Eric Fleming

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Eric Fleming (born July 4, 1925 in Santa Paula , California - † September 28, 1966 in Tingo María , Peru ) was an American actor and screenwriter.

Life

Fleming ran away from home at the age of eight and made his way to Chicago, where he kept himself afloat with odd jobs. At the age of eleven, he got into a shootout and was injured in the process. After he recovered, the police sent him back to his mother, who had recently divorced his father. At the age of 15 (he pretended to be older) he joined the Merchant Navy and served with the Seabees of the United States Navy during World War II . While working for the Navy construction crew, he had an accident in which a 200 pound (91 kilograms) steel block smashed his face. After several surgeries and retirement from the Navy, Fleming took acting classes.

He began his acting career in theaters in Chicago and New York, making his Broadway debut in 1950 in The Tower Beyond Tragedy . Between April and May 1951 he played the title role in the children's series Major Dell Conway of the Flying Tigers . He then appeared in a few other television productions before making his feature film debut in Byron Haskin's science fiction film The Conquest of Space . After leading roles in the B-Movies In den Krallen der Venus alongside Zsa Zsa Gabor and Curse of the Undead , he received the lead role in the western series Thousand Miles of Dust in 1959 . In the series, next to Bonanza and Smoking Colts , one of the most successful western series, he played in 201 episodes between 1959 and 1965 the role of Gil Favor , the leader of the cowboys and boss of the rowdy Yates played by Clint Eastwood .

1965 before dropping the series to advance to his film career, and received a supporting role in the Doris Day - comedy film The Glass Bottom Boat . While filming the pilot of a planned adventure series in Peru , he and his co-star Nico Minardos fell into rapids in a canoe on the Río Huallaga . The canoe capsized. Minardos made it back to shore, Fleming was carried away by the current and drowned. Two days later he wanted to marry his long-time fiancée, Lynn Garber. His body was not found until four days later.

Filmography (selection)

Broadway

  • 1950: The Tower Beyond Tragedy
  • 1952: Stalag 17
  • 1953-1954: My 3 Angels
  • 1954: Portrait of a Lady
  • 1955-1957: No Time for Sergeants

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Fleming, Eric
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH 4th July 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH Santa Paula , California
DATE OF DEATH September 28, 1966
Place of death Tingo María , Peru