John Ericson

John Ericson (born Joachim Alexander Ottokar Meibes; September 25, 1926 – May 3, 2020) was a German-born American actor. He was known primarily for his television work, notably as private detective Sam Bolt on the ABC series Honey West (1965–66), and his roles in several MGM films of the 1950s.

Early life Ericson's parents were Ellen Wilson, a Swedish actress and operatic star, and Carl F. Meibes, who later became president of a New York food extract corporation. After serving in the United States Army during the latter part of World War II, he enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included Grace Kelly and Don Rickles.

Career Ericson gained early acting experience with stock companies at the Gateway Theatre in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. The success of the play led him to be offered a contract by MGM. In 1958 he appeared as Sheriff Barney Wiley in the Western Day of the Badman which starred Fred MacMurray.

For the next 30 years, his career continued mostly on television. He appeared in the lead role in "The Peter Bartley Story" of the CBS drama The Millionaire. He appeared with Dorothy Malone in the episode "Mutiny" of CBS's Appointment with Adventure (which aired on January 1, 1956). He made guest appearances in The Restless Gun (1958) and Target: The Corruptors! (1961). Ericson also guest starred twice on Bonanza: he played Vince Dagen in the 1960 episode "Breed of Violence" and he portrayed Wade Hollister in the 1967 episode "Journey to Terror". From 1965 to 1966, he co-starred as the partner of Anne Francis on Honey West. (He and Francis had played brother and sister in Bad Day at Black Rock.) In 1971, he appeared as Jack Bonham on The Men From Shiloh in the episode "The Political".

He played the title role in Pretty Boy Floyd (1960), and his other film appearances included roles in Under Ten Flags (1960), Slave Queen of Babylon (1963), 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), Operation Atlantis (1965), The Money Jungle (1968), The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), and Crash! (1976). He also appeared in the stage musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

In the mid-1990s, Ericson retired from acting and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife. He briefly came out of retirement to appear in the film The Far Side of Jericho (2006) and an episode of Crash. He also appeared on local stage productions in Santa Fe. He married twice and had a son and a daughter from his first marriage to Milly Coury. He was married to his second wife Karen Huston Ericson for 46 years.

Death Ericson died of pneumonia on May 3, 2020, aged 93.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1951 Teresa Philip Cass It's a Big Country Naval Ensign Uncredited1953 Rhapsody James Guest 1954 The Student Prince Count Von Asterburg Green Fire Donald Knowland 1955 Bad Day at Black Rock Pete Wirth The Return of Jack Slade Jack Slade, Jr. 1956 The Cruel Tower Tom Kittredge 1957 Forty Guns Brockie Drummond Oregon Passage Lt. Niles Ord 1958 Day of the Badman Sheriff Barney Wiley 1960 Pretty Boy Floyd Pretty Boy Floyd Under Ten Flags Krüger 1963 Slave Queen of Babylon Kir 1964 7 Faces of Dr. Lao Ed Cunningham / Transformed Pan 1965 Operation Atlantis George Steele 1967 The Vengeance of Pancho Villa Don Diego Alvarado / Diego Owens The Money Jungle Blake Heller 1968 The Destructors Dutch Holland The Bamboo Saucer Fred Norwood 1969 Black Talisman Will Hunter 1971 Bedknobs and Broomsticks Col. Heller 1975 Hustler Squad Maj. Stonewell 1976 Crash! Dr. Gregg Martin 1978 The House of the Dead Talmudge 1984 Final Mission Colonel Joshua Cain 1989 Primary Target Phil Karlson 2006 Birthday Old man Short The Far Side of Jericho Charlie

Television