Eric Fleming (1925-1966)

biography

Born Edward Heddy on July 4, 1925, in Santa Paula, California, actor Eric Fleming endured a rough childhood. Running away numerous times to escape an abusive home life, he finally succeeded in the mid 1930s, making his way east where he found a series of odd jobs in order to support his hard-scrabble existence. After the divorce of his parents, Fleming retured to California and took odd jobs on the Paramount Studios lot. The 6'3" Fleming worked at a number of menial jobs until the outbreak of World War II, when he joined the Merchant Marine. During his tenure, he was seriously injured when the iron block he was lifting slipped and crushed his face. Multiple rounds of plastic surgery gave him a handsome visage but left him with limited facial gesturing ability. Nonetheless, at the age of 19 he was cast in a military training film and was bitten by the acting bug. After his departure from the service following the war, he made his way to Chicago and eventually New York, where he found work as an actor on the legitimate stage.

By 1950, he made his way to Broadway and acted in the productions of The Tower Beyond Tragedy, Stalag 17, and Portrait of a Lady. In order to pay the bills between shows, he also worked in early live television, briefly starring on the DuMont children's show Major Dell Conway of the Flying Tigers and making several appearances on Hallmark Hall of Fame. Never making much money, in the mid 1950s Fleming left Broadway behind for the lure of film work in Hollywood. His first film appearance was in the Paramount science fiction flick Conquest of Space (1955; with Walter Brooke and William Hopper).

the films of eric fleming

Conquest of Space (1955)

Fright (1956)

Queen of Outer Space (1958)

Curse of the Undead (1959)

Rawhide (1959-1965 CBS TV Series)

The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)

later years

Although he is best remembered as a western actor due to his long-running series Rawhide, the bulk of Fleming's films were horror and science fiction B's; the most notorious of these is Queen of Outer Space (1958; with Zsa Zsa Gabor and Laurie Mitchell). Not long after the release of that film, Fleming was offered a starring role on the CBS TV series Rawhide, on which he portrayed Gil Favor from 1959 to 1965. Fleming's contract with CBS precluded his taking roles in films, which so irked him and Rawhide co-star Clint Eastwood that both left the series after the seventh season. Upon his departure, he took a supporting role in MGM's comedy The Glass Bottom Boat (1966; with Doris Day and Rod Taylor). His performance as CIA agent Edgar Hill was instrumental in MGM's casting him in a two-part TV film, costarring Anne Heywood, to be shot on location in Peru. Sadly, Fleming drowned while shooting scenes for the film on September 28, 1966, just two days before he was to be married. The lifelong bachelor was survived by his mother.

eric fleming films available from movies unlimited

Conquest Of Space [DVD](1954) DVD
George Pal produced this special effects-filled science-fiction epic about the first planned flight to Mars, and the captain who feels that the mission is blasphemous and attempts to stop it. With Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming, Mickey Shaughnessy, and Ross Martin. 80 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English.
Fright (1956)/Stark Fear [DVD](1962) DVD
First, in "Fright," a woman believes that she was the lover of a 19th-century Austrian prince in a previous life whose romance ended in a suicide pact. As a psychiatrist tries to shock her out of her delusion, she is forced into a world of terror. AKA: "Spell of the Hypnotist." Nancy Malone, Eric Fleming star. Then, in "Stark Fear," Beverly Garland stars as a put-upon woman whose unemployed husband tortures her until she leaves him for her boss. With Skip Homeier, Kenneth Tobey. 162 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Queen Of Outer Space [DVD](1958) DVD
Camp masterpiece about a group of astronauts who land on Venus and discover a civilization populated by voluptuous women, including chief scientist Zsa Zsa Gabor. And you thought the Beverly Hills Police Department was in trouble! Eric Fleming, Paul Birch, Laurie Mitchell co-star; the script was inspired by a Ben Hecht story. 80 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English (SDH), Spanish, French.
Cult Camp Classics, Vol. 1: Sci-Fi Thrillers [DVD] DVD
Three-disc set includes "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" (1958), "Queen of Outer Space" and "The Giant Behemoth."
Rawhide: The Complete First Season [DVD](1959) DVD
All 22 first-season episodes--including "Incident at the Tumbleweed Wagon," "Incident with an Executioner," "Incident of the Power and the Plow," "Incident of the Calico Gun," and "Incident in No Man's Land"--are featured in a seven-disc set. 19 2/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; bonus season two episode.
Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 1 [DVD](1959) DVD
The first 16 second-season episodes--including "Incident of the Day of the Dead," "Incident at Jacob's Well," "Incident of the Druid's Curse," "Incident of the Devil and His Due," and "Incident of the Wanted Painter"--are featured in a four-disc set. 13 2/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 2 [DVD](1960) DVD
The remaining 16 second-season episodes--including "Incident of the Sharpshooter," "Incident at Sulphur Creek," "Incident of the Stargazer," "Incident of the Silent Web," and "Incident of the Garden of Eden"--are featured in a four-disc set. 13 2/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Rawhide: The Third Season, Vol. 1 [DVD](1960) DVD
The first 15 episodes from the third season--including "Incident at Rojo Canyon," "Incident of the Buffalo Soldier," "Incident of the Broken Word," "Incident Near the Promised Land," and "Incident of the Fish Out of Water"--are featured in a four-disc set. 13 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. **15 episodes on 4 discs. 13 hrs.**
Rawhide: The Third Season, Vol. 2 [DVD](1961) DVD
The remaining 15 episodes from the third season--including "Incident on the Road Back," "Incident Near Gloomy River," "Incident in the Middle of Nowhere," "Incident of the Running Man," and "Incident of the Wager on Payday"--are featured in a four-disc set. 13 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. **15 episodes on 4 discs. 13 hrs.**
Rawhide: Seasons 1-3 [DVD] DVD
Includes "Rawhide: The Complete First Season," "Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 1," "Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 2," "Rawhide: The Third Season, Vol. 1," and "Rawhide: The Third Season, Vol. 2." **66 episodes on 23 discs. 71 1/4 hrs.**
The Glass Bottom Boat [DVD](1966) DVD
Comedy mixes with romance in this wacky spy spoof as public relations specialist Doris Day finds that her job in a space lab leads her into a world of zany espionage proceedings and a relationship with boss Rod Taylor. John McGiver, Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, and Arthur Godfrey also star. 110 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; featurettes; theatrical trailer; bonus short "The Dot and the Line" (1965).
The Doris Day Collection [DVD] DVD
Eight-disc set includes "Young Man with a Horn," "Lullaby of Broadway," "Calamity Jane," "Love Me or Leave Me," "The Pajama Game," "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," "Billy Rose's Jumbo," and "The Glass Bottom Boat."

filmography

FILM
The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) with Doris Day, Rod Taylor, Arthur Godfrey, Paul Lynde, Edward Andrews, Dom DeLuise, Dick Martin, and Alice Pearce
Curse of the Undead (1959) with John Hoyt, Kathleen Crowley, and Michael Pate
Queen of Outer Space (1958) with Zsa Zsa Gabor, Dave Willock, Laurie Mitchell, Lisa Davis, Paul Birch, Marilyn Buferd, Tania Velia, and Joi Lansing
Fright (1956) with Nancy Malone
Conquest of Space (1955) with Walter Brooke, Mickey Shaughnessy, William Hopper, Benson Fong, Ross Martin, and Vito Scotti

TELEVISION SERIES
Rawhide, 1959-1965 CBS TV Series. Fleming portrayed Gil Favor for the entire run. Also in the regular cast was Clint Eastwood
Major Dell Conway of the Flying Tigers, 1951-1952 DuMont TV Series. Fleming portrayed Major Dell Conway from April to May 1951

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Bonanza, episode The Pursued: Parts 1 and 2, originally aired October 2, 1966
Bonanza, episode Peace Officer, originally aired February 6, 1966
Studio One, episode The Strong Man, originally aired June 9, 1958
Flight, episode Master Sergeant, originally aired 1958
Suspicion, episode Heartbeat, originally aired November 11, 1957
The Phil Silvers Show, episode The Face on the Recruiting Poster, originally aired October 16, 1956
The Phil Silvers Show, episode Hollywood, originally aired January 3, 1956
Hallmark Hall of Fame, episode To My Valentine, originally aired February 1, 1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame, episode The General's Bible, originally aired January 18, 1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame, episode Joan of Arc, originally aired December 7, 1952
Cameo Theatre, episode Dark of the Moon, originally aired January 6, 1952