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{{Short description|American actor (1920–1987)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

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19870610|20}}| birth_place = Greeneville, Tennessee, U.S.| occupation = Actor| party = | yearsactive = 1941–1987}}James “Jimmy” Dobson (October 2, 1920 – December 6, 1987) was an American actor.NEWS, Actor James Dobson, 67,books.google.com/books?id=LrNJAAAAIBAJ&q=James+Dobson+actor, 26 October 2022, Bangor Daily News, December 10, 1987, He appeared in numerous Broadway, film and television roles.WEB, James Dobson,www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/james-dobson-95067, Internet Broadway Database, August 25, 2022, February 28, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220228041441/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/james-dobson-95067, live, Metacritic stated that Dobson was a “supporting actor; he often played military men and appeared in many Westerns.“WEB, James Dobson,www.metacritic.com/person/james-dobson, metacritic, 26 October 2022, He is best-known as Lieutenant Pudge McCabe in the John Wayne film Flying Leathernecks.WEB, James Dobson,www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/james_dobson, Rotten Tomatoes, August 23, 2022, August 23, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220823223011/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/james_dobson, live, He was the dialogue director for the McMillan and Wife television series and also played various roles in a few of the episodes. He was Steward Anderson in The Love Boat TV series.WEB, James Dobson Papers,scout.lib.utk.edu/repositories/2/resources/595, The University of Tennessee, 26 October 2022,

Early life and education

The oldest child of Leta (nee McAmis) and Benjamin Dobson, James “Jimmy” Dobson was born in Greeneville, Tennessee on October 2, 1920. His father was a longtime postal employee for the city of Greeneville. James had a younger brother named John Dobson, who is also deceased. John was a librarian at the University of Tennessee.NEWS, Massey, Tim, Before Park, There Was Jimmy,www.greenevillesun.com/entertainment/local_entertainment/before-park-there-was-jimmy/article_380769f8-5165-5674-a14e-9724a6edd48b.html, August 23, 2022, The Greeneville Sun, February 24, 2018, July 26, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220726221825/https://www.greenevillesun.com/entertainment/local_entertainment/before-park-there-was-jimmy/article_380769f8-5165-5674-a14e-9724a6edd48b.html, live, The Greeneville Sun stated that Dobson “played ball, loved to swim and loved to ride his bike.” At an early age, Dobson realized that he had an innate ability to entertain people. He was an active participant in the Greeneville High School drama club. After graduation, he enrolled at Tusculum College, now known as Tusculum University. Dobson was in the college drama club. He was also in the drama club while attending the University of Tennessee. There, he won a trip to Hollywood. The Associated Press stated that “Dobson decided to become an actor after visiting Hollywood.“NEWS, Broadway and TV Actor James Dobson Dead at 67,apnews.com/article/af47218db0d1c9428b277b2351d855e2, August 23, 2022, The Associated Press, December 9, 1987, August 23, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220823224458/https://apnews.com/article/af47218db0d1c9428b277b2351d855e2, live,

Career

Before moving to Hollywood, Dobson first moved to New York City. There, he worked as a stage actor for Life with Father, The Firebrand of Florence and Mr. Adam. He was also a voice actor for radio shows, most notably as Archie Andrews.NEWS, Obituaries : Jimmy Dobson; Stage, TV Actor,www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-09-mn-18260-story.html, August 23, 2022, Los Angeles Times, December 9, 1987, August 23, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220823225019/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-09-mn-18260-story.html, live, He, along with Cy Walter and Richard Kollmar, wrote a song together, “I’ll Never Tire of You”.WEB, JimmyDobson,www.allmusic.com/artist/jimmy-dobson-mn0004174655, AllMusic, October 24, 2022, It was recorded in New York City on November 12, 1941, by the Sam Donahue Orchestra as a RCA Victor - Bluebird 78 rpm single.WEB, I’ll Never Tire of You,adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200052413/BS-068193-Ill_never_tire_of_you, Discography of American Historical Recordings, August 23, 2022, July 19, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220719234611/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200052413/BS-068193-Ill_never_tire_of_you, live, Dobson eventually moved to Hollywood after living in New York for a few years. He appeared in numerous film and television productions. He and John Wayne worked in a few films together. Dobson appeared with Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis in Hellcats of the Navy.WEB, James Dobson,www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=4707, Aveleyman.com, August 23, 2022, November 5, 2018,www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=4707," title="web.archive.org/web/20181105132322www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=4707,">web.archive.org/web/20181105132322www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=4707, live,

Personal life

Dobson lived in California during his acting career but occasionally returned to his hometown of Greeneville to visit family and friends. The Greeneville Sun stated that “he liked to stroll along Main and Depot streets, meeting and talking to people. He also liked to bring friends along to visit the hills of East Tennessee.” Actress and dancer Ann Miller, who had dated Howard Hughes, Conrad Hilton, and Louis B. Mayer, was one of those friends.NEWS, Reed, Rex, She Never Stopped Dancing,observer.com/2004/02/she-never-stopped-dancing/, August 26, 2022, Observer, February 9, 2004, August 26, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220826190355/https://observer.com/2004/02/she-never-stopped-dancing/, live, Dobson and she were in a relationship for a while. She often accompanied him when he visited Greeneville. During one of the visits, the two went to a public pool in Greeneville wearing risqué swimsuits, which prompted the management to summon local law enforcement to have them peaceably removed from the premises.

Death

Dobson died of a heart attack on December 6, 1987, at the age of 67.NEWS, Actor James Dobson Dead at 67,www.nytimes.com/1987/12/11/obituaries/james-dobson-actor-67.html, August 25, 2022, The New York Times, December 9, 1987, August 25, 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220825140542/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/11/obituaries/james-dobson-actor-67.html, live, He was cremated. The Greeneville Sun stated that “his ashes were scattered in the beloved surf below his seaside home.”

Filmography{| class“wikitable sortable“|+Film and television

! Year! Title! Role! class=“unsortable“| Notes| 1950The West Point Story (film)>The West Point Story| Cadet| | 1951On Moonlight Bay (film)>On Moonlight Bay| Army sergeant| | 1951The Tanks Are Coming (1951 film)>The Tanks Are Coming| George ‘Ike’ Eisenhower| | 1951| Flying Leathernecks| Pudge McCabe| | 1952For Men Only (1952 film)>For Men Only| Bartholomew “Beanie” Brown|| 1952Okinawa (film)>Okinawa| Emerson| | 1953| Girls of Pleasure Island| Marine| | 1954| I Love Lucy| Pete - delivery boy| S4.E5| 1955| Cult of the Cobra| Nick Hommel| | 1956Friendly Persuasion (1956 film)>Friendly Persuasion| Rebel soldier| | 1957| Hellcats of the Navy| Ens. Bob Altman|| 1957| Gunsmoke| Joe Harpe| Episode “Blood Money” (S3E3)| | 1958| Jet Attack| Lt. Sandy Wilkerson| | 1960| The Great Impostor| Sailor| | 1961| Armored Command| Arab| |1963|Captain Sindbad| Iffritch|| 1963Come Fly with Me (film)>Come Fly With Me| Flight Engineer Teddy Shepard| | 1963| Miracle of the White Stallions| Southern GI| | 1965Harlow (Magna film)>Harlow| Counterman| | 1965|Mutiny in Outer Space| Dr. Hoffman|| 1966Country Boy (1966 film)>Country Boy| George Washington Byrd| | 1968| Track of Thunder| Bowser Smith| | 1969The Undefeated (1969 film)>The Undefeated| Jamison| | 1969A Dream of Kings (film)>A Dream of Kings| Doctor| | 1971| What’s the Matter with Helen?| Cab driver| | 1974Impulse (1974 film)>Impulse| Clarence|| 1985| St. Elsewhere| Mr. Norton| Episode - Watch the Skies

References

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External links

• {{IMDb name|0229906}}

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