Jeffrey Hunter

Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.; November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as The Searchers and King of Kings. On television, Hunter is known for his 1965 role as Captain Christopher Pike in the original pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Early life Hunter was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Edith Lois (née Burgess) and Henry Herman McKinnies. His family was of Scottish ancestry. After 1930, he was reared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he graduated from Whitefish Bay High School. He was involved in school sports and began acting in local theater and radio in his early teens. Here, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

In college, Hunter appeared in two NU stage productions, including Ruth Gordon's Years Ago (as Captain Absolute). He also acted with the NU Theatre summer-stock company at Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, in 1947, appearing in Too Many Husbands, The Late George Apley, Payment Deferred, The Merchant of Venice, and Fata Morgana. He did radio work with the NU Radio Workshop and Radio Guild, and worked summers with the NBC Radio Institute in Chicago.

20th Century Fox Fox started off Hunter in a small role in Fourteen Hours (1951), shot in New York City for director Henry Hathaway; he and Debra Paget were two young people who connect while watching a man about to jump off a ledge. He had a two-minute scene in Call Me Mister (1951) and was a "campus Casanova" in a Jeanne Crain drama, Take Care of My Little Girl (1952), directed by Jean Negulesco. Hunter then was given a bigger part in the all-male war movie The Frogmen (1951) for director Lewis Milestone, supporting Richard Widmark and Dana Andrews;

Fox gave Hunter his first starring role in Lure of the Wilderness (1952), a remake of Swamp Water, directed by Negulesco and opposite Jean Peters. After Dreamboat (1952), where Hunter supported Clifton Webb and Ginger Rogers, he was given his best role yet, the starring part in a war film, Sailor of the King (1953), based on C. S. Forester's book, Brown on Resolution. Although financed by Fox, it was essentially a British film, with British talent — Hunter was cast as a Canadian to explain his accent (his casting led to some difficulties with British film unions).

Sailor of the King was a minor success, Filmink arguing Hunter "didn't have that X factor of great, or even second tier stars – Hunter lacked individuality, a presence that compelled the audience to look at him, and we think this is what would hold him back as a star for the rest of his career."

Career lull Fox lent him out, along with Debra Paget, to Allied Artists to play the abolitionist Owen Brown in Seven Angry Men (1955), with Raymond Massey in the lead.

Hunter then played an Indian chief in the Western White Feather (1955), essentially supporting Robert Wagner. It was a moderate hit at the box office. Hunter said after it, "I had no immediate pictures scheduled... Nothing seemed to be coming up. I wasn't thinking of leaving my studio — it's important having a major studio behind you. It was just that I was restless, and nothing seemed to be happening."

With a friend, Bill Hayes, he set up a production company, Hunter Enterprises. They produced a documentary, The Living Swamp. Hunter also began appearing regularly on television, having particular success in an episode of Climax! he made with Margaret O'Brien.

The success of The Searchers and The Great Locomotive Chase reignited Fox's interest in Hunter and the studio re-signed him, while giving him the right to make one "outside" film a year.

He supported Robert Ryan in a Western, The Proud Ones (1956). Hunter went over to Universal Studios and supported another older star, Fred MacMurray, in another Western, Gun for a Coward (1957), in a role originally meant for James Dean. Back at Fox, Hunter was reunited with Wagner as the James brothers in The True Story of Jesse James (1957), directed by Nicholas Ray (Hunter played Frank); it was mildly popular, although considered a critical disappointment.

Fox gave him a leading role in The Way to the Gold (1957), another Western. It was a low-budget production, but proved profitable. He was one of several leads in Fox's look at young people, No Down Payment (1957) – not a big hit, but the early work for director Martin Ritt received some critical acclaim. Fox sent Hunter to Britain to be an American star in a British war film once more: Count Five and Die (1957).

Illness In October 1957, Hunter started shooting for his role in the Universal film If I Should Die (later Appointment with a Shadow), but collapsed following his first day on the set, and was replaced by George Nader. He was off the screen for 14 months while ill with what was diagnosed as hepatitis.

Career after Fox

Hunter's next film was with Karlson; he played Guy Gabaldon in the Allied Artists film Hell to Eternity (1960), which was a hit at the box office. Gabaldon later named one of his sons Jeffrey Hunter Gabaldon.

Nicholas Ray cast Hunter in the role of Jesus Christ in the $8 million epic King of Kings (1961), produced by Samuel Bronston. "I've broken my shackles at last", said Hunter at the time. He told Louella Parsons, "Christ was a carpenter and 33 years old, and I am 33, and I suppose my physical measurements fitted the description in the New Testament. At the time of His death, He was robust, and not a delicate man."

It was a difficult part, met by critical reaction that ranged from praise to ridicule because of Hunter's youthful, matinee-idol appearance. However, the film was a box-office hit and remains one of Hunter's best-remembered roles. Hunter later said: "I still get an average of 1,500 letters a month from people who saw me in that film and share the beauty and inspiration I derived from it with me. There are some things that can't be measured in dollars and cents and how can anyone put a price—even the price of a million-dollar career—on the role of the greatest Being this mortal world has ever known?"

When Hunter returned to Hollywood, he deliberately selected parts that were different, such as that of a psychopathic killer in an episode of Checkmate and as the lead in a heist thriller Man-Trap (1961), directed by actor Edmond O'Brien.

At Universal, Hunter starred in No Man Is an Island (1962), the story of George Ray Tweed. He joined an all-star cast in the Fox World War II battle epic The Longest Day. Hunter provided a climactic heroic moment playing a sergeant who is killed while leading a successful attempt to breach the defense wall atop Omaha Beach in Normandy.

He traveled to Italy to make Gold for the Caesars (1963) with director André de Toth. He was set to costar with Spencer Tracy and James Stewart in The Long Flight when he received an offer to appear in a television show.

Later in 1965, Hunter filmed the pilot for another NBC series, the espionage thriller Journey into Fear, which the network rejected.

Later career With the demise of the studio contract system in the early 1960s and the outsourcing of much feature production, Hunter, like many other leading men of the 1950s, found work in B movies produced in Italy, Hong Kong and Mexico, with an occasional television guest part in Hollywood.

His films included the William Conrad thriller Brainstorm (1965), the Western Murieta (1965), the spy film Dimension 5 (1965), the Hong Kong-filmed but unreleased Strange Portrait (1966) and A Witch Without a Broom (1967), a comedy fantasy set in Spain. He guest-starred on Insight, Daniel Boone and The F.B.I.

After a cameo in A Guide for the Married Man (1967), Hunter took the lead role in a Western shot in Spain for Sidney W. Pink, The Christmas Kid (1967). Tab Hunter (no relation) recalled in his autobiography Tab Hunter Confidential how they swapped roles:

Hunter appeared in Custer of the West (1968), shot in Spain, before returning to Hollywood, where he supported Bob Hope in The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968). He returned to low-budget films such as Find a Place to Die (1968), a spaghetti Western, although in the lead role. He appeared in Italian films such as Sexy Susan Sins Again (1968) and Cry Chicago (1969), and was set to make A Band of Brothers with Vince Edwards when he died.

Personal life Hunter's first marriage from 1950 to 1955 to actress Barbara Rush produced a son, Christopher (born 1952). From 1957 to 1967, Hunter was married to model Dusty Bartlett. He adopted her son Steele, and the couple had two other children, Todd and Scott. In February 1969, just three months before his death, he married actress Emily McLaughlin.

Hunter was a Republican.

Death While in Spain in November 1968 to film Cry Chicago (¡Viva América!), a story about the Chicago Mafia, Hunter was injured in an on-set explosion when a car window near him, which had been rigged to explode outward, accidentally exploded inward.

In April 1969, Hunter was thrown against a train compartment while filming a movie in Spain. This led to him suffering from recurring dizzy spells. On the afternoon of May 26, 1969, Hunter suffered an intracranial hemorrhage while walking down stairs at his home in Van Nuys, California. He was found unconscious and taken to Valley Presbyterian Hospital, where he underwent brain surgery. He died at about 9:30 the following morning at the age of 42.

Hunter's funeral was held at St Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys on May 31. He is interred at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar.

Honors For his contribution to the television industry, Hunter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6918 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1950 Julius Caesar Third Plebeian Uncredited 1951 Call Me Mister The Kid Two minute part. 1951 Fourteen Hours Danny Klempner First film under the contract with Fox. Also stars Grace Kelly in a small role. 1951 The Frogmen Pappy Creighton First featured billing. First film with Robert Wagner. 1951 Take Care of My Little Girl Chad Carnes 1952 Red Skies of Montana Edward J. (Ed) Miller Alternative title: Smoke Jumpers. Billed third. 1952 Belles on Their Toes Dr. Bob Grayson 1952 Lure of the Wilderness Ben Tyler First leading role. 1952 Dreamboat Bill Ainslee 1953 Sailor of the King Signalman Andrew 'Canada' Brown Alternative titles: C.S. Forester's Sailor of the King, Single-Handed.First starring role. 1954 Three Young Texans Johnny Colt First Western. 1954 Princess of the Nile Prince Haidi 1955 White Feather Little Dog 1955 Seven Angry Men Owen Brown Alternative title: God's Angry Man. First film made on loan out to another studio, Allied Artists. 1955 Seven Cities of Gold Matuwir 1955 The Living Swamp Documentary film. Hunter produced. 1956 The Great Locomotive Chase William A. Fuller Alternative title: Andrews' Raiders 1956 A Kiss Before Dying Gordon Grant Filmed immediately before The Searchers but not released until after. 1956 The Searchers Martin Pawley 1956 The Proud Ones Thad Anderson 1957 Gun for a Coward Bless Keough 1957 The True Story of Jesse James Frank James 1957 The Way to the Gold Joe Mundy 1957 No Down Payment David Martin 1958 Count Five and Die Captain Bill Ranson Shot in Britain. 1958 The Last Hurrah Adam Caulfield Second film for John Ford. 1958 In Love and War Sgt. Nico Kantaylis Last film under contract to Fox. 1959 La ciudad sagrada Credited as producer; re-released in 1964 as The Mighty Jungle, combined with new African-shot footage with Marshall Thompson 1960 Sergeant Rutledge Lt. Tom Cantrell Last film for John Ford. 1960 Hell to Eternity Guy Gabaldon 1960 Key Witness Fred Morrow 1961 Man-Trap Matt Jameson 1961 King of Kings Jesus 1962 No Man Is an Island George R. Tweed 1962 The Longest Day Sgt. (later Lt.) John H. Fuller Credited as Jeff Hunter 1963 Gold for the Caesars Lancer Alternative title: Oro per i Cesari. Filmed in Italy. 1963 The Man From Galveston Timothy Higgins Pilot for Temple Houston. 1965 Murieta Joaquín Murrieta Alternative title: Joaquín Murrieta 1965 Uncle Tom's Cabin Alternative title: Onkel Toms HütteVoice, Uncredited 1965 Brainstorm Jim Grayam Credited as Jeff Hunter 1966 Dimension 5 Justin Power 1966 Strange Portrait Mark Film never released theatrically. 1967 A Witch Without a Broom Garver Logan Credited as Jeff Hunter 1967 A Guide for the Married Man Technical Adviser (Mountain Climber) Cameo role 1967 The Christmas Kid Joe Novak 1967 Custer of the West Capt. Frederick Benteen 1968 The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell Lt. (J.G.) Lyman P. Jones 1968 Find a Place to Die Joe Collins Alternative title: Joe... cercati un posto per morire! 1968 Sexy Susan Sins Again Count Enrico Alternative titles: Frau Wirtin hat auch einen GrafenThe Hostess Also Has a Count 1969 Super Colt 38 Billy Hayes 1969 ¡Viva América! Frank Mannata Alternative titles: The Mafia MobCry Chicago(final film role)

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1955–1957 Climax! Wesley Jerome PennPhil Aubry Episode: "South of the Sun"Episode: "Hurricane Diane" 1956 The 20th Century Fox Hour Dick Cannock Episode: "The Empty Room" 1958 Pursuit Lt. Aaron Gibbs Episode: "Kiss Me Again, Stranger" 1960 Destiny, West! John Charles Fremont TV movie 1961 Checkmate Edward "Jocko" Townsend Segment: "Waiting For Jocko" 1962 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Harold Episode: "Don't Look Behind You" 1962 Death Valley Days Capt. Walter Reed, MD Episode: "Suzie" 1962 Combat! Sergeant Dane Episode: "Lost Sheep, Lost Shepherd" 1963–1964 Temple Houston Temple Houston 26 episodesStar and Executive producer 1963–1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre GabeBarry Stinson Episode: "Seven Miles of Bad Road"Episode: "Parties to the Crime" 1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre Fred Girard Episode: "The Trains of Silence" 1965–1968 The F.B.I. Francis JeromeRalph Stuart Episode: "The Monsters"Episode: "The Enemies" 1966 Journey into Fear Dr. Howard Graham Episode: "Seller's Market" 1966 The Legend of Jesse James Jeremy Thrallkill Episode: " A Field of Wild Flowers" 1966 Daniel Boone Roark Logan Episode: "Requiem for Craw Green" 1966 The Green Hornet Emmet Crown Episode: "Freeway to Death" 1965–1966 Star Trek Captain Christopher Pike Episode: "The Cage"Released posthumously (1986)Episode: "The Menagerie"Footage incorporated from "The Cage" 1967 The Monroes Ed Stanley Episode: "Wild Bill" 1967–1969 Insight James SmithKen Episode: "Madam"Episode: "The Poker Game"