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Eric Fleming
1925-1966
Updated 12/30/2007 with more films and TV episodes available on DVD!
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 face 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.
Mid 1960s portrait of Eric Fleming
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)
From Fleming's first film, the Paramount science fiction release Conquest of Space
Fright (1956)
From the low-budget independent horror flick Fright. LEFT and RIGHT: Fleming as Dr. James Hamilton falls in love with patient Nancy Malone
Queen of Outer Space (1958)
From the campy Allied Artists science fiction film Queen of Outer Space, which has earned its place as a cult classic. RIGHT: Astronaut Eric Fleming hooks up with Zsa Zsa Gabor, a scientist on the all-woman planet Venus. RIGHT: Fleming unmasks Laurie Mitchell as the hideously scarred queen of Venus
Curse of the Undead (1959)
Fleming looks for a vampire who is also a gunslinger in the Universal-International horror/western Curse of the Undead
Rawhide (1959-1965 CBS TV Series)
From the CBS western series Rawhide. LEFT: With Mari Blanchard in a 1961 episode. CENTER A: With Jock Mahoney in a 1960 episode. CENTER B: With costars Sheb Wooley and Clint Eastwood. RIGHT: Fleming as Gil Favor
The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
From the entertaining Doris Day romp The Glass Bottom Boat, released by MGM. LEFT: Fleming as Edgar Hill. RIGHT: With Doris Day and Dom DeLuise
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.
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)/The Terrible People [DVD](1960) DVD
A woman believes she is the mistress of a 19th-century Austrian prince who died with him in a suicide pact. Eric Fleming plays the psychiatrist who tries to employ "Fright" to shock her out of her delusion. Nancy Malone, Dean L. Almquist also star. AKA: "Spell of the Hypnotist." Next, the crackerjack Edgar Wallace thriller "The Terrible People" follows a bank robber who is executed for his crimes, but not before vowing to return from the grave to exact ghostly revenge on all of those responsible for his capture and prosecution. Karin Dor, Joachim Fuchsberger star in the German-produced film. AKA: "Hand of the Gallows." 169 min. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English, English (dubbed). Dubbed in English.
Fright [VHS](1956) VHS
A woman believes she is the mistress of a 19th-century Austrian prince who died with him in a suicide pact. Eric Fleming plays the psychiatrist who tries to shock her out of her delusion. AKA: ``Spell of the Hypnotist.''
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.
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: Season 2 Pack [DVD] DVD
Includes "Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 1" and "Rawhide: The Second Season, Vol. 2."
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
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
Additionally, Fleming made numerous appearances on popular television programs including Bonanza, The Phil Silvers Show, and Studio One
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This page premiered March 29, 2007.
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