Stuart Whitman

Stuart Whitman
Stuart Whitman
Background information
Born as:	Stuart Maxwell Whitman
Born	Feb 01, 1928 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	Mar 16, 2020 - at age 91 Montecito, California, U.S. Cancer
Spouse(s):	Patricia LaLonde (1952 - 1966) divorced Caroline Boubis (1966 - 1974) divorced Julia Paradiz (2006 - )
Occupation:	Actor (1940–2000)
Editor's note about articles in this category

Stuart Maxwell Whitman (✦February 1, 1928 – †March 16, 2020) was an American actor known for his lengthy career in film and television. Whitman was born in San Francisco and raised in New York until the age of 12, when his family relocated to Los Angeles. In 1948, Whitman was discharged from the Corps of Engineers in the U.S. Army and began studying acting while appearing in plays. From 1951 to 1957, Whitman had a run primarily in bit parts in films, including When Worlds Collide (1951), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Barbed Wire (1952), and The Man from the Alamo (1952). On television, Whitman guest-starred in series such as Dr. Christian, The Roy Rogers Show, and Death Valley Days, and also had a recurring role on Highway Patrol. Whitman's first lead role was in John H. Auer's Johnny Trouble (1957).

In the late 1950s, 20th Century Fox was on a mission to develop new talent; hence, Whitman was signed to the star-building program. Now part of the lead cast, Whitman appeared in Darby's Rangers (1958), China Doll (1958), Ten North Frederick (1958), The Decks Ran Red (1958), Hound-Dog Man (1959), These Thousand Hills (1959), The Story of Ruth (1960), Murder, Inc. (1960), The Comancheros (1961), and The Mark (1961), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Some of Whitman's subsequent roles included The Longest Day (1962), The Day and the Hour (1962), Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), Cimarron Strip (1967), and Night of the Lepus (1972). Whitman also acted regularly on television, with credits including Have Gun – Will Travel, The Streets of San Francisco, Love, American Style, Quincy, M.E., The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Pirate, Condominium, Knight Rider, Matt Houston, A-Team, S.W.A.T., Fantasy Island, Murder, She Wrote, Once Upon a Texas Train, Knots Landing, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Walker, Texas Ranger. From 1988 to 1992, he acted as Jonathan Kent on the TV series Superboy. He was seen in projects until 2000, after which he was reported to be retired, and he died in 2020.

Early life

Stuart Maxwell Whitman was born on February 1, 1928, in San Francisco, California, the elder of two sons of Cecilia (née Gold) and Joseph Whitman. His family was Jewish. His mother was a Russian Jewish immigrant, while his paternal grandparents were Polish Jews. However, in the 1950s, Whitman described himself to Hedda Hopper as "a real American – have a little bit of English, Irish, Scotch, and Russian – so I get along with everyone."

Whitman developed an interest in acting from the age of five. At the time, his father worked as a ticket collector at Tammany Hall, and he was sometimes allowed to watch plays. His parents married in their teens and traveled frequently during his childhood. His father later became a lawyer and transitioned into property development. Whitman began his education in New York, attending schools in Manhattan and Poughkeepsie. "I went to so many schools—26 in all!—that I was always an outsider," he later recalled. "It wasn't until high school that I could really read ... I always sat in the back of the room." Whitman's early love for acting emerged when he participated in three summer stock plays in New York at the age of 12, but "nobody took that seriously," he said.

His uncle believed he had the potential to be a boxer and trained him in secret. When World War II broke out, Joseph Whitman relocated to Los Angeles to operate oil-cracking plants for the government. His family also settled in Los Angeles, and Whitman graduated from Hollywood High School in 1945.

After school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Corps of Engineers for three years at Fort Lewis, Washington. During this time, he occasionally boxed, winning 31 of his 32 bouts. Whitman was a lightweight boxer for the Army during his tenure. The boxing match for which he was most known was one in which he had a difficult time against U.S. Army boxer Denny Dennison (né Archibald Dennison Scott III), whom he had faced at Hollywood High School. Denny, who entered active duty in January 1944 after five months in the delayed-entry program, had defeated his third opponent, who was considered his toughest matchup. Whitman was honorably discharged from the Army in 1948, while his close friend, Scott, completed officer candidate school the following year, ending his service with the rank of colonel.

Whitman originally intended to follow his father into law and used the G.I. Bill to enroll in Los Angeles City College, where he minored in drama. During his first year, he "figured that law was a real bore", and began to develop ambitions to be an actor.

I reached a point where I said, 'What are you going to do with your life? You got to get something going, ' he said. "I decided I wanted to spend most of my time on me. So I decided to develop me and educate me." "My father wanted me to join his law firm and dabble in real estate on the side," recalled Whitman. "There was a family row about boxing, but nothing like the battle when I told my father I was going to be an actor. He said, 'If that's the case, you're on your own.' No money from him. And he kept his word."

His father sold Whitman a bulldozer, which he used to support himself in college. Whitman would hire it (and himself) out to others to clear lots, uproot trees, and level rugged terrain. This work earned him up to $100 a day. He and his father later entered real estate development together, purchasing various lots in and around Los Angeles.

Whitman joined the Michael Chekhov Stage Society and studied with them at night for four years. He considered a career in professional football, but injured his leg in college. He then joined the Ben Bard Drama School in Hollywood and made his debut in the school's production of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which ran for six months.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Whitman's first marriage was to Patricia LaLonde (October 13, 1952 – 1966). They had four children—Tony (born 1953), Michael (born 1954), Linda (born 1956), and Scott (born 1958)—before getting divorced.

Stuart remarried in 1966 to French-born Caroline Boubis. They had one son together, Justin, before divorcing in 1974. In 2006, he wed Julia Paradiz, a Russian woman he met at a friend's wedding in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1971

Friendships

In an interview, Whitman said that he and Broderick Crawford clicked upon meeting on the set of Highway Patrol. Whenever Whitman was short on cash, he would tell Crawford, who continued to re-invite him. Both would hang out outside of work. Later, Whitman helped Crawford secure a role in The Decks Ran Red (1958).

Another The Decks Ran Red co-star Whitman commented on was Dorothy Dandridge, who was going through a divorce and had to institutionalize her mentally ill daughter. Whitman was impressed with her strength and described her as a goddess.

Whitman said that when he first met Peter Falk on the set of Murder, Inc., they had their differences but eventually became friends. Whitman found The Mark director Guy Green difficult to work with, considering him demanding and overly strict, but they became good friends afterward. On the set of Sands of the Kalahari, Whitman mentioned becoming best friends with fellow cast members Stanley Baker and Theodore Bikel. Although he didn't initially click with Jim Brown, they too became friends.

In the same piece, Whitman mentioned that Terry-Thomas was one of his best friends. After their collaboration on Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, they would meet for drinks, visit each other, and swim in the ocean at Whitman's beachfront home in Malibu.

Death

Whitman died on March 16, 2020, from skin cancer at his Montecito, California, home. Survivors included his wife, Julia; four children from his first marriage, Linda Whitman van Hook and Anthony, Michael, and Scott Whitman; a son from his second marriage, Justin Whitman; a brother, actor Kipp Whitman; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Career

Wikipedia article: Stuart Whitman Career

Wikipedia article: Filmography and stage work

External links

More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Stuart_Whitman ]

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