Rory Calhoun

'Rory Calhoun' (qv) was born Francis Timothy McCown in Los Angeles, the son of Elizabeth Cuthbert and James McCown. Rory starred in over 80 films and 1,000 television episodes. Before becoming an actor he worked as a boxer, a lumberjack, a truck driver and a cowpuncher. Tall and handsome, he benefited from a screen test at 20th Century-Fox, arranged for him by 'Sue Carol' (qv), a Hollywood agent and the wife of actor 'Alan Ladd' (qv), who is said to have spotted Calhoun while he was riding a horse in a Los Angeles park. He debuted on screen in _Something for the Boys (1944)_ (qv), with 'Carmen Miranda' (qv), billed as "Frank McCown". 'David O. Selznick' (qv) changed his name to 'Rory Calhoun' (qv), and after playing small parts for a while, he graduated to starring in western films, including _River of No Return (1954)_ (qv) with 'Marilyn Monroe' (qv) and 'Robert Mitchum' (qv). Calhoun's better-known pictures include _How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)_ (qv) with 'Lauren Bacall' (qv), Monroe and 'Betty Grable' (qv), and _With a Song in My Heart (1952)_ (qv) with 'Susan Hayward' (qv).From 1959 to 1960 he starred in the CBS television series _The Texan (1958)_ (qv). More than two decades later he returned to CBS for five years as Judge Judson Tyler on the daytime serial _Capitol (1982)_ (qv). His final appearance, 70 years old but handsome as ever, was as Ernest Tucker in _Pure Country (1992)_ (qv). Calhoun has two stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame: one for motion pictures, and one for television.::Bill Takacs <[email protected]>