John Ericson (born Joachim Alexander Ottokar Meibes; September 25, 1926 – May 3, 2020) was a German-born American actor. He was known primarily for his television work, notably as private detective Sam Bolt on the ABC series Honey West (1965–66), and his roles in several MGM films of the 1950s.
Early life Ericson's parents were Ellen Wilson, a Swedish actress and operatic star, and Carl F. Meibes, who later became president of a New York food extract corporation. The family went to the United States from Belgium when he was three. After serving in the United States Army during the latter part of World War II, he enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included Grace Kelly and Don Rickles.
Career Ericson gained early acting experience with stock companies at the Gateway Theatre in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. On Broadway, he played the lead role of JJ Sefton in the original 1951 production of Stalag 17, directed by José Ferrer. The success of the play led him to be offered a contract by MGM.
Ericson made a number of films for the studio in quick succession in the 1950s. His first appearance was in Teresa (1951), directed by Fred Zinnemann. He also appeared in Rhapsody, The Student Prince, Green Fire (all in 1954), and in Bad Day at Black Rock (1955). He co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck in Forty Guns (1957). In 1958 he appeared as Sheriff Barney Wiley in the Western Day of the Badman which starred Fred MacMurray.
For the next 30 years, his career continued mostly on television. He appeared in the lead role in "The Peter Bartley Story" of the CBS drama The Millionaire. He appeared with Dorothy Malone in the episode "Mutiny" of CBS's Appointment with Adventure (which aired on January 1, 1956). He made guest appearances in The Restless Gun (1958) and Target: The Corruptors! (1961). Ericson also guest starred twice on Bonanza: he played Vince Dagen in the 1960 episode "Breed of Violence" and he portrayed Wade Hollister in the 1967 episode "Journey to Terror". From 1965 to 1966, he co-starred as the partner of Anne Francis on Honey West. (He and Francis had played brother and sister in Bad Day at Black Rock.) In 1971, he appeared as Jack Bonham on The Men From Shiloh in the episode "The Political".
He played the title role in Pretty Boy Floyd (1960), and his other film appearances included roles in Under Ten Flags (1960), Slave Queen of Babylon (1963), 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), Operation Atlantis (1965), The Money Jungle (1968), The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), and Crash! (1976). He also appeared in the stage musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.
In the mid-1990s, Ericson retired from acting and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife. He briefly came out of retirement to appear in the film The Far Side of Jericho (2006) and an episode of Crash. He also appeared on local stage productions in Santa Fe.
Personal life and death Ericson was engaged to Anne Bancroft in 1951."Anne Bancroft's Film Contract Gets Approval". Los Angeles Times. November 21, 1951. He married twice and had a son and a daughter from his first marriage to Milly Coury. He was married to his second wife Karen Huston Ericson for 46 years.
Death Ericson died of pneumonia on May 3, 2020, aged 93.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1951 Teresa Philip Cass It's a Big Country Naval Ensign Uncredited1953 Rhapsody James Guest 1954 The Student Prince Count Von Asterburg Green Fire Donald Knowland 1955 Bad Day at Black Rock Pete Wirth The Return of Jack Slade Jack Slade, Jr. 1956 The Cruel Tower Tom Kittredge 1957 Forty Guns Brockie Drummond Oregon Passage Lt. Niles Ord 1958 Day of the Badman Sheriff Barney Wiley 1960 Pretty Boy Floyd Pretty Boy Floyd Under Ten Flags Krüger 1963 Slave Queen of Babylon Kir 1964 7 Faces of Dr. Lao Ed Cunningham / Transformed Pan 1965 Operation Atlantis George Steele 1967 The Vengeance of Pancho Villa Don Diego Alvarado / Diego Owens The Money Jungle Blake Heller 1968 The Destructors Dutch Holland The Bamboo Saucer Fred Norwood 1969 Black Talisman Will Hunter 1971 Bedknobs and Broomsticks Col. Heller 1975 Hustler Squad Maj. Stonewell 1976 Crash! Dr. Gregg Martin 1978 The House of the Dead Talmudge 1984 Final Mission Colonel Joshua Cain 1989 Primary Target Phil Karlson 2006 Birthday Old man Short The Far Side of Jericho Charlie
Television YearTitleRole(s)Notes1950Lux Video TheatreMike1 episode1951Studio OneAnderson1 episodeThe Philco Television Playhouse1 episodeOut There1 episode1951–56Kraft TheatreHenry Cristof / Matt Wilson 2 episodes1952Mr. District Attorney1 episode1955Star StageRick1 episode1955–57General Electric TheatreRed / Wonder Boy Nick2 episodesCavalcade of AmericaJoe Loring / Leon Patterson3 episodes1956Appointment with AdventureThe Captain1 episodeStage 71 episodeChevron Hall of StarsSalem Abercromby2 episodes1956–57Climax!Cameron Lacey / Lindy Jackson / William Herrick3 episodes1956–58Schlitz PlayhouseEddie Markham / Gunner's Mate Eddie Younger / Paul5 episodesPlayhouse 90Johnny Hanneman / Leo West2 episodes1956–59Zane Grey TheatreWill Ruxton / Lane Baker / Linc Hardaway / Andy McCall4 episodes1956–60Letter to LorettaWill Hadley / Roy Hendricks / Carl Stanton3 episodes1958The MillionaireSgt. Peter Bartley1 episodeShirley Temple's StorybookBrom Bones / Hiawatha2 episodesWagon TrainDick Richardson1 episode1958–59The Restless GunHenry Wilson / Bud Rainey2 episodes1959The David Niven ShowTwist Thompson1 episodeAdventures in ParadiseJeff Hazen1 episode1959–61RawhideTom Bryan / Dan Fletcher2 episodes1960Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseDick1 episodeThe Chevy Mystery ShowRay1 episode1960–67BonanzaVince Dagen / Wade Hollister2 episodes1961The United States Steel Hour1 episodeMonte CarloUnsold pilot1961–62Kraft Mystery TheaterDick2 episodes1962Route 66David Job1 episodeTarget: The Corruptors!Grauer1 episodeThe Dick Powell ShowFitz1 episode1963–65Burke's LawGil Harris / Frank Jorek / Sam Bolt3 episodes1965The FugitiveLars1 episodeProfiles in CourageCalvin Pilleo1 episodeVacation PlayhousePete1 episode1965–66Honey WestSam Bolt30 episodes1967The InvadersHardy Smith1 episode1968–73The F.B.I.Sgt. Devlin / Craig Walden2 episodes1969GunsmokeBlaine Copperton1 episode1969–71Medical CenterPete Duncan / Steve Crowley2 episodes1970IronsideFred1 episodeMarcus Welby, M.D.Peter Barton1 episode1971The VirginianJack Bonham1 episodeLongstreetFrank Glendon1 episode1972The Bounty ManBilly Riddle TV movieAssignment ViennaJonathan1 episode1973TenaflyKen Sheperd1 episodeEscape1 episode1974Hog WildMorris MelborneTV movieHawkinsFrank Pearson1 episodeThe Wide World of MysteryMurray1 episodeDoc ElliotRaymond Boardlow1 episodeThe Streets of San FranciscoShelby1 episode1974–75Police StoryLieutenant Charlie Parks / Investigator Logan2 episodes1975Barbary CoastMcCord1 episodeS.W.A.T.Captain Brenner2 episodes1977Police WomanBert Travis1 episodeThe Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew MysteriesCaptain Rogers1 episode1978Vega$Mr. Smith1 episode1978–83CHiPsBob Patterson / Captain Burke2 episodes1978–84Fantasy IslandPoliceman / Ellis Lathrop / Gene Collins / Hawkins4 episodes1980The Ghosts of Buxley HallGeorge RossTV movie1981Nero WolfeArthur Poor1 episode1982One Day at a TimeClint Wilkens1 episode1983Knight RiderPhillip Royce1 episodeThe A-TeamCalvin Cutter1 episode1984AutomanWoodrow 'Woody' Oster1 episodeAirwolfDr. Karl Krüger1 episode1985Robert Kennedy & His TimesSenatorMiniseriesMurder, She WroteHenderson Wheatley1 episode1987General HospitalEric Ingstrom1989Hardball1 episode2008CrashDoctor's Father1 episode
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