Biography

Enlisted in the US Marine Corps while working on Flying Tigers (1942). He was still filming his part as his reporting date approached, but the crew worked overtime to finish shooting his scenes. Shooting wrapped at 12:30 a.m., and he was with the Marines in San Diego 7-1/2 hours later.

On February 25, 1945, he earned a Silver Star leading a platoon of the 5th Tank Battalion, 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima.

[about director Spencer Gordon Bennet] He was a big . . . about 6'2" . . . quiet, gentle man who got what he wanted by just being nice. You couldn't possibly let him down, because he was so quiet and gentle and knew what he wanted. As long as you knew what you were doing . . . knew your part . . . knew your words . . . he was just as gentle as a lamb. His pace was even. He wasn't hysterical at all and he was very affable after hours when we went in to have a couple of drinks before dinner . . . he would mingle with the people . . . he was just one of 'em. When he worked, he'd bring you up to where he wanted you to be without you even knowing it. He planned things out, he knew where he was going. I never heard the man raise his voice. I got the feeling he was content where he was [on serials and B films]. He didn't want all the hubbub of somebody looking over his shoulder all the time. He knew what he wanted and knew his gentleness would get it for him.

I've been knocked on my rear by every western star, including Annie Oakley. When the price is right, I'd let anyone knock me down.

[on producer Armand Schaefer, aka "Mandy"] Mandy steered me very nicely, advised me what not to do and I'll be forever indebted to him for his clear-sightedness.

[on Terry Frost] He was a delightful guy to work with. I used to die laughing at him . . . every time he had one of those death scenes he would flip-flop like a fish out of water. [Director John English] said to him one time, "C'mon Terry . . . die already, will ya . . . we only got a two-reeler here". I liked working with him, he was fun, he relieved the pressure, he had endless energy.