John C. Champion facts for kids

John C. Champion (born October 13, 1923, died October 10, 1994) was an American producer and screenwriter. He helped create many films and TV shows. He was especially known for his work on Westerns and war movies. He also produced Zero Hour!, a serious movie that later inspired the famous comedy Airplane!.

Making Movies and TV Shows

John C. Champion started his film career by making two Westerns. These were Panhandle (1948) and Stampede (1949). He produced and co-wrote both films with Blake Edwards. Lesley Selander directed these movies.

Champion worked with Lesley Selander again on another Western film called Shotgun (1955). They also made a movie about the Korean War called Dragonfly Squadron. Later, Champion produced and co-wrote the aviation film Zero Hour! with Arthur Hailey. This movie was later remade into the popular comedy Airplane!.

In 1959, Champion produced the TV series Laramie. This was a Western show that ran until 1963. He also wrote several episodes for the series. He wrote the first serious one-hour pilot episode for McHale's Navy. This pilot was called Seven Against the Sea.

In 1965, Champion started a company with actor Audie Murphy. They planned to make Westerns in Spain. However, only one movie, The Texican, was made by their company.

Working in England

Champion moved to England in 1967. There, he wrote and produced low-budget war films. These movies included Attack on the Iron Coast, The Last Escape, and Submarine X-1. Like his earlier film Dragonfly Squadron, these movies often used a lot of existing film clips, called stock footage. They usually featured American lead actors and directors.

Writing a Novel

John C. Champion also wrote one novel. It was called The Hawks of Noon and was published in 1965. In 1969, actor Rod Taylor announced plans to star in a movie based on the book. He also planned to make more movies with Champion, but these films were never made.

Champion's last film was Mustang Country in 1976. For this movie, he was the director, producer, and writer. It starred actor Joel McCrea.

See also

In Spanish: John Champion para niños