1. Lawrence Kenneth Pennell was an American television and film actor, often remembered for his role as Dash Riprock in the television series The Beverly Hillbillies.
25 Facts About Larry Pennell
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Larry Pennell's career spanned half a century, including starring in the first-run syndicated adventure series Ripcord in the leading role of skydiver Theodore "Ted" McKeever, and as Keith Holden in Lassie.
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Larry Pennell was a baseball player, playing on scholarship for the University of Southern California and later professionally for the Boston Braves organization.
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Larry Pennell's parents moved to Niagara Falls, New York during the Great Depression in search of better opportunities.
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Larry Pennell's family moved again when he was still young, purchasing a home near Paramount Studios in Hollywood.
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Larry Pennell became a newsboy on the studio lot, but athletics distracted him from any early interest in film.
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Larry Pennell attended Hollywood High School, at which he played first base and was later inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame.
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Larry Pennell was recruited by Rod Dedeaux to play baseball at USC, where he began playing in 1947.
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Larry Pennell attended the university on a full baseball scholarship and became one of the school's all-time letter winners.
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Larry Pennell left school early to play professionally for the Boston Braves organization, from 1948 to 1953.
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Just shy of graduating from USC, Larry Pennell left the university to play professionally for the Boston Braves organization.
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Larry Pennell was with the organization for a total of seven seasons between 1948 and 1954, playing first base and outfield for the Evansville Braves, Boston's minor league affiliate.
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Larry Pennell served in counterintelligence in the US Army and received an honorable discharge upon completion of his service.
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Larry Pennell never reported to spring training for the Dodgers and instead decided to pursue acting, a career he had dabbled in during the off seasons.
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Larry Pennell appeared in his first role as Oliver Brown in the movie Seven Angry Men, a film about abolitionist John Brown, starring Raymond Massey.
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Larry Pennell's co-star was Ken Curtis, later as Festus Hagen on Gunsmoke, as his inseparable, level-headed older mentor and best buddy James Buckley.
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Larry Pennell travelled to Europe in 1965 where he starred Our Man in Jamaica and Old Surehand.
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Larry Pennell was cast in a lead role as Keith Holden in 1972 in the CBS series Lassie.
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Larry Pennell appeared in the big budget World War II film Midway, as Captain Cyril Simard, alongside Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda.
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Larry Pennell had roles in other major films such as The Revengers, Journey Through Rosebud and Matilda.
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Larry Pennell bore a striking resemblance to Clark Gable and played the actor in three roles.
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Larry Pennell experimented with his acting with drama teachers such as Milton Katselis and Daniel Mann.
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Larry Pennell wrote and starred in The Signing and Close-Up and won best actor at The Method Fest 2002 for his work in the short film Five Minutes.
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Larry Pennell met his wife Patricia Throop, a fashion model, actress, former Miss Oregon and finalist in the 1954 Miss America Pageant.
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Larry Pennell died in Santa Monica, California on August 28,2013, at age 85.