Lonny Chapman

Lon Leonard Chapman (October 1, 1920 – October 12, 2007) was an American actor best known for his numerous guest star appearances on television drama series.

Early years Chapman was the son of Elmer and Eunice Chapman. He was born on October 1, 1920, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and subsequently lived in Joplin, Missouri. He graduated from Joplin High School and, in 1940, from Joplin Junior College. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served in the South Pacific during World War II. He served for five years. in Norman. Later in 1947, he hitchhiked with Dennis Weaver, his best friend at the university, to New York City, where he landed the role of Turk in Come Back, Little Sheba.

Television Chapman's first role on television was in 1951 on the series Starlight Theatre, playing the part of an arrogant high-school football player in an episode titled "Miss Bruell". Throughout the remainder of the 1950s, he continued to be cast in other series and gain experience in supporting roles. In 1958 he portrayed detective Jeff Prior in the NBC series The Investigator. He appeared twice on the CBS series The Defenders from 1961 to 1965. Seven years later, he played another detective, Frank Malloy, in the CBS series For the People.

Some of the other series in which Chapman appeared in supporting roles or as a guest star include Gunsmoke, Harbourmaster, The Rifleman, The Lloyd Bridges Show, The Everglades, Decoy, Dundee and the Culhane, Mission: Impossible, Storefront Lawyers, Quincy, M.E., The A-Team, The Virginian, Matlock, NYPD Blue, Bonanza and Murder, She Wrote. In 1964 he also performed on Perry Mason, portraying a murderer, Jack Talley, in "The Case of the Tandem Target". He appeared as well in the 1966 episode "Lone Woman" of The Road West. Between 1972 and 1975, he guest-starred in three episodes of NBC's McCloud, which starred his friend Dennis Weaver, whom Chapman had originally urged to go into show business. In the late 1970s, he appeared in the episode "The Waterhole" on The Oregon Trail (1977), the episode "Now You see Her..." on The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978), and as the character L. Patrick Gray in the miniseries Blind Ambition (1979).

Film Chapman first film role was "Ernie the plumber" in the 1955 movie Young at Heart. During his lengthy career, his appearances included roles in East of Eden (1955), Baby Doll (1956), The Birds (1963), The Cowboys (1972), Where the Red Fern Grows (1974), Norma Rae (1979), 52 Pick-Up (1986) and Reindeer Games (2000).

Stage Chapman debuted as a professional actor on stage in Chicago, where he portrayed Wiley as in a company presenting Mr. Roberts. He also portrayed Tom in a revival of The Time of Your Life on Broadway and at the Brussels World's Fair. Chapman's best friend since his university days, fellow actor Dennis Weaver, had previously received that honor.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1954 Young at Heart Ernie Nichols 1955 East of Eden Roy Turner - Automobile Mechanic Uncredited1956 Baby Doll Rock 1963 The Birds Deke Carter - Diner Owner 1963 Gunsmoke Wade 1964 Perry Mason Jack Talley 1965 Gunsmoke Dove Bailey 1966 Gunsmoke Sipes 1967 Mission:Impossible Edward Hughes 1967 The Big Valley Jack Dobbs 1967 The Big Valley Cody Grell 1967 A Covenant with Death Musgrave 1967 Hour of the Gun Turkey Creek Johnson 1968 The Stalking Moon Purdue 1969 Take the Money and Run Jake - Convict 1969 The Reivers Maury McCaslin 1970 I Walk the Line Bascomb 1971 Mission Impossible Lt. Bill Orcott 1971 Welcome Home, Soldier Boys Danny's Father 1972 The Cowboys Homer's Father 1972 Run, Cougar, Run Harry Walker 1973 Running Wild Senator Frank Coombs 1973 Cotter Deputy Higgins 1973 The Rookies Crater Season 1, Episode 23 - Easy Money 1974 Where the Red Fern Grows Sheriff 1974 Hurricane Pappy 1974 Earthquake L.A.P.D. Captain Uncredited1976 The Witch Who Came from the Sea Long John 1976 Moving Violation Sheriff Rankin 1978 The Bad News Bears Go to Japan Louis the Gambler 1979 Norma Rae Gardner 1979 Hanging by a Thread Charles Minton 1980 When Time Ran Out Kelly 1980 Running Scared Pa Beecher 1981 Amy Virgil Goodloe 1982 The Border Andy 1983 Cave-In! Walt Charles 1986 52 Pick-Up Jim O'Boyle 1997 Nightwatch Old Watchman 2000 Reindeer Games Old Timer 2003 The Hunted Zander (final film role)