Rod Cameron
Rod Cameron (December 7, 1910 – December 21, 1983) was a Canadian-born film and television actor whose career extended from the 1930s to the 1970s. He appeared in horror, war, action and science fiction movies, but is best remembered for his many westerns.
Films
Cameron was born Nathan Roderick Cox in Calgary, Alberta. He moved to Hollywood as a young man and started out as a stuntman and bit player for Paramount Pictures. His early films include Heritage of the Desert with Donald Woods and Russell Hayden, Rangers of Fortune with Fred MacMurray, and Henry Aldrich for President with Jimmy Lydon. He also played bit roles at Universal Pictures, including in If I Had My Way, starring Bing Crosby and Gloria Jean. In 1943, Rod Cameron gained star status in action serials for Republic Pictures. As crime-busting federal agent Rex Bennett, Cameron battled enemy terrorists in 15 weekly episodes of G-Men vs the Black Dragon. He was already working in another serial when audience reaction to Black Dragon made him a hit. Cameron was so popular that the studio turned the new production into another Rex Bennett adventure, Secret Service in Darkest Africa, with Cameron again battling against Axis agents. When cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown left Universal Pictures for Monogram Pictures, Rod Cameron replaced him as Universal's western series star. Tall and rugged, Cameron looked good in the saddle and was very popular. Universal soon gave him straight character roles in feature films, including Salome, Where She Danced and River Lady both co-starring fellow Canadian Yvonne DeCarlo. Universal reorganized and downsized its activities in 1947, leaving Cameron and other contract players unemployed. He was hired by Monogram Pictures for a long string of outdoor action pictures. In 1948, he starred in Panhandle (a movie with a script co-written by Blake Edwards) for Allied Artists. In 1949, Cameron appeared with Bonita Granville in the comedy film Strike It Rich, filmed around Tyler, Kilgore, and Lindale in east Texas.
Television
Cameron starred in three syndicated television series: City Detective (1953–1955), State Trooper (1956–1959), and the COronado 9 (1960–1961). In City Detective, Cameron appeared as the tough New York City police Lieutenant Bart Grant. In State Trooper, a 1950s-style western-themed crime drama, Cameron starred as Lieutenant Rod Blake of the Nevada State Police. In COronado 9, set in the San Diego area, Cameron appeared as Dan Adams, a private detective. State Trooper in particular was known for its surprise endings and notable guest stars despite not being affiliated with a network. Cameron himself guest starred in many westerns, including six appearances on NBC's Laramie, with John Smith and Robert Fuller. In "Drifter's Gold" (November 29, 1960), Cameron plays Tom Bedloe, an outlaw who has started the rumor of a nearby gold strike. When series lead Slim Sherman, played by John Smith, comes to Laramie to buy supplies, he finds the town nearly deserted and must pretend to be an outlaw to survive. Meanwhile, Bedloe is looking for Marcie Benson, the daughter he has never seen, played by Judi Meredith. Gregory Walcott plays Duke, Bedloe's partner in crime. In another Laramie episode, "Broken Honor" (April
