biography

Brett Halsey Born Charles Hand on June 20, 1933, in Santa Ana, California, actor Brett Halsey began his acting career while still a teenager. Shortly after graduating from high school, he was put under contract with Universal-International. Initially, he was given small parts in Universal's higher profile films, but after a couple of years he landed better roles in Ma and Pa Kettle at Home (1954; with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride) and To Hell and Back (1955; with Audie Murphy and Marshall Thompson). Upon leaving Universal in 1955, Halsey found work on television and in several drive-in flicks, including Hot Rod Rumble (1957; with Leigh Snowden) and High School Hellcats (1958; with Yvonne Lime). In 1959, he signed with 20th Century Fox, where he starred in such films as Return of the Fly (1959; with Vincent Price) and Desire in the Dust (1960; with Raymond Burr and Martha Hyer). Fox also cast Halsey as one of the stars of its 1961-1962 ABC adventure series Follow the Sun, along with Gary Lockwood and Barry Coe.

Brett Halsey and Luciana Paluzzi At age 19 Halsey married his first wife, actress Renate Hoy, who was Miss Germany 1952. After having a son and daughter, the couple divorced in 1959. His second wife was Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi, with whom he had a son, but this union lasted only a year. He married third wife, actress Heidi Bruhl, in 1964; this marriage lasted twelve years and produced two children.

In 1962, after his TV series Follow the Sun was canceled, Halsey headed to Europe to star in a number of adventure films and spy thrillers, such as The Avenger of Venice (1964; with Burt Nelson), Mission Lisbon (1965; with Fernando Rey), and Spy in Your Eye (1966; with Dana Andrews and Pier Angeli). When he returned to the U.S. in 1971, he found many guest-starring roles on popular television series, such as Columbo and Alias Smith and Jones.


the films of brett halsey

Ma and Pa Kettle at Home (1954)

Percy Kilbride, Marjorie Main, and Brett HalseyBrett HalseyBrett Halsey and Alice Kelley

From Universal's Ma and Pa Kettle at Home, the sixth of eight releases in the series. LEFT: With series stars Percy Kilbride and Marjorie Main. CENTER: Halsey as Elwin Kettle. RIGHT: With love interest Alice Kelley

High School Hellcats (1958)

Yvonne Lime and Brett Halsey

With Yvonne Lime in the juvenile deliquent crime drama High School Hellcats

Submarine Seahawk (1958)

Brett Halsey

From American International's war picture Submarine Seahawk

The Best of Everything (1959)

Hope Lange and Brett Halsey

With Hope Lange in the 20th Century Fox romance The Best of Everything

Return of the Fly (1959)

Vincent Price and Brett Halsey

With Vincent Price in the 20th Century Fox horror flick Return of the Fly

Desire in the Dust (1960)

Brett Halsey and Martha HyerJoan Bennett and Brett Halsey

LEFT: Romancing Martha Hyer in the potboiler Desire in the Dust. RIGHT: Lobby card featuring Joan Bennett

The Girl in Lovers Lane (1960)

Brett Halsey

From the campy drive-in flick The Girl in Lovers Lane, which once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000

Return to Peyton Place (1961)

Mary Astor and Brett Halsey

From the 20th Century Fox drama Return to Peyton Place with Mary Astor

Follow the Sun (1961-1962 ABC TV Series)

Brett Halsey and Nita Talbot

With Nita Talbot in the first episode of Brett Halsey's 1961-1962 TV series Follow the Sun

Spy in Your Eye (1965)

Brett Halsey

Halsey gets roughed up in the spy thriller Spy in Your Eye

Anyone Can Play (1968)

Brett HalseyUrsula Andress and Brett Halsey

Brett Halsey is married to Ursula Andress in the Italian comedy Anyone Can Play

Four Times that Night (1972)

Brett Halsey

From the Italian comedy Four Times that Night, directed by Mario Bava

brett halsey today

In the 1970s, Halsey was cast in three different CBS daytime dramas, including Search for Tomorrow and The Young and the Restless. He continued making films and taking guest roles on television series through the late 1990s. In addition, Brett Halsey has has taught acting and film studies courses and has worked as a screenwriter. In the 1980s, he worked for Paramount Studios in production development. Now married to fourth wife Victoria, Halsey still tackles an occasional film or television role, and his most recent film is the action film Risk Factor (2015). For more information, visit his official website, which is listed below in the Links section.

filmography

FILM
Risk Factor (2013) with Loren Avedon
Club Utopia (2013) with Elise Muller
The Scarlet Worm (2011) with Aaron Stielstra
Hierarchy (2009) with Anthony Spears
Into the Heat (2003) with Loren Avedon
Free Fall (1999) with Jaclyn Smith, Bruce Boxleitner, Hayden Christensen, and Chad Everett
First Degree (1996) with Rob Lowe
Kissinger and Nixon (1995) with Ron Silver, Beau Bridges, and George Takei
Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story (1995) with Sela Ward and Ron Silver
Expect No Mercy (1995) with Billy Blanks
Terminal Rush (1995) with Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, Michael Anderson Jr., and Roddy Piper
Search for Diana (1993)
To Catch a Killer (1992) with Brian Dennehy, Margot Kidder, and Meg Foster
Beyond Justice (1992) with Rutger Hauer, Carol Alt, Omar Sharif, and Elliott Gould
The Godfather: Part III (1990) with Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda, and Sofia Coppola
Demonia (1990)
Back Stab (1990) with James Brolin and Meg Foster
Esmeralda Bay (1989) with Robert Forster, George Kennedy, and Fernando Rey
Demons 6 (1989)
Velvet Dreams (1988)
Der Commander (1988) with Lee Van Cleef and Donald Pleasence
Touch of Death (1988) with Ria De Simone
Ratboy (1986) with Sondra Locke, Robert Townsend, Christopher Hewett, Gerrit Graham, and Louie Anderson
Il miele del diavolo (1986) with Corinne Clery
Rose (1986) with Valerie Perrine and Pamela Tiffin
Scruples (1981) with Priscilla Barnes, Roy Thinnes, Dirk Benedict, James Darren, Jessica Walter, and Vonetta McGee
Power (1980) with Joe Don Baker, Karen Black, David Groh, Howard Da Silva, Scott Brady, Victor Jory, and Brian Kerwin
Crash (1978) with William Shatner, Adrienne Barbeau, Brooke Bundy, Christopher Connelly, Lorraine Gary, Ron Glass, Sharon Gless, Joyce Jameson, George Maharis, and Ed Nelson
Where Does It Hurt? (1972) with Peter Sellers, Jo Ann Pflug, Rick Lenz, Harold Gould, Hope Summers, and Pat Morita
Four Times that Night (1972) with Daniela Giordano
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack (1970) with Marilu Tolo
Trumpet of the Apocalypse (1969) with Alberto Dalbes and Marilu Tolo
Twenty Thousand Dollars for Seven (1969)
Wrath of God (1968) with Wayde Preston
Tutto sul rosso (1968) with Gordon Mitchell
Today We Kill Tomorrow We Die (1968) with Bud Spencer and Wayde Preston
One Day After August (1968)
Anyone Can Play (1968) with Ursula Andress, Virna Lisi, Claudine Auger, and Marisa Mell
Bang Bang (1967)
Web of Violence (1966) with Margaret Lee
Uccidete Johnny Ringo (1966)
Lovers and Kings (1966) with Lilli Palmer, Curd Jürgens, and Walter Slezak
Mission Lisbon (1965) with Marilu Tolo and Fernando Rey
Spy in Your Eye (1965) with Dana Andrews and Pier Angeli
L'heure de la vérité (1965)
The Magnificent Cuckold (1964) with Claudia Cardinale and Ugo Tognazzi
The Avenger of Venice (1964) with Gianna Maria Canale and Burt Nelson
Jack and Jenny (1963) with Senta Berger
Twice-Told Tales (1963) with Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot, Beverly Garland, Richard Denning, and Mari Blanchard
Il magnifico avventuriero (1963)
The Burning of Rome (1962)
Return to Peyton Place (1961) with Carol Lynley, Jeff Chandler, Eleanor Parker, Mary Astor, Robert Sterling, Luciana Paluzzi, and Tuesday Weld
Desire in the Dust (1960) with Raymond Burr, Martha Hyer, Joan Bennett, Margaret Field, Anne Helm, and Irene Ryan
The Girl in Lovers Lane (1960) with Joyce Meadows and Jack Elam; once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Four Fast Guns (1960) with James Craig, Martha Vickers, and Edgar Buchanan
Blood and Steel (1959) with John Lupton, and Ziva Rodann
The Atomic Submarine (1959) with Arthur Franz, Dick Foran, Tom Conway, Bob Steele, Joi Lansing, and Jean Moorhead
Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) with Guy Madison, Virginia Mayo, George Raft, Ilona Massey, George Macready, Anna Lee, and Venetia Stevenson
The Best of Everything (1959) with Joan Crawford, Hope Lange, Stephen Boyd, Suzy Parker, Martha Hyer, Diane Baker, Brian Aherne, and Louis Jourdan
Return of the Fly (1959) with Vincent Price
Speed Crazy (1959) with Yvonne Lime and Baynes Barron
The Last Blitzkrieg (1959) with Van Johnson, Kerwin Mathews, Dick York, Larry Storch, and Leon Askin
Submarine Seahawk (1958) with John Bentley
The Cry Baby Killer (1958) with Jack Nicholson
High School Hellcats (1958) with Yvonne Lime
Lafayette Escadrille (1958) with Tab Hunter, David Janssen, Paul Fix, Will Hutchins, Clint Eastwood, Tom Laughlin, Raymond Bailey, William Wellman Jr., and Jody McCrea
Smoke Jumpers (1958) with Dean Jagger
Hot Rod Rumble (1957) with Leigh Snowden
To Hell and Back (1955) with Audie Murphy, Marshall Thompson, Charles Drake, Jack Kelly, Gregg Palmer, David Janssen, Denver Pyle, and Susan Kohner
Ma and Pa Kettle at Home (1954) with Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Alan Mowbray, Alice Kelley, and Mary Wickes

TELEVISION SERIES
The Young and the Restless, 1973-present CBS daytime TV series. Halsey portrayed John Abbott from 1980-1982
Search for Tomorrow, 1951-1986 CBS/NBC daytime TV series. Halsey portrayed Clay Collins in 1975
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, 1967-1973 CBS daytime TV series. Halsey portrayed Spencer Garrison from 1972-1973
Follow the Sun, 1961-1962 ABC TV series. Halsey portrayed Paul Templin

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Cold Case, episode Wings, originally aired December 21, 2008
Mowgli: The New Adventures of the Jungle Book, episode The Guardian, originally aired January 1, 1998
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, episode Demons, originally aired October 2, 1995
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, episode Target, originally aired May 1, 1995
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, episode Plague, originally aired January 30, 1995
TekWar, episode Unknown Soldier, originally aired December 29, 1994
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, episode The Possessed, originally aired May 2, 1994
Matrix, episode Lapses in Memory, originally aired July 15, 1993
Top Cops, episode Mel McDougall/Dave Smith, originally aired January 1, 1993
Secret Service, episode The Assassin, originally aired January 1, 1993
X-Men, episode Enter Magneto, originally aired November 27, 1992
X-Men, episode Night of the Sentinels, originally aired October 31, 1992
Forever Knight, episode Dying to Know You, originally aired June 9, 1992
Street Legal, episode The Good Lawyer, originally aired November 29, 1991
Counterstrike, episode Native Warriors, originally aired October 26, 1991
Sweating Bullets, episode Dead Men Tell, originally aired September 30, 1991
Top Cops, episode Gene Ambs, originally aired January 1, 1991
Street Legal, episode Blue Collar, originally aired December 15, 1989
The New Mike Hammer, episode Murder in the Cards, originally aired December 3, 1986
Half Nelson, episode Uppers and Downers, originally aired April 5, 1985
The Dukes of Hazzard, episode The Dukes in Hollywood, originally aired November 2, 1984
Cagney & Lacey, episode Insubordination, originally aired October 29, 1984
Airwolf, episode Sins of the Past, originally aired October 27, 1984
Matt Houston, episode Caged, originally aired October 26, 1984
Automan, episode Club Ten, originally aired April 9, 1984
The New Mike Hammer, episode Sex Trap, originally aired March 24, 1984
Matt Houston, episode Whose Party Is It Anyway?, originally aired January 23, 1983
Knight Rider, episode Give Me Liberty... or Give Me Death, originally aired January 21, 1983
The Dukes of Hazzard, episode Enos in Trouble, originally aired November 19, 1982
Fantasy Island, episode Forget Me Not/The Quiz Masters, originally aired April 10, 1982
Fantasy Island, episode A Very Strange Affair/The Sailor, originally aired January 2, 1982
The Fall Guy, episode The Meek Shall Inherit Rhonda, originally aired November 11, 1981
Charlie's Angels, episode Attack Angels, originally aired June 3, 1981
Hart to Hart, episode Murder, Murder on the Wall, originally aired November 11, 1980
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, episode Cruise Ship to the Stars, originally aired December 27, 1979
The Dukes of Hazzard, episode The Rustlers, originally aired October 5, 1979
Fantasy Island, episode The Chain Gang/The Boss, originally aired October 19, 1979
Fantasy Island, episode Let the Goodtimes Roll/Nightmare/The Tiger, originally aired November 4, 1978
The Love Boat, episode The Last of the Stubings/The Million Dollar Man/Sisters, originally aired February 4, 1978
The Bionic Woman, episode The Antidote, originally aired January 21, 1978
City of Angels The Losers, originally aired April 6, 1976
CBS Daytime 90, episode Once in Her Life, originally aired February 14, 1974
Toma, episode Crime Without Victim, originally aired October 18, 1973
Alias Smith and Jones, episode The Day the Amnesty Came Through, originally aired November 25, 1972
Columbo, episode Death Lends a Hand, originally aired October 6, 1971
Alias Smith and Jones, episode Return to Devil's Hole, originally aired February 25, 1971
Adventures in Paradise, episode Passage to Tua, originally aired April 11, 1960
Alcoa Theatre, episode The Silent Kill, originally aired February 22, 1960
Five Fingers, episode Thin Ice, originally aired December 19, 1959
World of Giants, episode Feathered Foe, originally aired October 17, 1959
Adventure Showcase, episode Brock Callahan, originally aired August 11, 1959
Bat Masterson, episode River Boat, originally aired February 18, 1959
Sea Hunt, episode Diving for the Moon, originally aired February 15, 1959
Death Valley Days, episode Eruption at Volcano, originally aired February 14, 1959
Mackenzie's Raiders, episode The Imposter, originally aired January 1, 1959
Highway Patrol, episode Breath of a Child, originally aired December 29, 1958
The Adventures of Jim Bowie, episode Bad Medicine, originally aired April 18, 1958
The Millionaire, episode The Susan Birchard Story, originally aired April 2, 1958
Target, episode Police Doctor, originally aired March 21, 1958
Harbor Command, episode Killer on My Doorstep, originally aired February 28, 1958
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Cautious Coquette, originally aired January 18, 1958
West Point, episode The Fight Back, originally aired June 7, 1957
Matinee Theatre, episode The Story of Joseph, originally aired April 19, 1957
West Point, episode Start Running, originally aired January 18, 1957
Highway Patrol, episode Temptation, originally aired January 1, 1957
The 20th Century-Fox Hour, episode Smoke Jumpers, originally aired November 145, 1956
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, episode The Hostage, originally aired November 4, 1956
Gunsmoke, episode Helping Hand, originally aired March 17, 1956
Brave Eagle, episode The Gentle Warrior, originally aired January 25, 1956
Brave Eagle, episode The Spirit of Hidden Valley, originally aired January 4, 1956

brett halsey links

The Official Brett Halsey Web Site
Visit Brett Halsey's website for biography information, photos, personal anecdotes, and more!

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Watch the trailers for Brett Halsey's 1963 horror film Twice-Told Tales and his 1965 Eurospy film Spy in Your Eye

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Watch Brett Halsey in the 1959 film The Girl in Lovers Lane
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