Jim Davis (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Davis
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Trailer for Winter Meeting (1948)
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| Born |
Marlin Davis
August 26, 1909 Edgerton, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | April 26, 1981 (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1942–1981 |
| Spouse(s) |
Blanche Hammerer
(m. 1949) |
| Children | 1 |
Jim Davis (born Marlin Davis; August 26, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American actor. He was very well known for his roles in TV Westerns. Later in his career, he became famous as Jock Ewing in the hit TV show Dallas. He played this role until he became too sick to continue acting.
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Life as an Actor
Jim Davis was born in Edgerton, Missouri. He went to high school in Dearborn. Later, he attended William Jewell College where he studied political science. He also played football there. During World War II, he served in the United States Coast Guard.
His first big movie role was in 1948. He acted alongside the famous actress Bette Davis in a movie called Winter Meeting. After this, he often appeared in "B movies." These were usually lower-budget films, and many of them were Westerns. He also played a U.S. Senator in the movie The Parallax View.
TV Westerns and Other Shows
Jim Davis was a familiar face on television. He appeared many times on the show Death Valley Days. From 1954 to 1955, he starred in and narrated Stories of the Century. In this show, he played Matt Clark, a detective for the Southwest Railroad.
He also played an outlaw in an episode of Tales of Wells Fargo. From 1958 to 1960, Jim Davis starred as Wes Cameron in the adventure series Rescue 8. This show was about a rescue team. He also made guest appearances on other crime dramas.
Jim Davis appeared on Perry Mason and Stoney Burke. In 1964, he even played the famous lawman Wyatt Earp in an episode of Death Valley Days. He was also in 11 episodes of Gunsmoke. This was a very popular Western TV show. He also appeared on Daniel Boone, Wagon Train, and Laramie. He had small roles in two John Wayne movies, Rio Lobo (1970) and Big Jake (1971).
In 1974, he starred as Marshal Bill Winter in a short Western TV series called The Cowboys. This show was based on a movie that also starred John Wayne.
Dallas and Later Years
After many years of acting in different roles, Jim Davis got a very important part. He was cast as Jock Ewing in the TV show Dallas. This show first aired in 1978. It became a huge hit.
When Jim Davis became very sick, the show's creators decided not to replace his character with another actor. After he passed away, they even thought about keeping his name in the opening credits. His character's death was shown in an episode called "The Search" in 1982. This episode included old scenes of his character.
Personal Life
In 1949, Jim Davis married Blanche Hammerer. They were married for over 30 years, until his death in 1981.
They had one daughter, Tara Diane Davis. Sadly, she passed away in a car accident when she was 17 years old. Later, Jim Davis became close to his Dallas co-star Victoria Principal. She reminded him of his daughter.
Death
Jim Davis passed away at his home in Northridge, California, on April 26, 1981. He was 71 years old. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Recognition
In February 1960, Jim Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people in the entertainment industry. His star is located at 6290 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. By then, he had already been a guest star on 50 TV episodes and had led two TV series, Stories of the Century and Rescue 8.
