Ty Hardin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ty Hardin
Hardin in Bronco, 1958
Born	Orison Whipple Hungerford, Jr. (1930-01-01)January 1, 1930 New York City, U.S.
Died	August 3, 2017(2017-08-03) (aged 87) Huntington Beach, California, U.S.
Years active	1958–1992
Spouse(s)	among others: Andra Martin ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1960)​ Marlene Schmidt ​ ​ (m. 1962; div. 1965)​
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Battles/wars	Korean War

Ty Hardin (born Orison Whipple Hungerford Jr.; January 1, 1930 – August 3, 2017) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing the main character in the TV Western series Bronco. This show aired from 1958 to 1962 on ABC.

Early Life and Army Days

Ty Hardin was born in New York City. When he was six months old, his family moved to Austin, Texas, where he grew up. His father, an engineer, left the family when Ty was four.

He finished high school in Houston in 1949. He played football and received a scholarship to attend Blinn College for a year. Later, he studied at the Dallas Bible Institute.

Hardin joined the United States Army and served during the Korean War. He became an officer and a pilot, flying small planes to help guide military operations. He reached the rank of first lieutenant. After his army service, he went to Texas A&M University on another football scholarship.

Becoming an Actor

Starting in Hollywood

Ty Hardin was discovered by a talent scout from Paramount Pictures at a costume party. He had rented cowboy revolvers for his outfit.

In 1957, he moved to Hollywood and signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. At first, he was known as "Ty Hungerford." He appeared in small roles in several movies. These included The Space Children (1958) and I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958). He also appeared in The Buccaneer (1958) and Last Train from Gun Hill (1959).

Starring in Bronco

Hardin and Nina Shipman in Bronco

Ty Hardin met John Wayne, a famous actor, who was impressed by him. Wayne introduced Hardin to people at Warner Bros.. Warner Bros. then signed Hardin to a seven-year contract. They changed his last name to "Hardin," which sounded like the famous Texas gunfighter John Wesley Hardin.

He took acting classes at Warner Bros. and got small parts in their shows. His big chance came in 1958. Another actor, Clint Walker, left his TV show Cheyenne for a short time. Warner Bros. put Ty Hardin in the show as "Bronco Layne."

Hardin was very popular on Cheyenne. So, when Clint Walker returned, Warner Bros. gave Hardin his own show called Bronco. This show was part of a group of Westerns that rotated each week. Bronco ran from 1958 to 1962.

Movies and TV Shows

Hardin with Yvette Dugay in a publicity photo for Bronco

Besides Bronco, Hardin also guest-starred on other Warner Bros. shows like Maverick. He also appeared in several movies for Warner Bros. These films included Merrill's Marauders (1962) and The Chapman Report (1962). He was also in the fun spring break movie Palm Springs Weekend (1963) and the war film PT 109.

Acting Around the World

After his contract with Warner Bros. ended, Ty Hardin decided to act in movies overseas. Many of his TV shows were popular around the world. He traveled to Europe and made several "Spaghetti Westerns" (Western films made in Europe), such as Man of the Cursed Valley (1964).

He also appeared in the war movie Battle of the Bulge (1965) and the Western Savage Pampas (1966). He played the main role in Death on the Run (1967). He also supported Joan Crawford in Berserk! (1967) and was in Custer of the West (1967).

Hardin then starred in the Australian TV series Riptide from 1968 to 1969. In this show, he played an American who ran a boat company along the coast of Australia.

He continued to make films in Europe, including The Last Rampage (1970) and Drummer of Vengeance (1971). He also had a role in the German TV series On the Trail of Johnny Hilling, Boor and Billy.

Later Career

Ty Hardin continued acting in the 1970s and 1980s. His later roles included movies like Rooster: Spurs of Death! (1977) and Fire (1977). He also appeared in TV shows such as The Love Boat.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was in films like The Zoo Gang (1985) and Red River (1988). His last film roles were in Bad Jim (1992) and Rescue Me (1992).

His Life Off-Screen

John Beradino, Hardin, and Anne Helm in 1961

In 1958, Ty Hardin legally changed his name from Orison Whipple Hungerford Jr. to Ty Hardin. He said it was simply easier to use.

From 1962 to 1966, he was married to Marlene Schmidt, who was Miss Universe in 1961. She also worked in the movie industry, and they had one daughter together. Ty Hardin was married eight times. At the time of his death, he lived with his eighth wife, Caroline, in Huntington Beach, California.

Ty Hardin passed away on August 3, 2017, when he was 87 years old.

Movies and TV Shows List