jakeem Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 Actor Hugh O'Brian, who starred as the title character in the popular 1950s and 1960s TV Western "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," has died at the age of 91. The series, based on the life of the legendary 19th-century lawman of the Old West, aired on ABC from from September 1955 to June 1961. The program's opening theme song -- performed by The Ken Darby Singers -- was brief but memorable: In the 1970s, O'Brian starred in the NBC adventure series "Search," which echoed the format of another program on the network -- "The Name of the Game." O'Brian alternated episodes with Doug McClure and Tony Franciosa (a NOTG alumnus). The trio played investigators for a high-tech corporation who -- thanks to audio and visual aids -- were always connected to a computerized home base supervised by a director played by Burgess Meredith. The series, which was launched as a TV-movie titled "Probe," only ran one season -- from September 1972 to August 1973. O'Brian's film appearances included "Africa Texas Style" (1967) -- which inspired the short-lived Chuck Connors TV series "Cowboy in Africa" -- and "The Shootist" (1976). In the latter film -- John Wayne's final picture -- O'Brian's villainous character has a climactic shootout in a saloon with Wayne's title hero. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hugh-o-brian-dead-life-925736 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 R.I.P. Mr. O'Brian http://hughobrian.me/home 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 Thanks for letting us know. Ray and I were just talking about him last week in one of the threads in the westerns sub-forum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldbestar Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I did not know about all this philanthropy as he usually made headlines with his playboy lifestyle; the character he played on that Perry Mason episode when he filled in for Raymond Burr seemed pretty close to the vest. Glad to know there was another side to him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 By coincidence I happened to watch The Fiend Who Walked The West last night. RIP, but I can't let a Hugh O'Brian thread go by without mentioning the classic Hollywood cycle of stardom: 1. Who is Hugh O'Brian? 2. Get me Hugh O'Brian 3. Get me a Hugh O'Brian type 4. Get me a young Hugh O'Brian 5. Who is Hugh O'Brian? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayban Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Hugh O'Brian had such a fantastic "presence" in his TV series, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 To THIS "boomer", this is sad news indeed. I grew up watching WYATT EARP, and can STILL sing all the words in the theme song. And you were KING OF THE BLOCK in my neighborhood if you had the toy replica of his famous long barreled pistol. And I remember the HUGE disappointment felt when I finally saw an old photo of the real Wyatt Earp. Rest in Peace, Hugh. You were and will be fondly remembered. Sepiatone 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Hugh O'Brian had such a fantastic "presence" in his TV series, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp". I always thought that he was one of the "studliest" looking of all actors. I'm surprised he didn't make it bigger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I always thought that he was one of the "studliest" looking of all actors. I'm surprised he didn't make it bigger. I saw the same thing as it relates to this looks (I.e. classic handsome all American male). Typically when someone with those looks don't make it big as an actor, the reason is their ability as an actor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Sorry to hear this. I hadnt realized he was that old. I just finished the recent bio of John Wayne and he had been interviewed and quoted a lot in the book...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I saw the same thing as it relates to this looks (I.e. classic handsome all American male). Typically when someone with those looks don't make it big as an actor, the reason is their ability as an actor. Olivier he wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibi Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 R.I.P. Mr. O'Brian http://hughobrian.me/home Are you kidding me??????????? WIsh I hadnt seen that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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