Stan Paregien, Editor
Ernest Grafe
Ernest Grafe, write, has worked as a reporter for newspapers, TV and radio stations. He's been a ranch hand in New Mexico and a gold miner in South Dakota. And he has written many novels along the way. He is the author of these "Jake Logan" books for Berkeley/Jove: Slocum in Deadwood, Slocum's Good Deed, The Silver Ranch Fight and Denver Gold.
Don Graham
Don Graham, author, lectures on "Life and Literature of the Southwest", on Western movies, and on the late movie star and native Texan, Audie Murphy. He has co-edited books on Texas literature.
He is the author of Cowboys and Cadillacs: How Hollywood Looks at Texas (Texas Monthly press, 1983), Critical Essays on Frank Norris (G.K. Hall, 1980), The Fiction of Frank Norris (University of Missouri Press, 1978), and Texas: A Literary Portrait (Corona, 1985). His articles have appeared in Texas Monthly. And he is the editor of South by Southwest: 24 Stories from Modern Times (University of Texas Press).
Tim Graham
Tim Graham, cowboy musician and singer, sings about the things he knows and loves. He was raised on a farm in the Midwest, where they raised pure breed Angus and Angus Hereford cross and did custom hay bailing.
Tim Graham has loved Cowboy music all of his life, and several years ago began to play and sing both traditional and contemporary Cowboy and Western Music. His album received a nomination for Best Cowboy Music Album from the Academy of Western Artists in 2000. That same year he was also honored with nominations for Best Western Vocalist and Rising Star. He also received a nomination for Best Western Vocalist in 2001.
Tim Graham's music and poetry are heard on radio stations in California, Oklahoma, and Texas, where his version of " Cattle Call " is a much-requested piece. He has been featured at the Ft. Worth Stock Show, the State Fair of Texas, Bosque County's Chisholm Trail Cowboy Gathering ( A Cowboy Tribute To President George W. and Laura Bush ), and The Western Heritage Classic, Abilene, Texas.
He has performed at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum's Invitational Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is a regular performer at several state parks, as well as private and corporate events.
CLICK HERE to go to Tim Graham's own web site.
Stewart Granger
(Deceased)
Stewart Granger , actor, was born James Lablanche Stewart on May 6, 1913 in London, England.Granger appeared in more than 60 movies. His Western film credits include The Wild North (1952), The Last Hunt (1956), Gun Glory (1957), North to Alaska (1960) and Old Surehand (1965).
Deborah Kerr & Stewart Granger in
King Solomon's Mine (1950)He was married to Caroline LeCerf (1964-1969), actress Jean Simmons (1950-1960), and Elspeth March (1938-1948).
Stewart Granger died of cancer on Aug. 16, 1993 in Santa Monica, CA.
CLICK HERE to see the complete filmography of Stewart Granger.
Kirby Grant
Kirby Grant, actor, was born as Kirby Grant Hoon on Nov. 24, 1911 in Butte, MT. He was an accomplished violinist early in his life and even had his own dance band when he was still in his twenties.
Kirby Grant appeared in some of his earlier movies as "Robert Stanton," then adopted the stage name of Kirby Grant. He had the lead role in 136 episodes of the TV show, "Sky King," with Gloria Winters and Ron Hagerthy. This was a "cowboy in the sky" show in which he was a pilot of a twin engine Cessna, "the Song Bird". It started in 1953.
Though "Sky King" was a highly popular show during its run, Kirby Grant was unable to use it as a spring board to greater success in TV or in movies. Instead, his next steady job was traveling with the Carson and Barnes Circus. He did that until 1970.
Still later, he later bought the title and rights to the "Sky King" show. However, a fire destroyed all but the first 72 episodes.
His final work was as a public relations director for Sea World in Florida.
He had a massive heart attack in 1978, but he underwent a triple bypass surgery and survived. Kirby Grant died in a car wreck on October 30th, 1985 in Florida.
CLICK HERE to see the complete filmography of Kirby Grant.
Peter Graves
(Deceased)
Peter Graves, actor in movies and on TV, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 18, 1926 to Rolf and Ruth Aurness. His older brother, James Aurness, also became an actor who used the name James Arness and found 20 long years of work as Marshall Dillon on the wildly popular "Gunsmoke" TV series.
Peter Aurness graduated from high school in 1944, then spent two years in the U.S. Army. In 1950 he married his sweetheart, Joan Endress.They wound up having three children, all daughters.
The handsome and intelligent young man went to Hollywood and found steady work in TV and the movies, where he used the stage name of "Peter Graves". Even today, many people are surprised to learn that he and Jim Arness were brothers. In 1966, Peter Graves actually directed his brother James Arness in an episode of "Gunsmoke" called "Which Dr.". I do not know of any instance, however, when they appeared on film together.
Peter Graves became the star of a TV show titled "Fury". Grave was the owner of the Broken Wheel Ranch and was a single-father of a young teenage son. The focus of the show was on their beautiful black horse named Fury. Long-time character actor William Fawcett was also part of the cast. It ran from 1955 to 1960.
In the classic 1957 movie "Stalag 17," Graves did a fine job of playing the despicable role of a German spy infiltrating the American troops being held captive by the Germans.
Peter Graves starred in 34 episodes of the long-forgotton TV show, "Whiplash". Like "Quigley, Down Under," this TV show was set in the wild West . . . of Australia. And like Lash LaRue, Graves' character used his bullwhip rather than a gun to subdue the bad guys who were out to stop his building a stagecoach line across Australia. The series aired in 1960 and 1961.
However, Graves rebounded from that short-lived series and made it to the big time in 1967. That is when he accepted the role of Steven Hill in the new TV series, "Mission: Impossible". He rode that gravy train until the show ended six years later, in 1973. He received a Golden Globe Award in 1971 for his work in the series.
Mission:Impossible team members: Peter Graves (front).
Back: Gregg Morris, Leonard Nimoy, and Peter Lupus.
By the way, I don't remember what year it was, but my family and I took that tram tour of Universal Studios one year. And, lo and behold, the only actor we saw on the movie set was . . . Peter Graves.
His career got a nice bump up in 1980 when he starred in the movie, "Airplane!" This movie, a comedic spoof of air travel and airlines, was a big success. So, naturally, he followed that with, "Airplane II: The Sequel" in 1982.
Graves starred in the sequel series of Mission: Impossible during its short run of 1988-90.
Then during the 1990's he was hired to be the host and voice-over for the A&E's "Biography" series. And in 1997 he received a "Primetime Emmy Award" for that work.
The other Western films in while Peter Graves had a role include "Fort Defiance" (1951), "War Paint" (1953), "The Yellow Tomahawk" (1954), "Fort Yuma" (1955), "Robber's Roost" (1955), "Wichita" (1955), "Canyon River" (1956), "Texas Across the River" (1966), and "The Ballad of Josie" (1967).
He also made guest appearances on such TV Westerns as "Cimarron City," "Laredo," "Branded," "Daniel Boone,"
Peter Graves reached a great milestone in his career when, on Oct. 30, 2009, he received his own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Peter Graves died at his house in beautiful Pacific Palisades, California on March 14, 2010. Reportedly, he had a heart attack. He was just four days shy of his 84th birthday.
Even a cursory walk through his filmography is striking proof that this man was a remarkable and gifted actor who left behind a large legacy of fine work. In addition, he was known as a devoted Christian and family man. He will be sorely missed.
CLICK HERE to see a clip of his old series "Whiplash".
CLICK HERE to check out his complete filmography.
References:
The Internet Movie Database
"Peter Graves obituary" at www.guardian.co.uk
Wikipedia
Check out Stan's other web site,
This listing is far from complete and may contain errors.
Therefore, all Western entertainers and/or their agents
are requested to submit recommended changes by
contacting Stan Paregien through his e-mail address.
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
--- Bible: Psalm 32:11
© 1999-2010 by Stan Paregien, Sr.
This page last updated on March 15, 2010
