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{{Distinguish|text= American hydrologist Robert E. Horton}}{{Short description|American actor (1924–2016)}}{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}

factoids

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.201697|29}}| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.Republican Party (United States)>Republican| years_active = 1945–1989University of California, Los Angeles>UCLATelevisionstage actor|singer}}{{marriageJune 27, 1946end=divorced}}Barbara Ruick1956{{marriageDecember 31, 1960|}}}}www.roberthorton.com}}}}File:Robert Horton Wagon Train.JPG|thumb|upright|Horton in Wagon TrainWagon TrainFile:Robert Horton Ward Bond Wagon Train.JPG|thumb|upright|Horton and Ward BondWard BondFile:Robert Horton A Man Called Shenandoah 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Horton in A Man Called ShenandoahA Man Called ShenandoahFile:Robert Horton-Jill St. John in The Spy Killer.jpg|thumb|upright|Horton and Jill St. John in The Spy KillerThe Spy KillerFile:Earl Holliman Angie Dickinson Robert Horton Police Woman 1976.jpg|thumb|upright|Horton, Angie Dickinson and Earl Holliman in Police Woman, 1976]]Mead Howard “Robert” Horton Jr. (July 29, 1924 – March 9, 2016) was an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Flint McCullough in Wagon Train (1957–1962).

Early life

One of two sons, Mead Howard Horton Jr. was born on July 29, 1924, in Los Angeles. His parents were Mead Howard Horton Sr. and Chelta McMurrin.NEWS, Mail Bag,www.newspapers.com/clip/5735533/waco_tribuneherald, Waco Tribune-Herald, January 22, 1967, Waco, TX, 56, Newspapers.com, June 30, 2016, {{Open access}}Horton said that he never felt he fitted into his proper Latter-day Saint household because at times he was rather impetuous.WEB,www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/arts/television/robert-horton-handsome-scout-on-wagon-train-dies-at-91.html, Robert Horton, Handsome ‘Wagon Train’ Star Who Wanted More, Dies at 91, Daniel E., Slotnik, March 15, 2016, The New York Times, He survived several surgeries in childhood, including hernia repair and treatment for an enlarged kidney. Horton attended California Military Institute in Perris, where he played football.WEB,www.sfgate.com/news/article/Robert-Horton-91-Wagon-Train-actor-6894461.php, Robert Horton, 91, Wagon Train actor, San Francisco Chronicle, March 16, 2016, March 24, 2016, After graduation in 1943 at age 19, he enlisted in the Coast Guard, but was medically discharged because of his kidney.NEWS, Sage, Alyssa, Robert Horton, ‘Wagon Train’ Actor, Dies at 91,www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/movies/20160315_Reuters_tagreuterscom2016newsmlMT1VRT1201730599_Robert_Horton___Wagon_Train__Actor__Dies_at_91.html, June 30, 2016, Philadelphia Daily News, March 15, 2016, In 1945, a chance encounter with a talent scout led to an uncredited part in Lewis Milestone’s film A Walk in the Sun (1945). He first studied dramatics at the University of Miami but later changed schools and graduated cum laude from UCLA.WEB,www.legacy.com/ns/robert-horton-obituary/178046924, Robert Horton Obituary, Legacy.com, March 14, 2016, March 14, 2016,

Career

Horton’s experience on stage included work with the American Theatre Wing in New York City, where he was the “resident leading man”. From that, he was signed to a contract with MGM Studios, where he “appeared in numerous films.“BOOK, Leszczak, Bob,books.google.com/books?id=UpucCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA157, From Small Screen to Vinyl: A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records, 1950–2000, 2015, Rowman & Littlefield, 9781442242746, 157–58, His “first major TV role” was in Ford Theatre in the episode “Portrait of Lydia” on December 16, 1954.{{r|tt|page1=297}}In his six decades of television, Horton, who became known for his voice, was most noted for his role as the frontier scout Flint McCullough in the television series Wagon Train from 1957 to 1962. His co-stars were Ward Bond, John McIntire, Terry Wilson, and Frank McGrath. He eventually quit the series to pursue a career in musical theater.WEB,fiftiesweb.com/tv/wagon-train/, TV Westerns – Wagon Train, August 4, 1998, FiftiesWeb, October 30, 2016, BOOK, Rosen, James, Wagon train : the television series, 2008, Autumn Road Co, 978-0972868440, book, His role on Wagon Train was taken by Robert Fuller as the scout Cooper Smith. Fuller, a veteran of the western series Laramie, resembled Horton, and the two actors coincidentally shared the same birthday, albeit nine years apart. “The Official Robert Fuller Website: Biography”. Retrieved July 18, 2017.Horton played Drake McHugh,Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-6477-7}}, p. 567. Ronald Reagan’s role in the television version of Kings Row (1955), which featured Jack Kelly, and ran for seven episodes as part of the Warner Bros. Presents series, rotating with a television version of Casablanca and Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker.The ruggedly handsome Horton made dozens of appearances in movies and television shows between 1951 and 1989, including a small role in the film Bright Road starring Dorothy Dandridge, an episode of Ray Milland’s sitcom Meet Mr. McNutley and on the syndicated Sheriff of Cochise, starring John Bromfield. Horton played Corporal Tom Vaughn in an episode “False Prophet” (1956) on Crossroads.Horton appeared on seven episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, including memorably as a tennis-playing insurance investigator and blackmailer opposite Betsy von Furstenberg in “The Disappearing Trick”, directed by Arthur Hiller.WEB,www.allmovie.com/movie/alfred-hitchcock-presents--disappearing-trick-v349669, Alfred Hitchcock Presents : Disappearing Trick (1958) - Arthur Hiller | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie, www.allmovie.com, He was cast as Danny Barnes in the episode “No Place to Hide” of The DuPont Show with June Allyson as well as appeared on the interview program Here’s Hollywood and NBC’s anthology series The Barbara Stanwyck Show.WEB,www.atvaudio.com/ata_search.php?keywords=HERE%27S+HOLLYWOOD, Archival Television Audio - Search Results, www.atvaudio.com, He appeared several times on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.In the 1960s, Horton made two 45 RPM singles on the Columbia Records label: “The Very Thought of You“/“Hey There” and “King of the Road“/“Julie”. The former’s A-side was also the title track of an album he released on the same label.WEB, Watts, Randy, Callahan, Mike, Edwards, David, Eyries, Patrice, Columbia Main Series, Part 18: CL 2200-2299/CS 9000–9099 (1964–1965),www.bsnpubs.com/columbia/columbia12/columbia2200.html, Bsnpubs.com, November 6, 2019, Horton performed for many years in theaters and nightclubs all over America, and in Australia as a singer (sometimes with his wife, the former Marilynn Bradley). In 1963, producer David Merrick hired him as the male lead in the musical version of N. Richard Nash’s play The Rainmaker (titled 110 in the Shade). The musical, with a score by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, ran for 330 performances on Broadway.WEB,www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/110-in-the-shade-3037, 110 in the Shade – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB, www.ibdb.com, Horton is also remembered for his offbeat role as an amnesiac in the 1965–1966 television series A Man Called Shenandoah.{{r|etvs|page1=649}}In 1966, he starred in The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones, the first Western made specifically for television and simultaneous distribution to cinemas in Europe.WEB,www.allmovie.com/movie/the-dangerous-days-of-kiowa-jones-v124799, The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones (1966) - Alex March | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie, www.allmovie.com, It was made by MGM and co-starred Sal Mineo and Diane Baker.WEB,www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a86177c,www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a86177c," title="web.archive.org/web/20171019193118www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a86177c,">web.archive.org/web/20171019193118www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a86177c, dead, October 19, 2017, The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones (1966), BFI, In 1968, two years later, Horton co-starred in The Green Slime, a low-budget Japanese-American science fiction film, directed by Kinji Fukasaku and shot entirely in Japan, but with an American and European cast. His character Jack Rankin leads the crew of a space station in a battle for survival against one-eyed tentacled aliens that rapidly multiply as they feed on the station’s sources of electricity.WEB,www.allmovie.com/movie/the-green-slime-v20891, The Green Slime (1968) - Kinji Fukasaku | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie, www.allmovie.com, WEB,mubi.com/films/the-green-slime, The Green Slime, mubi.com, From 1983 to 1984, Horton took a turn in daytime soap operas, playing the part of Whit McColl on As the World Turns.BOOK, McNeil, Alex, Total Television, 1996, Penguin Books USA, Inc., New York City, 0-14-02-4916-8, 62, 4th,

Personal life

Horton was married to Mary Jobe from 1946 until 1950, and to Barbara Ruick from 1953 until 1956; both marriages ended in divorce.BOOK, Aaker, Everett, Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary, McFarland, 2017, 9781476628561, 215, In 1960, he married Marilynn Bradley, and they remained married until his death in 2016.Following his 85th birthday in 2009, Horton announced, through his publicist, that he no longer would be making any personal appearances because he had tired of traveling.WEB, November 17, 2009, Whatsnew,roberthorton.com/Whatsnew.htm, October 30, 2016, Roberthorton.com, Horton was a licensed pilot and aircraft owner.“Robert Horton Obituary”. Syracuse Post Standard. March 14, 2016.“His three greatest thrills were his first solo flight, a performance before Queen Elizabeth II, and being featured on Ralph Edwards’ This Is Your Life. His frequent co-pilot was his French poodle, “Jamie”.JOURNAL, Plane and Pilot, July 1967, Actor-Pilot ROBERT HORTON, Initially a Republican, he supported the campaign of Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 34, Ideal Publishers

Awards

He was the recipient of several lifetime achievement awards for television, including the Golden Boot in 2004,WEB, Golden Boot Awards 2004,www.goldenbootawards.com/gba2004.html, Golden Boot Awards, June 30, 2016, and also the Cowboy Spirit Award at the National Festival of the West. On his 90th birthday, he received the Western Legend Award.WEB,www.brownpapertickets.com/event/744937, The National Day of The Cowboy, Brownpapertickets.com, June 18, 2014, October 30, 2016,

Death

Horton was injured in a fall in November 2015, and was placed in hospice care. He died on March 9, 2016, at the age of 91 in a Los Angeles rehabilitation clinic.WEB,www.westernclippings.com, Western Movies and More, Westernclippings.com, October 30, 2016,

Filmography {| class“wikitable”

! Year! Title! Role! NotesA Walk in the Sun (1945 film)>A Walk in the Sun Jack UncreditedThe Tanks Are Coming (1951 film)>The Tanks Are Coming Captain Bob Horner UncreditedReturn of the Texan >|Apache War Smoke >|Pony Soldier >|The Story of Three Loves >| (segment “Mademoiselle“), UncreditedBright Road >|Code Two >|Arena (1953 film)>Arena Jackie Roach Prisoner of War (film)>Prisoner of War Francis Aloysius Belney Men of the Fighting Lady >|The Man Is Armed >|Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 1 Episode 37: “Decoy”Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 2 Episode 9: “The Crack of Doom” Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 2 Episode 13: “Mr. Blanchard’s Secret” Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 2 Episode 19: “A Bottle of Wine” Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 3 Episode 27: “Disappearing Trick” Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 4 Episode 18: “The Last Dark Step” Alfred Hitchcock Presents >| Season 5 Episode 38: “Hooked” Wagon Train >| Last onscreen episode is Season 5, Episode 36; credit only in episode 37 A Man Called Shenandoah >| TV seriesThe Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones >| TV movieThe Green Slime >|The Spy Killer >John Smith TV movieForeign Exchange (1970 film)>Foreign Exchange TV moviePolice Woman (TV series)>Police Woman Frank Armitage Red River >| TV movieMurder, She Wrote >|

References

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External links

{{commons category}}

• {{IMDb name|0395667|Robert Horton}}
• {{IBDB name}}
• Official site
• Obituary – Playbill
• Obituary – New York Times

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