Jeffrey Hunter
The Film, Television, Radio and Stage Performances
$29.95
In stock
About the Book
Jeffrey Hunter is best remembered today for his roles as half-breed Martin Pawley in John Ford’s classic western The Searchers (1956), as Jesus Christ in Nicholas Ray’s King of Kings (1961) and as Christopher Pike, the first captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, in the original Star Trek pilot. This work chronicles Hunter’s entire film and television career from his beginnings as a 20th Century–Fox contract player to his untimely death in 1969 at the age of 42.
Fellow 20th Century–Fox contract player Robert Wagner provides the Foreword and contributes his memories of working with Hunter. Former vice president and head of Desilu Studios Herbert F. Solow discusses Hunter’s role in the original Star Trek pilot and Lloyd J. Schwartz shares his memories of being present at Hunter’s audition for the role of Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch (1969). Hunter’s “lost” film Strange Portrait (1966) is also discussed in detail and his radio and theatre career highlighted.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Paul Green
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 240
Bibliographic Info: 24 photos, filmography, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2014
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7868-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1441-0
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments v
Foreword by Robert Wagner 1
Preface 3
Introduction 5
1. Julius Caesar—Call Me Mister—Fourteen Hours 11
2. Take Care of My Little Girl—The Frogmen—Red Skies of Montana 18
3. Belles on Their Toes—Lure of the Wilderness 25
4. Dreamboat—Sailor of the King 29
5. Three Young Texans—Princess of the Nile 36
6. White Feather—Seven Angry Men 40
7. Seven Cities of Gold—A Kiss Before Dying 44
8. The Searchers 51
9. The Great Locomotive Chase—The Proud Ones 59
10. Gun for a Coward—The True Story of Jesse James 65
11. The Way to the Gold—No Down Payment 70
12. Count Five and Die—The Last Hurrah 74
13. In Love and War—Sergeant Rutledge 79
14. Key Witness—Hell to Eternity 86
15. King of Kings 92
16. Man-Trap—The Longest Day 101
17. No Man Is an Island—Gold for the Caesars 106
18. The Man from Galveston—Murieta—Brainstorm 111
19. Strange Portrait—Dimension 5 118
20. A Witch Without a Broom—The Christmas Kid 122
21. Custer of the West—The Private Navy of Sgt. O’Farrell 125
22. Super Colt 38—Find a Place to Die 130
23. Sexy Susan Sins Again—Viva America! 133
24. Jeffrey Hunter on Stage 139
25. Jeffrey Hunter on Radio 145
26. Jeffrey Hunter on Television 150
27. Temple Houston 160
28. Star Trek: “The Cage”—“The Menagerie” 167
29. The Brady Bunch 173
30. Legacy 179
Filmography 185
Appendix: Jeffrey Hunter Credits and Memorabilia 205
Chapter Notes 213
Bibliography 221
Index 223
Book Reviews & Awards
“When Green talks about the controversy in casting Hunter as Jesus in King of Kings and why he didn’t join the cast of Star Trek after filming the initial pilot, he is in peak form as a writer and an astute critical commentator. This well written volume is a must for Hunter’s fans”—Classic Images; “The coverage is detailed and the writing style informal and entertaining”—ARBA.
