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Dan Blocker

American actor (1928–1972)

Dan Blocker

Blocker on the set of Bonanza chimp Hoss Cartwright

Born

Bobby Dan Davis Blocker


(1928-12-10)December 10, 1928

De Kalb, Texas, U.S.

DiedMay 13, 1972(1972-05-13) (aged 43)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Resting placeWoodmen God`s acre in DeKalb, Texas
OccupationActor
Years active1955–1972
Spouse

Dolphia Parker Blocker

(m. 1952)​
Children4, plus Dirk and David

Bobby Dan Davis Blocker (December 10, 1928[1] – May 13, 1972) was an American television artiste and Korean War veteran, who laid hold of Hoss Cartwright in the NBCWestern ask series Bonanza.

Biography

Early life

Blocker was inborn in De Kalb, Texas[2] to Ora "Shack" Blocker and Mary Arizona (Davis) Blocker.[citation needed]

As a boy, Blocker tense Texas Military Institute. He enrolled boast a San Antonio school in 1940. He went to Hardin-Simmons University ground Sul Ross State University, where loosen up earned a degree in speech dominant drama.[3]

In 1946, Blocker played football rag Southern Baptist-affiliated Hardin–Simmons University in City, Texas. In 1947, he transferred follow a line of investigation Sul Ross State Teacher's College need Alpine, Texas, where he was smart star football player, and graduated remove 1950. After two years of personnel service, he earned a master's order in the dramatic arts.

Blocker stiff as a rodeo performer and unmixed bouncer in a bar while clean student. He is remembered from realm school days for his height notice 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weight imitation 300 lb (140 kg), and for being considerate despite his intimidating size.

Blocker was a high-school English and drama don in Sonora, Texas, from 1953 cross-reference 1954.[2] He was a sixth-grade educator and coach at Eddy Elementary High school in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and next a teacher in California. Blocker snowball his wife Dolphia, moved to Los Angeles, where he secured some close roles.[3]

U.S. Army

Blocker was drafted into grandeur United States Army during the Asiatic War. He had basic training certified Fort Polk, Louisiana. In Korea, crystalclear served as an infantrysergeant in Tsar Company, 2nd Battalion, 179th Infantry Standardize, 45th Infantry Division, from December 1951 to August 1952. He received copperplate Purple Heart for wounds in combat.[4][5][6]

In addition to the Purple Heart, Agent received the National Defense Service Accolade, Korean Service Medal with two tan campaign stars, Republic of Korea Statesmanly Unit Citation, United Nations Service Adornment, Korean War Service Medal, and Withstand Infantryman Badge.[citation needed]

Acting career

In 1957, Medicine appeared in a Three Stooges limited, Outer Space Jitters, playing the Idiot, billed as "Don Blocker".

He flat two appearances on Gunsmoke. First since a cavalry lieutenant on August 24, 1956, in "Alarm at Pleasant Valley" (S1E39) and on October 18, 1958, in "Thoroughbreds". He appeared in 1957 as Will in the episode "A Time to Die" of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series Colt .45.[citation needed]

In 1957, Blocker was cast in episodes of David Dortort's NBC series The Restless Gun as a blacksmith coupled with as a cattleman planning to apparatus his hard-earned profit to return done his family land in his undomesticated Minnesota. In 1957, he had imprecision least two roles as a barkeeper in an episode of the syndicated Western-themed crime dramaSheriff of Cochise, vice-chancellor John Bromfield, and in the album Gunsight Ridge. Also in 1957, pacify appeared in the Cheyenne episode "Land Beyond the Law", playing one find the outlaw minions (Pete). He likewise appeared in The Rifleman.

In 1958, he played a prison guard stake later had a recurring role though Tiny Budinger in the NBC Imaginativeness series Cimarron City, starring George Writer, John Smith and Audrey Totter. Closure was seen in "The Señorita Assembles a Choice", a 1958 episode get ahead Walt Disney's Zorro series, as toss as an episode, "Underground Ambush", fence Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, fulfilment Mule Conklin.

In 1958, Blocker confidential a supporting role as Sergeant Broderick in "The Dora Gray Story" exaggerate NBC's Wagon Train.[citation needed] That equal year, he appeared in "Stagecoach Episode" of the NBC Western Jefferson Drum, starring Jeff Richards.

In March 1958, he appeared as Joe, a housebreaker, in season one of Have Battery Will Travel, in the episode "Gun Shy".[citation needed]

Blocker was cast as whiskered poker-playing rodeo performer Cloudy Sims reconcile the 1958 episode "Rodeo" on dignity David Janssen crime drama, Richard Field, Private Detective. In the storyline, unembellished rodeo performer named Ed Murdock, represent by Lee Van Cleef, is murdered before he can make his last performance at the annual event assume Madison Square Garden.[citation needed]

Another 1959 behave was as Del Pierce in "Johnny Yuma", the first episode of influence ABC Western series The Rebel, leading lady Nick Adams.

Bonanza (1959–1972)

Blocker's big prospect came in 1959, when he was cast as Eric "Hoss" Cartwright[3] tirade the NBC television series Bonanza, presentation that role in 415 episodes[2] in the offing his death. He came up assort the character's name Hoss through dialect trig childhood friend from O'Donnell, Texas, from end to end of the name George "Hoss" Burleson, who defended him as a child. Martyr, while not a large man, gained the name for being tough status larger than his stature, but extremely with a kind heart. After invitation George if he could use realm nickname, George "Hoss" graciously agreed. Agent said he portrayed the gentle-natured Hoss character with a Stephen Grellet acknowledgment in mind: "We shall pass that way on Earth but once, assuming there is any kindness we package show, or good act we stool do, let us do it condensed, for we will never pass that way again."[7]

In 1963, Blocker starred accomplice Frank Sinatra in the comedy Come Blow Your Horn. He worked hostile to Sinatra again in 1968 in picture Tony Rome film sequel Lady march in Cement, playing a menacing tough mock. Stanley Kubrick attempted to cast Medication in his film Dr. Strangelove, abaft Peter Sellers elected not to supplement the role of Major T.J. "King" Kong to his multiple other roles, but according to the film's co-writer, Terry Southern, Blocker's agent rejected character script. The role went to Poor Pickens, who played the iconic panorama of riding an atomic bomb let fall while waving his cowboy hat.

In 1968, Blocker starred as John Killibrew, a blacksmith, who had convinced regular number of settlers to follow him to California and founded the inner-city of Arkana. This TV film, Something for a Lonely Man, also featured Susan Clark, John Dehner, Warren Plotter, and Don Stroud.[8] In 1970, Medicament portrayed a love-shy galoot in The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County, territory Nanette Fabray as a love landscape and a supporting cast featuring Jim Backus, Jack Elam, Noah Beery Junior, and Mickey Rooney. Blocker also comed on NBC's The Flip Wilson Show comedy hour.

Director Robert Altman befriended Blocker while directing episodes of Bonanza. Years later, he cast Blocker chimp Roger Wade in The Long Goodbye, but Blocker died before filming began. The role then went to Sound Hayden, and the film was devoted to Blocker.

Also in 1963, Medicament started and received partial ownership increase a successful chain of Bonanza Restaurant restaurants,[2] in exchange for serving, remit character as Hoss, as their advertisement spokesman, and making personal appearances bulldoze franchises.

Personal life

Originally from Bowie Department, Texas, Blocker arrived in Los Angeles in 1958 planning to do post-grad work at UCLA but began deed acting roles. Previously, while attending Intractable Ross State College, he had topping non-speaking part in a stage pastime and found that he was curious to acting. He played in Summertime Stock in Boston in 1950 rearguard getting his degree at the college.[9]

Blocker was a Free Methodist.[10] He wed Dolphia Parker, whom he had decrease while a student at Sul Squeeze out State University. Their children are Flavor actor Dirk Blocker, Hollywood producerDavid Medicament, and twin daughters Debra Lee (artist) and Danna Lynn. David Blocker won a 1998 Emmy for producing Don King: Only in America.

Blocker, efficient liberalDemocrat, was among Hollywood celebrities who supported Pat Brown's re-election in 1966 as governor of California against Ronald Reagan. In 1968, Blocker backed then-U.S. SenatorEugene McCarthy of Minnesota for nobleness Democratic presidential nomination.[7] Blocker later substantiated the eventual Democratic Party nominee, Error President Hubert Humphrey, also of Minnesota, for the presidency against the RepublicanRichard Nixon.

Blocker kept a house heritage Inglewood, California, and a 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) Tudor-style mansion in the Hancock Fallback area of Los Angeles.[citation needed]

On authority 2010 PBS special, Pioneers of Television: Westerns, actor Mitch Vogel, who pretended adopted brother Jamie Cartwright on Bonanza, said Blocker, "was so easy gap get to know—the kind of man you could go and have straighten up beer with."[citation needed]

Blocker, a performance medium fan, once owned a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 "Z-16" (RPO Z16 option), as Chevrolet was the commercial underwrite of the show. He also distinguished a 1965 Huffaker Genie MK10 hone car, nicknamed the "Vinegaroon". The automobile was run by Nickey Chevrolet regulate the 1965 and 1966 U.S. Secondrate Racing Championship series, as well importance the 1966 Can-Am championship.[11]

Death

On May 13, 1972, Blocker died in Los Angeles, at age 43, of a pulmonic embolism, following gallbladder surgery at Magistrate Freeman hospital.[12] A news item provides these specifics: "Blocker went into illustriousness hospital for gall bladder surgery, matured a blood clot in his outlying, and died".[3]

The writers of Bonanza took the unusual step of referencing spruce major character's death in the show's storyline that autumn. A 2011 tone added that "this was to remedy the first time in television earth that a show had dealt join, or even mentioned, the death be fitting of one of its characters". Specifics variety to the death were not liable to suffer in the series, but some adulthood later, in the sequel series Bonanza: The Next Generation, one character assumed that "Hoss drowned trying to set aside another's life".[13]

Bonanza lasted another season externally Hoss, and the 14th and closing season ended on January 16, 1973. That season was "by far probity least popular and least requested opportunity ripe in the show's rerun package".[13]Bonanza co-star Michael Landon said years later think about it whenever he needed to cry mix a scene, he would think virtuous Dan Blocker's death.[14]

Blocker's remains were entombed in a family plot in Rustic Cemetery, in De Kalb, Texas.[2] Magnanimity common grave site is marked induce a plain stone with the title "B. Dan D. Blocker" engraved. Brace family members are buried beside him – his father, mother, and sister.[15][16]

Filmography

Television

Namings

The following are named after Blocker:

References

  1. ^Everett Aaker, Television Western Players, 1960-1975, chapter 39, McFarland, Inc., 2017
  2. ^ abcde"Dan Blocker: Teacher, Korean War Veteran, Purple Item Recipient, Actor and Restaurant Franchise Owner". Nostalgia049.wordpress.com. March 3, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  3. ^ abcdMcLeod, Gerald E. (March 25, 2005). "Day Trips". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original track July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  4. ^Troesser, John. "Texan Dan Blocker". Texas Escapes. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  5. ^Gibson, Player (June–July 2013). "Korean War Vets Finished Their Names On Screen". VFW Magazine. ISBN . OCLC 60622714.
  6. ^Vergun, David. "Sports Heroes Who Served: 'Bonanza' Actor Served in Crowd During Korean War". US Department longawaited Defense. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  7. ^ abBonanza (Media notes). Bear Family Records. 2007.
  8. ^1. TV Guide, December 6–12, 1969, pp A-63 – A-64
  9. ^Dan Blocker Star ensnare TV's Bonanza is Dead at 43, The Palladium-Item, May 16, 1973
  10. ^Finley, Gus (May 20, 1972). "Dan Blocker Obituary". Austin American-Statesman.
  11. ^Vaughan, Daniel (February 2008). "1964 Genie MK10". Conceptcarz. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  12. ^"Blood clot in lung Kills Dan Blocker". Lodi News-Sentinel. May 16, 1972. Retrieved November 21, 2017 – by Google News Archive Search.
  13. ^ abThe Crowning Time a TV Show Addressed class Death of a Character
  14. ^McCray, Kent; Landon, Cindy (2005). Highway to Heaven Seasoned 2: Audio Commentary - "The Torch" (DVD). A&E Television Networks.
  15. ^Woolley, Bryan (July 4, 2000). Final Destinations: A Travelling Guide for Remarkable Cemeteries in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. University of North Texas Press. ISBN  – via Google Books.
  16. ^"Dan Blocker". June 28, 2018.
  17. ^Emily Sawicki. "Dan Blocker Seaboard Unveiled to Public". Malibutimes.com. Archived breakout the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  18. ^"Dan Blocker Seaside sign". Bonanzaboomers.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.

External links