Jeff Chandler
Jeff Chandler was born in 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised by his mother after his parents separated when he was a child. He attended Erasmus Hall High School, the alma mater of many stage and film personalities, where he acted in school plays; his schoolmates included Susan Hayward. He took a drama course at the Feagin School of Dramatic Art in New York. He worked briefly in radio, then got a job in a stock company on Long Island as an actor and stage manager. He worked for two years in stock companies, including a performance of The Trojan Horse opposite famous singers and actors Gordon MacRae and his wife Sheila MacRae, who became his good friends. He formed his own company, the Shady Lane Playhouse, in Illinois in the summer of 1941. The company toured the Midwest with some success, presenting such plays as The Bad Man, Seventh Heaven, The New Minister, and Pigs. When America entered World War II, he enlisted in the army. He served for four years, mostly in the Aleutians, finishing with the rank of lieutenant.
After being discharged from the Army, he moved to Los Angeles in December 1945. He got his first job as a radio actor in May 1946, appearing on Rogue’s Gallery with Dick Powell. He appeared in episodes of anthology drama series such as Escape and Academy Award Theater, and became well known for playing the lead in Michael Shayne. He played bashful biology teacher Phillip Boynton on Our Miss Brooks. He was the first actor to portray Chad Remington in Frontier Town.
His first film role was as a singer in Thrill of a Romance (1945). In his first Western film he played Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950). He appeared in 12 Western films with stars: James Stewart, Joseph Cotton, Linda Darnell, Cornel Wilde, Susan Cabot, Lyle Bettger, Maureen O’Hara, John McIntire, Rock Hudson, Anne Baxter, Rory Calhoun, Dorothy Malone, Ward Bond, Joanne Dru, Susan Hayward, Fess Parker, John Saxon. Some non-Western films he appeared in were: Sword in the Desert, Man In The Shadows, Female on the Beach, Yankee Buccaneer, Away All Boats. His leading ladies included Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford and June Allyson. In his final film he played Brig. General Frank D. Merrill in Merrill’s Marauders (1962).
He made guest appearances on various TV talk shows and variety shows, but not in any dramatic shows.
He had a fine singing voice and at the height of his film fame he recorded several successful albums for Liberty Records. Had concurrent success as a recording artist, wrote music, played violin, and owned Chandler Music, a publishing company.
He played the role of Chiricahua Apache Chief Cochise in 3 films: Broken Arrow, The Battle at Apache Pass and Taza, Son of Cochise.
When his friend Sammy Davis Jr. lost an eye in an accident and was in danger of losing the other, Chandler offered to give Davis one of his own eyes. He had nearly lost an eye and had been visibly scarred in an auto accident years earlier.
In 1951 he was nominated for the Academy Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar, and the Picturegoer Gold Medal Best Actor Award, for his role in Broken Arrow. In 1958 and 1959 he was nominated for the Golden Laurel Top Male Star Award. In 1960 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in motion pictures. His film career spanned 16 years, during which he appeared in almost 50 films.
While working on Merrill's Marauders in the Philippines, on April 15, 1961, he injured his back while playing baseball with U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers who served as extras in the film. He had injections to deaden the pain and enable him to finish the production. On May 13, 1961, he entered a hospital in Culver City, California, and had surgery for a spinal disc herniation. Severe complications arose; an artery was damaged, and he hemorrhaged. On May 17, in a seven-and-a-half-hour emergency operation following the original surgery, he was given 55 pints of blood. A third operation followed, on May 27, where he received an additional 20 pints of blood.
He died at the age of 42 on June 17, 1961. The cause was a blood infection complicated by pneumonia. An investigation ensued into his death. It was deemed malpractice and resulted in a large lawsuit and settlement for his children.
The Los Angeles Times obituary stated of him: “Known for his careful attention to detail in making pictures, Chandler was often described as introverted. But colleagues who worked with him closely said he had an easy, light-hearted approach on the set that helped ease some of the strain of production.”
Jeff Chandler
Jeff Chandler was born in 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised by his mother after his parents separated when he was a child. He attended Erasmus Hall High School, the alma mater of many stage and film personalities, where he acted in school plays; his schoolmates included Susan Hayward. He took a drama course at the Feagin School of Dramatic Art in New York. He worked briefly in radio, then got a job in a stock company on Long Island as an actor and stage manager. He worked for two years in stock companies, including a performance of The Trojan Horse opposite famous singers and actors Gordon MacRae and his wife Sheila MacRae, who became his good friends. He formed his own company, the Shady Lane Playhouse, in Illinois in the summer of 1941. The company toured the Midwest with some success, presenting such plays as The Bad Man, Seventh Heaven, The New Minister, and Pigs. When America entered World War II, he enlisted in the army. He served for four years, mostly in the Aleutians, finishing with the rank of lieutenant.
After being discharged from the Army, he moved to Los Angeles in December 1945. He got his first job as a radio actor in May 1946, appearing on Rogue’s Gallery with Dick Powell. He appeared in episodes of anthology drama series such as Escape and Academy Award Theater, and became well known for playing the lead in Michael Shayne. He played bashful biology teacher Phillip Boynton on Our Miss Brooks. He was the first actor to portray Chad Remington in Frontier Town.
His first film role was as a singer in Thrill of a Romance (1945). In his first Western film he played Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950). He appeared in 12 Western films with stars: James Stewart, Joseph Cotton, Linda Darnell, Cornel Wilde, Susan Cabot, Lyle Bettger, Maureen O’Hara, John McIntire, Rock Hudson, Anne Baxter, Rory Calhoun, Dorothy Malone, Ward Bond, Joanne Dru, Susan Hayward, Fess Parker, John Saxon. Some non-Western films he appeared in were: Sword in the Desert, Man In The Shadows, Female on the Beach, Yankee Buccaneer, Away All Boats. His leading ladies included Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford and June Allyson. In his final film he played Brig. General Frank D. Merrill in Merrill’s Marauders (1962).
He made guest appearances on various TV talk shows and variety shows, but not in any dramatic shows.
He had a fine singing voice and at the height of his film fame he recorded several successful albums for Liberty Records. Had concurrent success as a recording artist, wrote music, played violin, and owned Chandler Music, a publishing company.
He played the role of Chiricahua Apache Chief Cochise in 3 films: Broken Arrow, The Battle at Apache Pass and Taza, Son of Cochise.
When his friend Sammy Davis Jr. lost an eye in an accident and was in danger of losing the other, Chandler offered to give Davis one of his own eyes. He had nearly lost an eye and had been visibly scarred in an auto accident years earlier.
In 1951 he was nominated for the Academy Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar, and the Picturegoer Gold Medal Best Actor Award, for his role in Broken Arrow. In 1958 and 1959 he was nominated for the Golden Laurel Top Male Star Award. In 1960 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in motion pictures. His film career spanned 16 years, during which he appeared in almost 50 films.
While working on Merrill's Marauders in the Philippines, on April 15, 1961, he injured his back while playing baseball with U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers who served as extras in the film. He had injections to deaden the pain and enable him to finish the production. On May 13, 1961, he entered a hospital in Culver City, California, and had surgery for a spinal disc herniation. Severe complications arose; an artery was damaged, and he hemorrhaged. On May 17, in a seven-and-a-half-hour emergency operation following the original surgery, he was given 55 pints of blood. A third operation followed, on May 27, where he received an additional 20 pints of blood.
He died at the age of 42 on June 17, 1961. The cause was a blood infection complicated by pneumonia. An investigation ensued into his death. It was deemed malpractice and resulted in a large lawsuit and settlement for his children.
The Los Angeles Times obituary stated of him: “Known for his careful attention to detail in making pictures, Chandler was often described as introverted. But colleagues who worked with him closely said he had an easy, light-hearted approach on the set that helped ease some of the strain of production.”