‘The longest suicide in Hollywood history’: who was the real Montgomery Clift? Dexter looks relieved: "Gee, that would've been swell." Dexter's breakthrough role was as a villain in RKO's The Las Vegas Story (1951), starring Victor Mature and Jane Russell. Though past allies in the Democratic Party, Terry, a slavery advocate, challenged the anti-slavery Broderick. Carroll O'Connor portrayed U.S. [12], "Brad Dexter, 85; Sinatra Pal Often Played Villains", "Myth #93: So Who Was Actor Brad Dexter Anyway? After the war, Dexter had a role in Heldorado (1946), a Roy Rogers western, as "Barry Mitchell". Brad Dexter Brad Dexter, a former boxer, was the oldest member of the Magnificent Seven at 43. Dexter was then cast as a gunslinger in The Magnificent Seven (1960), directed by John Sturges for Walter Mirisch's production firm The Mirisch Company. Grateful, Sinatra made him vice president of Sinatra Enterprises. Brad Dexter (born Boris Michel Soso;[1] April 9, 1917 – December 12, 2002) was an American actor and film producer. He eventually changed his name to Brad Dexter and landed roles in The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Fourteen Hours (1951). He had a small role in The Mortal Storm (1940). Oh, Brad Dexter was cast correctly for his part alight – as the cynical member of the Seven who was ‘just in it for the money’. [6][7] After a stint as an amateur boxer, Dexter attended the Pasadena Playhouse, where he studied acting. Rebecca, review: Lily James, wild romance, mysterious glamour – sound familiar? by Guy Rocha, Former Nevada State Archivist", "Kauboj Đorđe - heroj filma pre 100 godina", "Kako je Veljko Šošo postao holivudska zvezda Brad Dexter", "Brad Dexter: Thesp and confidant of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brad_Dexter&oldid=983567323, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 14 October 2020, at 23:54. Sinatra and Ruth Koch, the wife of producer Howard Koch, were swimming when they were swept out to sea by the outgoing tide and nearly drowned. The union ended in divorce. As an actor you don't have control over the medium you're in... you have no control over your destiny.". In 1963, Dexter was cast as California Supreme Court Justice David S. Terry in "A Gun Is Not a Gentleman" on the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. He largely focused on television, however, appearing in episodes of Climax!, The Gale Storm Show, How to Marry a Millionaire, Pursuit, Studio One in Hollywood, Wagon Train, Have Gun - Will Travel, Zane Grey Theatre, Behind Closed Doors, Cimarron City, Yancy Derringer, This Man Dawson, 77 Sunset Strip, Colt 45, The Man from Blackhawk, Tightrope, Mr. Lucky, Bat Masterton, and Wanted: Dead or Alive, starring Steve McQueen. He was married to Star-Kist tuna heiress Mary Bogdanovich from January 27, 1971, until her death on June 12, 1994. Another Round, review: a sozzled Mads Mikkelsen turns day-drinking into an art, Think Dominic West is bad? That year, Dexter complained that acting made him "frustrated as hell. He could be seen in It Started in Tokyo (1961), The George Raft Story (1961) (playing Bugsy Siegel), X-15 (1962) with Charles Bronson and Johnny Cool (1963). The dark, disturbing legacy of I Spit on Your Grave, Not Egyptian and no great beauty: what Gal Gadot's Cleopatra should look like, according to history. He made the occasional feature film, such as Last Train from Gun Hill (1959), directed by John Sturges, and Vice Raid (1959), and was second billed in 13 Fighting Men (1960). He is known for tough-guy and western roles, including the 1960 film The Magnificent Seven (1960), and producing several films for Sidney J. Furie such as Lady Sings the Blues. by Rupert Everett, review: a candid He claimed to have left Sinatra's company to make a film with Furie based on the Sam Sheppard case. memoir of his Wilde Dexter was villainous to Joel McCrea in The Oklahoman (1957), produced by Walter Mirisch, and also appeared in Run Silent Run Deep (1958), again as a villain. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. Dexter's tough-guy roles contrasted with his easygoing and friendly real-life personality. Scores That Instantly Bring Movies to Your Mind, Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'. Dexter was later awarded a Red Cross medal for his bravery. But if Brad Dexter... is usually the last to be mentioned, it is mainly because of the fame of the others; actually, he was rather good as the most mercenary of the septet. Dexter produced the TV series Skag (1980) starring Karl Malden. To the End of the World [citation needed], Dexter died in Rancho Mirage, California, from emphysema, on December 11, 2002, at age 85, and is interred at Desert Memorial Park. Brad Dexter, a former boxer, was the oldest member of the Magnificent Seven at 43. For even more, visit our Family Entertainment Guide. Tall, burly and handsome with bright blue eyes, Dexter was usually given supporting roles as a rugged character. Characterizing him as a "tough guy at his best in The Magnificent Seven", Dexter's obituary in The Guardian singled out his portrayal of Harry Luck and claimed he was "overshadowed" by his contemporaries: A question that comes up regularly in film trivia quizzes is to name the Magnificent Seven of the 1960 John Sturges western. The success of The Magnificent Seven did not immediately benefit Dexter's career: he returned to television, guest starring in The Aquanauts, Hawaiian Eye, General Electric Theatre, Tales of Wells Fargo, Surfside 6, The Investigators, and Alcoa Premiere. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. The film is an Old West –style remake of Akira Kurosawa 's 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai. As a young man, he boxed in amateur bouts and had early training in theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse. He then signed a contract with 20th Century Fox, for whom he made Untamed (1955), Violent Saturday (1955) for director Richard Fleischer, House of Bamboo (1955) for director Samuel Fuller, The Bottom of the Bottle (1956), and Between Heaven and Hell (1956) again with Fleischer. RKO cast him in a similar part in Macao (1952), also with Russell. Misogynistic trash or feminist masterpiece? 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The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes. During World War II he enlisted for military service with the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he met and befriended Karl Malden, a fellow Serbian-American, and appeared uncredited in the Corps play and film Winged Victory (1944). His last role was in Cognac (1988). RKO signed him to a contract. American supporting player specializing in tough guys. I couldn't put up with his nonsense", Dexter said at the time. Dexter and director Sidney J. Furie clashed with Sinatra over the latter's unwillingness to finish the film, and, after it was completed, Dexter resigned.