Yale Summers biographical information

The following biography is from Wikipedia.

Yale Summers (July 26, 1933 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor, who credits included the 1960s CBS television series, Daktari, with Marshall Thompson.[1]

Summers was heavily involved with the Screen Actors Guild. He was a member of the SAG national board of directors for twenty-seven years and the national executive committee for eighteen years.[2][3]

While most of his professional career centered in television, Summers made his acting debut in the 1961 film, Mad Dog Coll.[2] He appeared in a recurring role on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, as Dr. Bob Ayres during the 1964-1965 television season.[1] His best known role was as Jack Dane on Daktari, which aired from 1966 to 1968.[1] From 197 to 1974, Summers co-starred in the NBC daytime series, Return to Peyton Place, as the character Rodney Harrington.[1]

His additional television roles included guest spots on My Favorite Martian, My Three Sons, Window on Main Street, The Outer Limits, Quincy, M.E., Fantasy Island, and The Donna Reed Show.[1]

SAG and AFTRA involvement

Summers was a founding member of the SAG Awards Committee and for a time the chairman of that committee.[1] Summers was a co-founder and producer of the Screen Actors Guild Awards from 1995 until 2009.[1][2]

Summers also served as the former national treasurer and the recording secretary for SAG.[2] Summers was a trustee of the SAG Pension and Health Funds and a member of the board for the SAG Foundation.[1][2] In 2008, SAG awarded Summers the Ralph Morgan Award for his service and involvement with the union.[1]

Summers was active with another actors’ union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He served a combined twenty-four years on the national AFTRA board and the union’s local Los Angeles chapter.[2]

SAG and AFTRA merged in March 2012, shortly before Summers’ death.[4]

Personal life

Summers was born in Manhattan, New York City, July 26, 1933.[3] He was the only child of Joseph and Edlie Neuvohner.[3] In 1955, Summers received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cornell University.[1] He served in the United States Army, having attained the rank of lieutenant.[1]

Death

Summers died from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Beverly Hills, California, on May 6, 2012, at the age of 78.[1][2] He was survived by his wife, Suzie Summers, two children, and two grandchildren.[1]

Actor and former SAG President Ed Asner said, “Yale was a good man and a good friend who was totally dedicated to his belief in the union. He was completely unbiased and never took sides. He had a purist vision of how the guild should be run and wasn’t swayed by the influence of special interest groups. He put the best interest of the guild and union first. I’m deeply sorry for his passing.”[1]

[1] “Yale Summers dies at 78, ‘Daktari’ actor served SAG in multiple capacities”. Variety Magazine. 2012-05-06. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
[2] Yale Summers”. Deadline.com. 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
[3] “SAG-AFTRA Remembers Yale Summers: Longtime SAG Board Member and Past Officer Passes Away”. Screen Actors Guild. 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
[4] “SAG-AFTRA’s L.A. local sets Dec. 3 meeting”. Variety Magazine. 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2012-11-21.

See Wikipedia for links.

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Marshall Thompson biographical information

The following biographical information was taken from Wikipedia, with enhancements sourced from the official Marshall Thompson website.

from http://www.actormunder.com

Marshall Thompson (November 27, 1925 – May 18, 1992) was an American film and television actor.

He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal’s feature films, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean in Reckless Age, earning $350 weekly. During 1946 Universal discharged most of its contract players; that same year Thompson moved to MGM and his film roles steadily increased and improved.

Thompson became a freelance actor in the 1950s and worked for various studios on a variety of pictures, including a number of horror and science-fiction features; this included the role of Carruthers in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), one of the two feature films that would later inspire the plot for director Ridley Scott’s 1979 big budget feature film Alien. Thompson also starred as counter-espionage agent Mel Hunter in the syndicated science-fiction TV series World of Giants, about a man who has been miniaturized and must live in a dollhouse.

from “Angel:” Angel Annie Farge and Marshall Thompson

By the 1960s, Thompson’s boyish looks had matured and his screen persona became more authoritative. He co-starred with Annie Fargé in the 33-episode CBS sitcom Angel (1960–1961) about an American architect with a charming but scatterbrained French wife, who often got into zany, Lucy Ricardo-esque situations, caused in part by her lack of English; the show was canceled after 33 episodes due to low ratings, despite critical acclaim for French-born newcomer Annie Fargé. In the mid-1960s Thompson starred in CBS’s Daktari, a television series about a veterinarian in Africa; the series was based on Thompson’s 1965 feature film Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion.

According to the official Marshall Thompson website maintained by Janet Thompson and Marianna D’Incau, Thompson developed a lifelong passion and love of Africa after filming East of Kilimanjaro in 1957. Thompson’s involvement in Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion extended far beyond acting; he collaborated on the script. To quote from the site, “Daktari was simply a gift for him to do. He was truly in his element. In 1966 he became a household favorite because of the series’ focus on family and animals. He worked closely with Ralph Helfer the owner of “Africa USA.” Helfer was a highly skilled animal trainer, and Thompson learned from him everything he could. All the animals used in the series and all the animals trained by Helfer were “love-schooled” from birth. To be a part of that set was a joy and an adventure every day.”

from http://www.actormunder.com

Thompson did all of his own stunts on the show, nearly losing his life when a cranky leopard bit his arm, drawing blood. He wisely remained calm, never moving his arm until the animal could be tranquilized. (source: the official Marshall Thompson website).

Thompson became very involved in all aspects of Daktari including the writing and directing. His love for Africa became a lifelong passion involving work with preservation.

Later in his career, he appeared in many television episodes and in feature films such as The Turning Point (1977) and The Formula (1980).

Thompson was a brother-in-law of actor Richard Long, best known for his role as Jarrod Barkley in ABC’s The Big Valley. Thompson’s wife, Barbara, was Long’s sister. Long and Thompson appeared together in the film Cult of the Cobra.

Marshall Thompson died in 1992 from congestive heart failure at the age of sixty-six in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was known as a decent, kindly and loving husband, father and friend.

There are many more fascinating facts on the official Marshall Thompson website.

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Cheryl Miller biographical information

from garycooperscrapbook.proboards.com

A key source for the following information was the Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen website — check it out, it’s great!

Cheryl Lynn Miller was born in Sherman Oaks, CA, one of five children of an architect father and accountant mother (Elsie). As a mere infant she made her movie debut in Casanova Brown (1944). She was destined to become a popular ingenue of the mid-1960’s, in movies and on television, known for her healthy and wholesome beauty.

Early career

She graduated from Ulysses S. Grant High School favoring science and music. She pursued the latter at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music while taking occasional acting roles on series such as Bachelor Father, Our Man Higgins, The Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons, The Farmer’s Daughter, Leave It To Beaver and Perry Mason. She also did some modeling spots.

Breakthrough year

In the year 1965, a series of fortunate breaks eventually landed her as a series regular on Daktari. It began with two guest spots on Flipper (one spot being a three-part episode, “Flipper and the Elephant”). Her work with an elephant and a chimp caught the attention of producer Ivan Tors. He proceeded to cast her in the feature film Clarence, The Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) which became a breakout hit, spawning the TV series, Daktari.

Discovered by Disney

That same year she was discovered by Walt Disney and cast in a supporting role in The Monkey’s Uncle (1965) She was dubbed “The Typical American Girl.”

as Lisa in Disney’s The Monkey’s Uncle

Deb Star and Miss Golden Globe

In November of 1965, she was awarded the title of a Hollywood Deb Star of 1966; the group of a dozen actresses included Melody Patterson, Edy Williams, Peggy Lipton, and Sally Field. A television special, “Hollywood Deb Star Ball of 1966” ensured that January.

She was also named “Miss Golden Globe” in 1966, assisting Andy Williams in the presentation of the Golden Globe Awards.

Series hit

Daktari debuted mid-season in 1966 on CBS and was a surprise hit, achieving top ten status in the ratings by the second season. It spawned an industry of toys, trading cards, comic books, children’s books and the like. It lasted three and one half seasons, finally being cancelled in 1969.

Personal life

Miller was an active, athletic young woman and a bit of a daredevil who relished in making a splash. Blessed with a zest for life and passionate interests, she enjoyed many creative activities (including singing and designing her own dresses) along with sports such as skiing, jogging and horseback riding.

Love life

Cheryl Miller and Lt. Charles Hutter III

In 1966 she became engaged to Lt. Charles Hutter III who was stationed in Colorado in the Air Force. His doctor dad arranged a date between the two after treating Miller for a foot ailment. The two announced their engagement at a party on New Year’s Eve with the intention of marrying the following year. However, they called off the wedding several months later, “substituting friendship for marriage.”

After meeting on a blind date several months before, Miller married stockbroker Stanley Shapiro in December of 1968 wearing a backless white mini-gown. Three days later she broke her ankle and was told that Daktari had been cancelled. She and Shapiro would divorce in 1971.

Movie and TV appearances

Miller was picked up in 1969 by the short-lived daytime drama Bright Promise, playing the role of Samantha Pudding. She also worked regularly throughout the 1970s, mostly in guest starring roles:

• Cade’s County
• Love, American Style
• Emergency!
• Barnaby Jones
• The Streets of San Francisco
• The Wide World of Mystery
• Gemini Man
• The Six Million Dollar Man
• Police Story

Movie appearances included:

• Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls, as Sandy
• Guardian of the Wilderness (aka Mountain Man) as Kathleen Clark
• The Man from Clover Grove, as Millie Swickle
• Mr. Too Little, as Carola
• Revolution, as Cuffy* (as Miller’s name is common, there is some question about this. Blockbuster’s site listed it)

with Joan Parker as the Dodge “Fever” Girl

Branching out

In 1970-71, Miller took over for Joan Parker as the Dodge “Fever Girl,” appearing in magazine spreads, commercials and national car shows.

For a time she attempted a singing career making two appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson in 1972.

Final appearances

The year 1980 marked her last TV appearance in an episode of The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. Her last movie appearance was in 1985 with Al Pacino in Revolution* (see above for note).

Compiled from Fandago by Bruce Eder, Rovi, and The Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen website; movie and TV appearances from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588071/filmoyear

Here are photos of Cheryl Miller as her more glamorous self:

courtesy of http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com

courtesy of http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com

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