Wright King facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wright King
Born	Wright Thornburgh King (1923-01-11)January 11, 1923
Died	November 25, 2018(2018-11-25) (aged 95) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1946–1987
Spouse(s)	June Ellen Roth King ​ ​ (m. 1948; died 2008)​
Children	3

Wright Thornburgh King (born January 11, 1923 – died November 25, 2018) was an American actor. He worked in plays, movies, and television shows for over 40 years. Many people remember him for playing Jason Nichols in the TV series Wanted Dead or Alive from 1958 to 1961.

Early Life and Acting Start

Wright King learned how to act at the St. Louis School of Theater. He finished his studies there in 1941. After that, he joined the United States Navy during World War II. He served in the South Pacific from 1943 to 1945.

With Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

King first appeared on television in 1949. He played Midshipman Bascomb in a show called Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Throughout his career, he acted in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous Roles and TV Shows

Wright King acted in many Western movies and TV shows. One of his most famous roles was in the 1951 movie A Streetcar Named Desire. In this movie, he acted alongside the famous actress Vivien Leigh. Before the movie, he was also in the original play version of A Streetcar Named Desire. A theater critic named Harold Hobson praised his performance in the play.

In 1958, King appeared in the TV Western Cheyenne. He played characters like the Kiowa Kid and Nevada Jones. He also appeared in the TV show Gunsmoke several times. In one 1957 episode, he played Joe Digger.

King was also well-known for his role in Wanted Dead or Alive. He played Jason Nichols, a young helper to the main character, played by Steve McQueen. King appeared in eleven episodes of this popular show.

Some of his other notable movie roles included:

• Cast a Long Shadow (1959)
• King Rat (1965)
• Planet of the Apes (1968)
• Finian's Rainbow (1968)
• Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973)

In 1974, he played U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell Jr. in a TV movie. This movie, The Missiles of October, was about the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. He also appeared in other TV shows like Johnny Jupiter and The Silent Service. He acted with Richard Boone in Have Gun – Will Travel in two episodes.

Personal Life

Wright King married June Ellen Roth in 1948. They had their first child the following year.

He passed away in Canoga Park, Los Angeles on November 25, 2018. He was 95 years old.

Movies and TV Shows

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Wright King appeared in:

Film Roles

Television Roles