Clint Walker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clint Walker
Walker in 1960
Born	Norman Eugene Walker (1927-05-30)May 30, 1927 Hartford, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 21, 2018(2018-05-21) (aged 90) Grass Valley, California, U.S.
Other names	Jett Norman
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1954–1998
Height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Spouse(s)	Verna Garver ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1968)​ Giselle Hennesy ​ ​ (m. 1974; died 1994)​ Susan Cavallari ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	1

Norman Eugene "Clint" Walker (born May 30, 1927 – died May 21, 2018) was a famous American actor. He was best known for playing the brave cowboy Cheyenne Bodie in the popular TV show Cheyenne. This Western series aired on ABC from 1955 to 1963. Clint Walker was known for his tall height and strong build, which made him perfect for cowboy roles.

Early Life and Adventures

Clint Walker was born Norman Eugene Walker in Hartford, Illinois, on May 30, 1927. His parents were Gladys Huldah and Paul Arnold Walker. He also had a twin sister named Lucy.

When he was young, Clint left school to work in a factory and on a riverboat. At 17, he joined the United States Merchant Marine during the last months of World War II. This was a group that helped transport goods by sea.

After his time in the Merchant Marine, he worked many different jobs. He was a doorman at the famous Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also worked with sheet metal and as a nightclub bouncer.

Clint Walker's Acting Career

Starting in Movies

Clint Walker got his start in Hollywood with the help of a talent agent named Henry Willson. Willson gave him the stage name "Jett Norman." Clint appeared in a movie called Jungle Gents as a character similar to Tarzan.

Later, the famous director Cecil B. DeMille hired him for a small part in the epic movie The Ten Commandments. A friend in the film industry helped him get more small roles. These roles caught the attention of Warner Bros., a big movie studio that was looking to create a new TV Western series.

Becoming Cheyenne Bodie

Walker as Cheyenne Bodie in 1956

Clint Walker's impressive looks and strong body helped him get the main role in the TV series Cheyenne. He was very tall, standing 6 feet, 6 inches, which made him perfect for the part.

He played Cheyenne Bodie, a wandering cowboy hero who lived after the American Civil War. His role was announced in June 1955.

Cheyenne was first shown as part of a TV show called Warner Bros. Presents. It quickly became a huge hit. The show was very popular for eight seasons.

The series often showed off Clint Walker's strong build. But it was also well-written and had good acting. Clint also had a nice singing voice, which was sometimes used on the show. Warner Brothers even released an album of him singing traditional songs.

Clint Walker enjoyed playing a cowboy. In 1956, he said he didn't want any other roles because "Westerns keep me outdoors and active."

Warner Bros. also cast him in Western movies like Fort Dobbs (1958) and Yellowstone Kelly (1959). He also appeared in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip.

After Cheyenne

Walker on The Lucy Show

After Cheyenne ended, Clint Walker continued acting in many films and TV shows. He had a role in the comedy Send Me No Flowers (1964) with Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

He was also chosen by Frank Sinatra to star in the war movie None but the Brave (1965). This was the only film Sinatra ever directed. Clint also appeared on The Lucy Show and fought a grizzly bear in the Western movie The Night of the Grizzly (1966).

One of his most famous movie roles was as Samson Posey in the war drama The Dirty Dozen (1967). He played a quiet but strong convict.

Clint Walker returned to Westerns in movies like More Dead Than Alive (1969), Sam Whiskey (1969), and The Great Bank Robbery (1969).

Acting in the 1970s

In the 1970s, Clint Walker appeared in several TV movies, including Yuma (1971) and Killdozer! (1974). He also starred in a short TV series in 1974 called Kodiak, where he played an Alaskan patrolman.

In May 1971, Clint had a serious skiing accident. A ski pole went through his chest, but he made an amazing recovery and was back to work within two months.

He continued to act in films like Baker's Hawk (1976) and The White Buffalo (1977). He also appeared in the TV miniseries Centennial (1978).

Writing Books

Clint Walker also became an author! He met a Western writer named Kirby Jonas. They worked together for two years on a story idea Clint had about gold and the Yaqui people.

This teamwork led to a Western novel called Yaqui Gold, which was published in 2003.

Clint Walker's Star on the Texas Trail of Fame

Awards and Recognition

Clint Walker receiving a Sheriff's Badge at Frontier Fiesta at the University of Houston (around the 1950s)

Clint Walker has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find it at 1505 Vine Street in Hollywood.

In 2004, he was honored and added to the Hall of Great Western Performers. This is at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

He also received the Golden Boot Award in 1997. This award celebrates people who have made great contributions to Western films and television.

In 2017, he received an inlaid bronze star medallion on the Texas Trail of Fame. This is in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District.

Personal Life and Passing

Clint Walker was married three times. Each marriage lasted about twenty years. He had one daughter named Valerie, born in 1950. Valerie later became one of the first female airline pilots.

Clint Walker was a pesco-pollotarian, meaning he ate fish and chicken but not red meat. He supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 U.S. presidential election.

As mentioned, Clint Walker had a serious skiing accident in May 1971. He was badly hurt and was even thought to have passed away for a short time. However, doctors found a faint sign of life and were able to save him. He recovered quickly.

Clint Walker passed away from congestive heart failure in Grass Valley, California, on May 21, 2018. He was 90 years old, just nine days before his 91st birthday.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Clint Walker para niños