Jan Merlin

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Jan Merlin (2013)

Jan Merlin (actually Jan Wasylewski ; born April 3, 1925 in New York City , New York ; † September 20, 2019 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American actor and screenwriter . He became famous for his roles in westerns and in film noir .

Life

Jan Merlin was born the son of Russian-Polish immigrants. He attended New York's Grace Church School before joining the United States Navy . During the Second World War he served on three different ships and in 1945 was one of those soldiers who were stationed as occupiers in the Seto Inland Sea after the surrender of Japan .

After his service, Merlin received acting classes at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater . In 1946 he had his first appearances at the Summer Stock Theater. 1949 Jan Merlin made his debut on Broadway in the play Mister Roberts alongside Henry Fonda .

In 1950 Merlin gained fame through the role of Roger Manning in the science fiction television series Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, which was produced until 1955 . 1954 followed the first small film role in Formicula . In the following years he established himself as an actor in westerns and in film noir, including several leading roles. In addition, Merlin was seen in small supporting roles in films such as The Dead List , Chicago Massacre and The Hindenburg . He had one of his most famous film appearances in 1969 as bank robber Al in Woody Allen's Woody, the unlucky boy . In 1992 Merlin ended his film and television career, but he continued to work as a theater actor well into old age.

In addition to his work as an actor, Jan Merlin also worked as a screenwriter, including for the television program Another World , for which he received an Emmy Award in 1975 . In 2009 he received the Golden Halo Award for his life's work.

Jan Merlin was married to Patricia Datz from 1951 until her death in 1986. A son born in 1964 comes from the marriage. In his second marriage, Merlin was married to Barbara Doyle since 1988. He died in Los Angeles on September 20, 2019 at the age of 94.

Filmography (selection)

  • 1951–1954: Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (TV series, 30 episodes)
  • 1954: Formicula (Them!)
  • 1955: His Last Chance (Six Bridges to Cross)
  • 1955: Blood Money (Big House, USA)
  • 1955: Jackals of the Underworld (Illegal)
  • 1956: Voices of Terror (A Day of Fury)
  • 1956: Screaming Eagles
  • 1956: Murder in the Sierra Nevada (A Strange Adventure)
  • 1956: The Peacemaker
  • 1958: The Daredevils of San Fernando (Cole Younger, Gunfighter)
  • 1958–1959: The Rough Riders (TV series, 39 episodes)
  • 1958/1961: Perry Mason (TV series, 2 episodes)
  • 1960: The Relentless (Hell Bent for Leather)
  • 1960–1963: At the foot of the Blue Mountains ( Laramie ; TV series, 6 episodes)
  • 1962: Bonanza (TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1963: The List of Adrian Messenger (The List of Adrian Messenger)
  • 1963: Death rode in the saddle (Gunfight at Comanche Creek)
  • 1964: The People of Shiloh Ranch ( The Virginian ; TV series, 2 episodes)
  • 1964: Solo for ONKEL ( The Man from UNCLE ; TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1965: ... and slammed him down (Guns of Diablo)
  • 1965: ... because nobody is without guilt (The Oscar)
  • 1967: Chicago Massacre (The St. Valentine's Day Massacre)
  • 1968: The Boss ( Ironside ; TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1969: Strategy of Terror
  • 1969: Woody the unlucky fellow (Take the Money and Run)
  • 1969/1971: Cobra, Take Over ( Mission Impossible ; TV series, 2 episodes)
  • 1970: Mannix (TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1972: The Twilight People
  • 1973: The Slams
  • 1973: I Escaped from Devil's Island
  • 1974: Our Little Farm ( Little House on the Prairie ; TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1975: The Hindenburg (The Hindenburg)
  • 1984: Trio with four fists ( Riptide ; TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1985: The A-Team ( The A-Team ; TV Series, 1 episode)
  • 1988: The Last Song (Permanent Record)
  • 1989: Nowhere to Run
  • 1990: Evil Blood (False Identity)
  • 1992: A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story (TV movie)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Mike Barnes: Jan Merlin, Actor and Emmy-Winning Writer, Dies at 94. In: The Hollywood Reporter . September 23, 2019, accessed September 24, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Merlin, Jan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wasylewski, Jan (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American actor and screenwriter
DATE OF BIRTH April 3, 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City , New York
DATE OF DEATH 20th September 2019
Place of death Los Angeles , California