Jack Starrett
Jack Starrett | |
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Born | Claude Ennis Starrett Jr. November 2, 1936 Refugio, Texas, U.S. |
Died | March 27, 1989 Sherman Oaks, California, U.S. | (aged 52)
Occupation | Actor, film director |
Years active | 1961–1987 |
Spouse(s) | Valerie Starrett |
Claude Ennis "Jack" Starrett Jr.[1] (November 2, 1936 – March 27, 1989) was an American actor and film director.[2]
Starrett is perhaps best known for his role as Gabby Johnson, a parody of George "Gabby" Hayes, in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles and is also known for his role as the brutal deputy Art Galt in the 1982 action film First Blood. He also played the cruel foreman Swick in The River.
Starrett acted in the biker films The Born Losers, Hells Angels on Wheels (both from 1967), Angels from Hell (1968) and Hell's Bloody Devils (1970), and directed two more: Run, Angel, Run in 1969 and Nam's Angels (1970) as well as the horror film Race with the Devil (1975) - that was filmed in his home state of Texas - in which he also played a gas station attendant.
Life and career[]
Starrett was raised in Refugio, Texas and worked in the oil fields before coming to Hollywood.[3]
Starrett starred in the 1961 film Like Father Like Son as Coach Jennings, and later reprised the role in The Young Sinner in 1965 and Like Father Like Son in 1987.
Valerie Starrett, Jack's wife at one time, said Jack had always wished to direct rather than act. He made an uncredited first attempt at direction when the original director of The Girls from Thunder Strip. (Can someone please finish the sentence above?) [4]
Through his career, Starrett directed feature films and episodes of television programs. In addition, he made guest appearances on TV shows including Hill Street Blues, Hunter, The A-Team, and Knight Rider (in which he made three guest appearances as different characters.) Starrett starred in three short films directed by Tony Schweikle, "Legend of the Durango Kid," "Colorado Rid'n High" and "Nolo Bait." Starrett and Schweikle stayed close friends until the day Starrett died. Jack called Tony on Good Friday complaining he was not feeling well. Asked will he go to a doctor, Jack replied I'll lie here until I get better, it worked dozens of other times. He died on Easter. At his funeral there were several photos of Jack as The Durango Kid. Charles Starrett was his boyhood idol. He turned down Tony's first offer to play the part of Cascade Charlie, but when Schweikle changed the title to The Legend of the Durango Kid, Jack immediately accepted. Charles Starrett played the Durango Kid in many films.
Starrett died from kidney failure in Sherman Oaks, California at the age of 52. At the time of his death he was married to Valerie Starrett. His daughter is Jennifer Starrett, who is also an actress.
Filmography[]
Actor[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | The Young Sinner | Coach Jennings | |
1967 | Hells Angels on Wheels | Sgt. Bingham | |
1967 | The Born Losers | Deputy Fred | |
1968 | Angels from Hell | Bingham | |
1969 | The Gay Deceivers | Colonel Dixon | |
1970 | Hell's Bloody Devils | Rocky | |
1970 | The Girls from Thunder Strip | Sheriff | |
1970 | Nam's Angels | Chet Davis | Uncredited |
1970 | Cry Blood, Apache | The Deacon | |
1973 | Kid Blue | Tough Guy | |
1974 | Blazing Saddles | Gabby Johnson | |
1974 | The Gravy Train | Gentleman Rancher | |
1975 | Race with the Devil | Gas Station Attendant | |
1976 | A Small Town in Texas | Buford Tyler | |
1979 | The Rose | Dee | |
1982 | First Blood | Deputy Sergeant Arthur "Art" Galt | |
1983 | Grizzly II: The Concert | Papas | Unreleased film |
1984 | The River | Swick | |
1987 | Like Father Like Son | Coach Jennings | Uncredited |
1988 | Death Chase | Lt. MacGrew | |
1988 | Brothers in Arms | Father | |
1989 | Family Reunion | Charlie | |
1989 | Nightwish | Professor | |
1990 | Hollywood Heartbreak | Lou Budowski | (final film role) |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Cade's County | Wilbur Bain | Episode: "The Mustangers" |
1977 | Nowhere to Hide | Gus | TV movie |
1979 | Mr. Horn | General George Crook | TV movie |
1979 | Survival of Dana | Police Photographer | TV movie Uncredited |
1983 | Hill Street Blues | Farley | Episode: "Moon Over Uranus" |
1983-1985 | Knight Rider | Hagen Lt. George Barth Sheriff |
Three episodes |
1985 | Wildside | General Abraham Wollock | Episode: "Well Known Secret" |
1985 | Hunter | Dennis Balzer Bartender |
Three episodes |
1986 | The A-Team | Wade Blackburn | Episode: "The Duke of Whispering Pines" |
Director[]
Film[]
Year | Title |
---|---|
1969 | Run, Angel, Run! |
1969 | House of Zodiac |
1970 | Nam's Angels |
1970 | Cry Blood, Apache |
1972 | The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie |
1972 | Slaughter |
1973 | Cleopatra Jones |
1974 | The Gravy Train |
1975 | Race with the Devil |
1975 | The New Spartans |
1976 | A Small Town in Texas |
1976 | Hollywood Man |
1977 | Walking Tall: Final Chapter |
1982 | Kiss My Grits |
Television[]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1969 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Two episodes |
1970 | Night Chase | TV movie |
1974 | Planet of the Apes | Episode: "The Horse Race" |
1975-1977 | Starsky & Hutch | Three episodes |
1977 | Roger and Hary: The Mitera Target | TV movie |
1977 | TV movie | |
1978 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? | Episode: "Class Underachiever" |
1978 | Thaddeus Rose and Eddie | TV movie |
1978 | Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus | TV movie |
1979 | Mr. Horn | TV movie |
1979 | Survival of Dana | TV movie |
1979 | Paris | Episode: "Decisions" |
1979 | A Man Called Sloane | Episode: "Sweethearts of Disaster" |
1979-1980 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Two episodes |
1980 | Beyond Westworld | Episode: "The Lion" |
1980 | Eischied | Episode: "Powder Burn" |
1981 | Hill Street Blues | Episode: "Life, Death, Eternity" |
References[]
- ^ "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997". Familytreelegends.com.
- ^ Staff report (March 29, 1989). Jack Starrett, 52; Adventure Film Actor, Director. Los Angeles Times
- ^ (April 1, 1989). Jack Starrett, Actor/Director in films, TV. San Jose Mercury News
- ^ Valerie Starrett Interview Sixties Cinema
External links[]
- Jack Starrett at IMDb
- Jack Starrett at Find A Grave
- 1936 births
- 1989 deaths
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- Deaths from kidney failure
- People from Refugio, Texas
- Film directors from Texas
- Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
- 20th-century American male actors
- Blaxploitation film directors