Father Geek here with another sad farewell to a Hollywood Legend... Robert Stack aka Elliot Ness has died in his home out in LA. I never missed one of his "UNTOUCHABLES" TV shows when they first aired back in the late 1950's... in fact, I don't think I ever missed one in the first few years of reruns! When that series started I recognized its star right away... he graced the photo cover of my DELL MOVIE CLASSIC comic "Don't Give Up the Ship" where he played USA Navy legend John Paul Jones. Later my connection to Stack would strike closer to home. You see he played on the Hollywood Polo Team with the likes of Spencer Tracy, Will Rogers, Gary Cooper and other screen greats, Stack was the replacement for Disney when Walt quit the team after a bad fall, and he became good buddies with team mate and B-western star Guinn 'Big Boy" Williams. Big Boy is this site's Harry's Great Great Uncle from the Head Geek's mom's side of our family, soooooo that makes him (Williams) my Great Unc in law and by that fact, Elliot Ness then becomes a distant family friend. O.K. That's reaching I know, but it makes for interesting Knowles family triva...Farewell Robert, we'll miss you over here at Geek Headquarters...
Now, here's Uncapie with his thoughts...
Farewell Robert, we'll miss you over here at Geek Headquarters...
Now, here's Uncapie with his thoughts...
Harry, some sad news. The great Robert Stack has died at the age of 84. Best remembered for his portrayal of "Elliot Ness" in "The Untouchables," and the host of the television series, "Unsolved Mysteries," Mr. Stack's lengthy career spanned over 60 years.
Though, born in Los Angeles in 1919, his parents divorced when he was a year old and his mother took him to Europe when he was 3. Though, fluent in French and Italian, he didn't learn how to speak English until 1928, when his mother remarried his father and they moved back to L.A.
Spending three years in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery officer, Mr. Stack left the service and decided to get his college education and study drama at USC. He joined the skeet shooting team where he came in second place in the national championship; once held the world's record for skeet shooting with 350 consecutive hits. His knowledge of weapons would later come in handy on "The Untouchables." His parents owned horse stables where stars like Clark Cable and Spencer Tracy would rent them for riding and hunting. Mr. Stack's contacts and his good looks, opened the door for him at Universal Studios doing day player parts. His big break came when make up artist, Jack Pierce, told him to dye his blond hair darker and uncurl his hair. He became leading man overnight and got the part of Deanna Durbin's boyfriend in "Nice Girl?"
Other roles lead to him to star in the first 3-D movie, "Bwana Devil"(Which later was remade as 'The Ghost And the Darkness,' based on a true event.) The film's realism with lions that appeared to jump out at the audience from the screen, broke box office records.
His work on "Written On the Wind" garnered him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Later he would try out for the part of "Elliot Ness" in "The Untouchables" series. Though, he wasn't the first choice. Van Johnson and Van Hefflin were offered the role, but both turned it down. Mr. Stack made the character a household name.
After the successful four year run of "The Untouchables", Mr. Stack continued to do memorable work in films such as "The Last Voyage," Sam Fuller's, "House Of Bamboo," "Is Paris Burning?" and "The High And the Mighty," which years later he would spoof in the classic comedy, "Airplane!"
Other television work included the long running series with the jazzy title music score, "The Name Of the Game" where each week Mr. Stack would share investigative journalism duties with other actors Anthony Franciosa, Susan St. James and Gene Barry. Mr. Stack's character, "Dan Farrell" was a retired FBI agent who ran "Crime Magazine" who raged a one-man war against the unrighteous.
Mr. Ness would also to voice work for animated films. Most notably, "Ultra Magnus" from "Transformers-The Movie" and "Bob the Narrator" in Disney's, "Hercules."
Clark Gable, who mentored Mr. Stack gave him some sage advice: "If you're going to be an actor, be a pro. Show up on time, know your lines. And if you ever become a celebrity... a word I hate, if you ever do and use that power to push people around, I'm gonna kick you right in the ass!"
Mr. Stack learned from the best. He was always a kind and considerate man to his family, his friends and his fans. He was married to his wife for 47 years and that love never ceased. A gentleman and a great actor; the likes we will never see again.
Uncapie
