25 Facts About Dan Duryea

Dan Duryea was an American actor in film, stage, and television.

Dan Duryea graduated from White Plains High School in 1924 and Cornell University in 1928.

Dan Duryea majored in English, and in his senior year succeeded Franchot Tone as president of the college drama society.

Dan Duryea appeared on Broadway in Many Mansions and Missouri Legend.

In 1940, Dan Duryea moved to Hollywood to appear in the film version of The Little Foxes.

Dan Duryea continued to establish himself with supporting and secondary roles in films such as The Pride of the Yankees and None But the Lonely Heart.

Dan Duryea co-starred opposite Gary Cooper three times in the 1940s: Ball of Fire, Pride of the Yankees and Along Came Jones.

Dan Duryea was featured in several other westerns, including Silver Lode, Ride Clear of Diablo, and The Marauders, and in more film-noir productions like 36 Hours, Chicago Calling, Storm Fear, and The Burglar.

When interviewed by Hedda Hopper in the early 1950s, Dan Duryea spoke of career goals and his preparation for roles:.

Dan Duryea appeared twice on the big screen with his son, character actor Peter Duryea, in the low-budget Westerns Taggart and The Bounty Killer.

Dan Duryea starred as the lead character China Smith in the television series China Smith from 1952 to 1953 and The New Adventures of China Smith from 1954 to 1956.

Dan Duryea later guest-starred as Roy Budinger, the self-educated mastermind of a criminal ring dealing in silver bullion, in the episode "Terror Town" on October 18,1958, of NBC's western series Cimarron City.

In 1959, Dan Duryea appeared as an alcoholic gunfighter in the third episode of The Twilight Zone, "Mr Denton on Doomsday".

Dan Duryea appeared again as Luke Gregg on Laramie on October 25,1960, in the episode "The Long Riders".

Dan Duryea put in a great comic performance in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in an episode called "Three Wives Too Many".

Three weeks later, on November 16,1960, Dan Duryea played a mentally unstable pioneer obsessed by demons and superstitions in "The Bleymier Story" of NBC's Wagon Train.

Dan Duryea was cast twice in 1960 as Captain Brad Turner in consecutive episodes of the NBC western series Riverboat.

Dan Duryea spoofed his tough-guy image in a comedy sketch about a robbery on the Dec 4,1960 episode of The Jack Benny Program.

Dan Duryea guest starred in a 1962 episode of Tales of Wells Fargo TV western series as Marshal Blake opposite Dale Robertson.

In 1963, Dan Duryea portrayed Dr Ben Lorrigan on NBC's medical drama, The Eleventh Hour.

In 1967, a television version of Winchester '73 was released in which Dan Duryea played the part of Bart McAdam, an uncle to Lin and Dakin McAdam.

Dan Duryea was different from the unsavory characters he often portrayed.

Dan Duryea was married for 35 years to his wife, Helen, until her death in January 1967.

At home, Dan Duryea lived a quiet life at his house in the San Fernando Valley, devoting himself to gardening, boating, and community activities including, at various times, active membership in the local parent-teacher association and Scout Master of a Boy Scout troop.

Dan Duryea died of cancer on June 7,1968, at the age of 61.