March 18 Birthday Wishes

Diana Miller [1902 - 1927]

Smiley Burnette [1911 - 1967]

Peter Graves [1926 - 2010]

Brad Dourif [1950 - ]

Peter Graves was a good actor. One of his first films was Stalag 17. Of course most people remember him from Mission Impossible or Airplane.

Brad Dourif is a fine character actor. Been around since the mid '70s. He played Frenchy Devereaux on the short lived Bonanza prequel Ponderosa (2001-2002).

Howdy Pards!!

Ole Smiley Burnette started his career back in the 40's. Besides playing a sidekick to Gene Autry, he also played sidekick to Ken Maynard, Roy Rogers, Sunset Carson and Charles Starrett (the Durango Kid). He wrote over 400 songs during his career and it was said that he could play over 100 musical instruments, some of which were his own invention.

Peter Graves was the younger brother of James Arness of Gunsmoke fame. Their real name was Aurness. Peter changed his name to Graves and James simply dropped the U in his name. Peter had 2 other t.v. series besides Mission Impossible. He had the t.v. series Fury, back in the 50's and also an Australian series called Whiplash, I believe. Like his brother James, Peter was an excellent western actor, often playing the villain, as he did in Yellow Tomahawk with Rory Calhoun.

Brad Dourif plays some of the most conniving, cunning, backstabbing roles in film. He first appeared in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson, then did the voice of Chucky in the horror films. His role of Grima Wormtougue in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Two Towers made me want to choke him till he wuz blue in the face, he was so evil. He played the slimey Deputy Pell in Mississippi Burning with Gene Hackman and William Dafoe and the evil .Dr torturing the aliens in Alien Ressurection. An EXCELLENT actor for horror and skulduggery films!! He's the kind of villain, you love to hate!!!!!

Ed

And we (well, Iain and I at least ) can't forget Dourif as Doc Cochran on Deadwood. A key role in the ensemble.