Clu Gulager facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clu Gulager
Gulager in 2015
Born	William Martin Gulager (1928-11-16)November 16, 1928 Holdenville, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	August 5, 2022(2022-08-05) (aged 93) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Baylor University
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1947–2019
Spouse(s)	Miriam Byrd-Nethery ​ ​ (m. 1952; died 2003)​
Children	John Gulager Tom Gulager

Clu Gulager (born William Martin Gulager; November 16, 1928 – August 5, 2022) was an American actor and director. He was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He became well-known for his roles in TV Westerns. These included playing Billy the Kid in The Tall Man (1960–1962). He also played Emmett Ryker in The Virginian.

Later in his career, Gulager became famous for acting in horror films. He had a main role in Dan O'Bannon's zombie comedy The Return of the Living Dead (1985). He also appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985). In his 80s, he started acting in horror films directed by his son, John Gulager. These included the Feast movies and Piranha 3DD.

Gulager's first big movie role was in The Killers (1964). He acted alongside Lee Marvin and Ronald Reagan. He also appeared in Winning (1969) with Paul Newman. Other notable films include The Last Picture Show (1971) and McQ (1974) with John Wayne. His last movie role was in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Gulager also directed a short film called A Day with the Boys. It was nominated for an award at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival.

Early Life and Family

Clu Gulager was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, on November 16, 1928. His father, John Delancy Gulager, was a lawyer and had been an actor. Clu's paternal grandmother was related to the famous entertainer Will Rogers. This made Clu Gulager a distant cousin of Will Rogers.

Gulager was a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. His father gave him the nickname "Clu" because of the "clu-clu" birds. These birds, also known as martins, were nesting at their home when he was born. His middle name, Martin, also comes from these birds.

From 1946 to 1948, Gulager served in the United States Marine Corps. After his military service, he went to Northeastern State University. He then transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he graduated. He received a scholarship to study acting in Paris, France. There, he worked with the famous French actor and director Jean-Louis Barrault.

In 1952, he returned to Baylor. On June 19, 1952, he married fellow actor Miriam Byrd-Nethery. They had two sons, John and Tom. They were married until Miriam's death in 2003.

Acting Career

In 1958, Clu Gulager appeared in the TV Western series Have Gun – Will Travel. He played Roy Carter in an episode written by Gene Roddenberry, who later created Star Trek.

Gulager became the first actor to sign a contract with Universal. This happened after Lew Wasserman saw him in a TV show called Playhouse 90. In 1959, he appeared in several TV shows. These included The Lawless Years, Five Fingers, and Wagon Train. He also appeared twice on Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

On The Untouchables, he played the real-life gangster Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll. People praised his performance as the chilling character. Later in 1959, he was in the Western series Riverboat.

Western TV Star

Gulager as Billy the Kid with Marianna Hill as his sweetheart, Rita, from the television program The Tall Man.

From 1960 to 1962, Gulager starred as Billy the Kid in The Tall Man. He acted opposite Barry Sullivan, who played Sheriff Pat Garrett. The show showed Billy the Kid as a good person, not just a misunderstood young man. In 1961, he was a guest star in another Western, Whispering Smith.

From 1964 to 1968, Gulager played Deputy Sheriff Emmett Ryker on The Virginian. This was a long-running Western series. He appeared in more than 60 other TV and film roles. He was also in the movie Winning (1969). He appeared several times on the popular NBC Western Bonanza.

Film Roles

In 1964, Gulager starred with Lee Marvin and Ronald Reagan in The Killers. They played a pair of tough hit men. This movie was originally made for TV but was considered too violent. So, it was released in movie theaters instead.

In 1971, Gulager appeared in Peter Bogdanovich's film The Last Picture Show. In 1977, he was in the film The Other Side of Midnight. In 1981, he was in the pilot episode of a show called The Vintage Years. This show later became the popular soap opera Falcon Crest. However, he was not hired for the full series.

In 1985, he played Burt Wilson in Dan O'Bannon's horror-comedy The Return of the Living Dead. He also had a role in the 1985 film Into the Night.

Later Career and Horror Films

In 2005, Gulager appeared as a bartender in the horror film Feast. He also appeared in its two sequels, Feast II: Sloppy Seconds (2008) and Feast III: The Happy Finish (2009). All these films were directed by his son, John Gulager.

He had a small role in the independent film Tangerine (2015). He also appeared in the 2012 film Piranha 3DD. Clu Gulager's last acting role was in Quentin Tarantino's movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019. He played a book store owner.

Later Years and Death

Clu Gulager passed away from natural causes on August 5, 2022. He was 93 years old. He died at his son John's home in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

• The Virginian (TV series) (1966) won the Bronze Wrangler Award. This was for the best cast in a fictional TV drama.
• A Day with the Boys (1969) (director, short film) was nominated for the Palme d'Or. This is an award for "Best Short Film" at the Cannes Film Festival.
• Hunter's Blood (1986) was nominated for a Saturn Award for "Best Supporting Actor".
• Clu Gulager is honored on the "Oklahoma Walk of Fame" in Tulsa.

Images for kids

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  Gulager in 2015

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  Gulager as Billy the Kid with Marianna Hill as his sweetheart, Rita, from the television program The Tall Man.

See also

In Spanish: Clu Gulager para niños