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1-7 of 7
- Actor
- Producer
An American cowboy star of "B" westerns who had a brief career in the 1940s, Sunset Carson was born with the decidedly unheroic name of Winifred Maurice Harrison (although he was generally known to his family as Michael or Mick) in Gracemore, Oklahoma. He moved to Plainview, Texas, as a boy and became a successful rodeo rider. Supposedly spotted at a rodeo by Tom Mix, Carson--like Mix, never one to let the truth get in the way of a good story--was given a job in Mix's touring circus/Wild West Show. He also claimed to have appeared in a few bit parts in movies before traveling to South America in 1940 and winning the Champion All-Around Cowboy awards in Buenos Aires (!) two years in a row.
Returning to the US, he got small parts in such films as Stage Door Canteen (1943) and Janie (1944) before being spotted by Republic executive Louis Gray. His size, looks and horsemanship got him a Republic contract as the star of a series of "B" westerns, along with a name change to Sunset Carson. Within two years Carson was #10 on the list of top money-making western stars, but Republic parted ways with him in 1946. According to stuntman Yakima Canutt, Carson attended a studio function drunk and accompanied by an underage girl, and studio head Herbert J. Yates fired him. Carson claimed to have left over business disputes. In any case, he never again achieved the level of success he had had at Republic. After a string of very low-budget westerns for other companies, Carson retired from films in 1985 after making the sci-fi western Alien Outlaw (1985). Sunset Carson toured with Tommy Scott's Country Music Circus and Wild West Show. He replaced Tim McCoy after his death and stayed with them for five seasons. Thereafter he lived in retirement, making film appearances and attending western film conventions.
Sunset Carson died in Reno, Nevada, in 1990.- Greg Smart was born on 4 September 1965 in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA. He was married to Pamela Smart. He died on 1 May 1990 in Derry, New Hampshire, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Born in Cogorno, Liguria to a Neapolitan father and a Genoese mother, Franchi made his singing debut at age 10 as a hunchback in a school play. He sang with jazz groups in Italy, but immigrated to South Africa in 1947, after he completed his compulsory military service. He worked as a draftsman and designed commercial interiors working for his father's furniture business. Within a few years, his amateur singing led to leading roles in operetta and opera.
Having experienced local fame, Franchi was encouraged to return to Italy and pursue an operatic career. Fate intervened as opportunities opened instead in popular music and television. Discovered on a BBC TV show, he accepted an RCA recording contract and a Sol Hurok 1962-63 concert tour. Sergio Franchi quickly rose to multi-media stardom in America, and became an American citizen in 1972.- Robert C. Ross was born on 25 April 1928 in Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958), The Harrad Experiment (1973) and Slaughter (1972). He died on 1 May 1990 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.
- Production Manager
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Neil T. Maffeo was born on 16 August 1934 in New York, USA. Neil T. was a production manager and producer, known for The Waltons (1972), Mission: Impossible (1966) and Mannix (1967). Neil T. died on 1 May 1990 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.- Inna Fyodorova was born on 2 October 1905 in Kazan, Kazan Governorate, Russian Empire [now Republic of Tatarstan, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Po tonkomu ldu (1966), Na podmostkakh stseny (1956) and Khleb i rozy (1960). She died on 1 May 1990 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Actor
- Writer
Viktor Geraskin was born on 21 July 1934 in RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was an actor and writer, known for Svadebnyy podarok (1983), Zhenitba Balzaminova (1964) and Sotrudnik ChK (1964). He died on 1 May 1990 in Russia.