Silk Stalkings (1 episode, 1997)
JAG (1 episode, 1999)
The Miracle Worker (2000)
James Dean (2001)
Six Feet Under (2 episodes, 2004)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005)
Boston Legal (1 episode, 2006)
Hollis & Rae (2006)
Saving Grace (1 episode, 2008)
