September 16 Birthday Wishes

Lawrence Dobkin [1919 - 2002]
Morgan Woodward [1925 - ]
Jack Kelly [1927 - 1992]
Anne Francis [1930 - 2011]

Howdy Manco!!

Lawrence Dobkin began his career as an actor back in 1949 and it lasted over 50 years, until 2001. He appeared on all the ole 50's and 60's t.v. westerns as a character actor and also in some very good films, like Patton. The Ten Commandments, The Defiant Ones and The Rockford files. Somewhere in the 60's, Dobkin also went behind the camera and began directing. Some of his works include, The Big Valley. Dynasty, The Waltons, Vegas, Cannon and many more. I met .Mr Dobkin once, at the airport, where I worked. He came to ship out the dailies for the 1992 film, The Last Of The Mohicans, with Daniel Day Lewis, which was mostly filmed at Lake Lure N.C. Since he is not credited as either a director or an assistant director in this film, I can only assume he was part of the miscellaneous crew.

Morgan Woodward is one of the last of the ole breed!! He began his career in 1956, in the film, The Great Locomotive Chase and never looked back. He then took on the role of "Shotgun Gibbs" in the 50's t.v. series, The Life And Times Of Wyatt Earp. He holds the record for the most appearances as a guest star on both Gunsmoke, with 19 and Wagon Train with 12 appearances. He was also a regular on Dallas. He was presented with the Golden Boot award in 1988 along with the Golden Lariet award, the same year. He has appeared in Firecreek with Jimmie Stewart and Henry Fonda and Death Of A Gunfighter with Richard Widmark. I especially remember the Gunsmoke episodes" Matt Dillon Must Die", written by our fellow forum member, Ray Goldrup. Morgan has appeared in so many western films along with other genre, it is difficult to determine what he will be best remembered for. Although, his character as the "Man With No Eyes", in the Paul Newman film, Cool Hand Luke was unforgettable. Let me just say, " he is one of the best western actors ever and his retirement was ALL western fan's loss"!!

I guess I first saw Jack Kelly in the 1956 sci-fi film, Forbidden Planet. Jack began his career back in 1939, as a boy, but it was 1949 before he became serious about it. He has appeared in Fighting Man Of The Plains, The Redhead From Wyoming, To Hell And Back with Audie Murphy, The Stand At Apache River and many more, but it was in 1957, that he took on the role that he will best remembered for. That of James Garner's brother, Bart Maverick, in the long running t.v. series, Maverick.

The beautiful Anne Francis got her start as a bobby-soxer, in a 1947 fim, but it was the 50's, in which she hit her stride, with major roles in Bad Day At Black Rock, Forbidden Planet, Battle Cry and Blackboard Jungle. She also appeared in the film, More Dead Than Alive with one of the western stalwarts, Clint Walker. During the 70's, she moved into t.v. with her role as Honey West in the t.v. series of the same name. She continued acting into the 90's and just recently passed away. Seems strange that 2 of the birthday celebrities appeared in the same film back in 1956. Personally, I will always remember .Ms Francis as "Altaira Morbius", the daughter of Walter Pidgeon, in Forbidden Planet.

Ed

I was born when Honey West was on TV, but I watch those shows, and Forbidden Planet, and...Wow! When TV Land was airing Honey West in the '90s as part of their TV Land Crimestoppers, their tag line in the promos was "She's Sexy!" And they were right!

I think I first saw Morgan Woodward on Star Trek, first in the episode Dagger in the Mind, where he was a doctor on a penal colony that was driven insane by a machine used by James Gregory to "cure" criminals, and later in the episode The Omega Glory as a captain that interferes in a war on a planet in order to find the secret to the inhabitants' longevity. Years later I saw him in a bunch of episodes of Gunsmoke and Bonanza. One darn good actor!

Jim and I had a nice phone chat today with Morgan Woodward and wished him a happy birthday. He said he is having a very enjoyable day celebrating 87 years and is doing well. A real gentleman and a great actor. Yep. Yep. And Yep!!!