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Hugh O'Brian
1925-
Updated 4/6/2008 with more films available on DVD!
biography
Born Hugh Krampe in Rochester, New York, in April 1925, actor Hugh O'Brian excelled in sports while in high school, playing football and basketball, running track and wrestling. After high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps during World War II. After a four-year stint as a Marine, O'Brian was discharged. He was bitten by the acting bug and after moving to Los Angeles he enrolled at UCLA and took roles in small theatre productions. He was soon discovered by actor/director Ida Lupino, who cast him in her 1949 film Never Fear, for which she directed and wrote the screenplay. His strong screen presence and solid performance in his early film appearances landed O'Brian a contract with Universal-International in 1950.
LEFT: Early 1950s Universal studio shot. RIGHT: Early 1960s photo
O'Brian left Universal in the mid 1950s and took the role of Wyatt Earp in Desilu's The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp series, a big hit from 1955-1961. Never forgetting his roots in the legitimate theatre, O'Brian did quite a bit of Broadway, especially in the 1960s.
the films of hugh o'brian
Cave of Outlaws (1951)
From the Universal-International western Cave of Outlaws
The Raiders (1952)
LEFT: With Viveca Lindfors in the Universal-International western The Raiders. RIGHT: As Hank Purvis
Sally and Saint Anne (1952)
From the Universal-International comedy Sally and Saint Anne. Pictured are Lamont Johnson, Jack Kelly, Ann Blyth, Frances Bavier, Otto Hulett, and Hugh O'Brian
The Man From the Alamo (1953)
Another shot from one of O'Brian's numerous westerns, this one's from the Glenn Ford vehicle The Man From the Alamo
Meet Me at the Fair (1953)
From the musical Meet Me at the Fair
The Stand at Apache River (1953)
With Hugh Marlowe and Jaclynne Greene in The Stand at Apache River
Drums Across the River (1954)
From Drums Across the River, one of O'Brian's last Universal features. The photo on the right includes Audie Murphy
Saskatchewan (1954)
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-1961 TV series)
Materials from Wyatt Earp. LEFT: Dell comic book cover from the late 1950s. RIGHT: ABC-TV promotional photo
Hugh O'Brian in a 1964 ad for Heublein Whiskey Sour
Love Has Many Faces (1965)
Various beefcake shots of O'Brian from the Lana Turner potboiler Love Has Many Faces. The photo on the right includes Stefanie Powers
Ambush Bay (1966)
Scenes from Ambush Bay with Jim Mitchum
Strategy of Terror (1969)
With Barbara Rush in the Universal whodunnit Strategy of Terror
hugh o'brian today
Hugh O'Brian's career continued to be strong throughout the 1970s, but by the end of the decade, he cooled his acting career in order to focus on his organization Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY). Founded in 1958, HOBY seeks out and helps recognize leadership potential in high school sophomores. Now retired from acting, O'Brian continues to concentrate on HOBY. And in June 2006, O'Brian married for the first time; his wife, Virginia, is a teacher whom the actor has been dating for a number of years.
The Life And Legend Of Wyatt Earp: From Ellsworth To Tombstone [DVD] DVD
Originally airing on ABC from 1955 to 1961, this classic western series starred Hugh O'Brian as legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. With his Buntline Special in hand, Earp brought his unique brand of frontier justice to Ellsworth, Wichita, Dodge City, and Tombstone--making history along the way. An assortment of 26 episodes from the program's run--including "Wyatt Earp Becomes a Marshal," "Dodge City Gets a New Marshal," "When Sherman Marched Through Kansas," "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," and "The Outlaws Cry Murder"--are collected in a four-disc set. 11 1/3 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; biography; interviews; featurette.
Classic TV Cowboys Collector's Edition [DVD] DVD
Two-disc set of 15 TV western episodes includes "The Rifleman" ("Days of the Hunter," "Outlaw's Inheritance," "Mailorder Groom"), "Bat Masterson" ("The Fighter," "Stampede at Tent City"), "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" ("The Assassins"), "The Lone Ranger" ("The Renegades," "The Return of the Convict"), "Wagon Train" ("The Malachi Hobart Story"), "The Roy Rogers Show" ("The Ambush," "Western Justice"), "The Deputy" ("The Hard Decision," "The Return of Widow Brown"), and "Shotgun Slade" ("A Flower for Jenny," "Crossed Guns"). 7 1/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; biography; photo gallery.
The Loretta Young Show, Vol. 1: Earthquake/Feeling No Pain VHS
A married couple's love is tested when the husband is left in an iron lung following an "Earthquake." Paul Langton and John Agar co-star. In "Feeling No Pain," Young plays a secretary who gets into comedic troubles thanks to a dentist's anesthetic. Hugh O'Brian also stars. 60 min.
The John Wayne Collection [DVD] DVD
Five-disc set includes "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," "The Sons of Katie Elder," "El Dorado," "True Grit" (Special Collector's Edition), and "The Shootist."
The Young Lovers [DVD](1949) DVD
Ida Lupino made her directorial debut with this fascinating look at a dancer who tries to get her life back to normal after being stricken with a debilitating disease. While fighting depression and grueling physical therapy treatments, she becomes friendly with a fellow patient. Sally Forrest, Keefe Brasselle and Hugh O'Brian star in this powerful drama. AKA: "Never Fear." Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Legendary Outlaws Double Feature, Vol. 2: The Return Of Jesse James (1950)/Gunfire [DVD](1950) DVD
John Ireland is a small-time crook who looks so much like Jesse James that people believe the late outlaw is still alive, and Frank James, who's gone legit, thinks he has to set his "brother" straight. Ann Dvorak, Henry Hull, Hugh O'Brian, Reed Hadley, and Tommy Noonan (half-brother of Ireland) also star in "The Return of Jesse James." Then, declining an offer to rejoin his old gang, former outlaw Frank James learns he has a double of his own who's begun a crime spree that Frank takes the fall for. Donald "Red" Barry, Robert Lowery, Pamela Blake star in "Gunfire." AKA: "Frank James Rides Again." 134 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; biographies; theatrical trailer.
Beyond The Purple Hills [DVD](1950) DVD
Sheriff Gene Autry finds an old friend murdered and arrests the victim's son. But since the son is Wyatt Earp-to-be Hugh O'Brian (his film debut), Gene knows he can't be guilty and sets out to bring the real killer to justice. With Pat Buttram, Don Beddoe. 70 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; radio show excerpt; photo gallery; poster gallery; trivia; more.
Rocketship X-M [DVD](1950) DVD
One of the first serious cinematic depictions of space travel, this sci-fi thriller follows the four-man, one-woman crew of Rocketship X-M ("Expedition Moon") as they're thrown off their lunar trajectory and wind up on the planet Mars. Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, Hugh O'Brian star. Contains original tinted sequences as seen in theatres. 77 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Little Big Horn (1951)/Rimfire [DVD](1949) DVD
Twin bill of dark frontier dramas open with "Little Big Horn," in which a Cavalry unit trying to intercept Custer's forces and warn them of the awaiting Sioux ambush are being killed one by one by an unseen enemy. Lloyd Bridges, John Ireland, Jim Davis, Hugh O'Brian star. Next, a gambler hanged for a crime he didn't commit and an undercover agent searching for stolen gold are the intertwining elements of "Rimfire," with James Millican, Mary Beth Hughes, Reed Hadley, and Henry Hull. 150 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Vengeance Valley [DVD](1951) DVD
Offbeat sagebrusher in which Burt Lancaster becomes embroiled in a nasty feud with bad boy half-brother Robert Walker when he's accused of fathering an illegitimate child. Hoping to control Lancaster's stake in the family ranch, Walker joins forces with the woman's brothers to track down his sibling. Joanne Dru, John Ireland also star. 83 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; scene access.
Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 1 [DVD] DVD
One-time desperadoes Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie go straight and join "The Texas Rangers" (1936) in their fight to uphold the law in Lone Star territory. When one of their former partners continues his outlaw ways, MacMurray and Oakie are called on to catch him. Lloyd Nolan, Jean Peter co-star. Next, the Oregon Territory of the 1850s is the setting for a bitter rivalry between scout-turned-general store owner Dana Andrews and crooked banker Brian Donlevy--a rivalry that intensifies when beautiful Susan Hayward comes between them--in "Canyon Passage" (1946). Audie Murphy stars as a young Jesse James, who becomes the protege of notorious outlaw William Quantrill (Donlevy) before making history as leader of his own gang, in "Kansas Raiders" (1950). With Marguerite Chapman, Tony Curtis. And, in his first starring role, Rock Hudson plays famed frontier badman John Wesley Hardin in director Raoul Walsh's well-crafted Western biodrama "The Lawless Breed" (1953). Julia Adams, Hugh O'Brian, John McIntyre and Lee Van Cleef also star. 6 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.
Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 2 [DVD] DVD
Prairie fires, snowstorms, hostile Indians, and a gun-smuggling Joan Bennett are just some of the problems trail boss Randolph Scott has to cope with on a 10,000-head cattle drive to Kansas, in "The Texans" (1938). With May Robson, Robert Cummings, Walter Brennan. Barbara Stanwyck is a gambling queen with a shady past who joins forces with an Army deserter and an old-time miner to face off against a powerful land baron, in "California" (1946). Ray Milland, Barry Fitzgerald also star. Then, Audie Murphy is a gunman who is wrongly accused of helping the Dalton gang in a train robbery--then joins them for real, in "The Cimarron Kid" (1952). With Beverly Tyler, Hugh O'Brian, James Best. Finally, Glenn Ford stars as "The Man from the Alamo" (1953). Branded a coward for his actions at the doomed fortress, Ford must fight to prove himself during the Mexican War. Julia Adams, Victor Jory, Hugh O'Brian co-star. 6 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; theatrical trailers.
Broken Lance [DVD](1954) DVD
Frontier cattle ranch patriarch Spencer Tracy's harsh, unemotional upbringing of his four sons leads to violent confrontation between siblings in this emotional Western drama that is part "King Lear" and part "Bonanza." Robert Wagner, Richard Widmark, Hugh O'Brian, and Earl Holliman are the brothers; with Katy Jurado, Jean Peters. 96 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish.
There's No Business Like Show Business [DVD](1954) DVD
And there's no musical like this grand salute to the songs of Irving Berlin. Classic Berlin tunes like the title song, "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" and "You'd Be Surprised" are woven around the story of a close-knit vaudeville family. Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor and Marilyn Monroe star. 117 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Surround and stereo; Subtitles: English, Spanish; theatrical trailer; scene access.
White Feather [DVD](1955) DVD
Accompanying an army colonel (John Lund) as the U.S. military peacefully resettles a Cheyenne tribe away from valuable Wyoming land, a land surveyor (Robert Wagner) places the fragile truce between the whites and Indians in jeopardy when he falls in love with the daughter of tribesman Little Dog (Jeffrey Hunter). This scorching Western drama set in the 1870s also stars Debra Paget, Noah Beery, Jr., and Eduard Franz. 102 min. Standard and Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital Surround, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; photo gallery; theatrical trailer.
Assassination In Rome (1965)/Espionage In Tangiers [DVD](1965) DVD
First, in "Assassination in Rome," Cyd Charisse stars as an American woman in Rome whose husband mysteriously vanishes. With the help of her newspaper reporter ex-lover Hugh O'Brian, she tries to track down her missing spouse. Italian-produced thriller co-stars Mario Feliciani. Then, the James Bond-styled Spanish effort "Espionage in Tangiers" tells of a secret agent who is trying to snag a dangerous molecular ray-gun that can disintegrate cars and fireplaces. Yikes! Luis Davila, Jose Greci, Perla Cristal star. 3 1/3 hrs. total. Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Dubbed in English.
In Harm's Way [DVD](1965) DVD
Masterful actioner of Navy men in the Pacific theater of WWII after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, focusing on the turbulent careers and personal lives of officers John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. Otto Preminger directs a superlative cast that includes Henry Fonda, Patricia Neal, George Kennedy. 165 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English 5.1 and Dolby Surround; Subtitles: English; "making of" featurette; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Ten Little Indians [DVD](1965) DVD
A dinner party in a remote Alpine retreat becomes a search for a murderer when, one by one, the guests of the unseen host are killed. Hugh O'Brian, Shirley Eaton, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Dennis Price, and Fabian star in this variation of the Agatha Christie thriller. 90 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; featurette; theatrical trailer.
Ambush Bay [DVD](1966) DVD
Exciting World War II actioner stars Hugh O'Brian and Mickey Rooney as members of an elite Marine unit sent on a covert mission to a Japanese-controlled island in the Philippines. Ordered to make contact with a spy who possesses a crucial piece of information, the men learn that the U.S. Navy is headed for an underwater minefield. Now, they're the only ones who can warn the fleet and avert tragedy. With James Mitchum, Peter Masterson. 110 min. Standard and Widescreen; Soundtracks: English mono, Spanish mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish.
Murder On Flight 502 [DVD](1975) DVD
A transatlantic flight becomes a trip into terror when a passenger is killed and the murderer waits, undiscovered, for his next victim. Thriller stars Robert Stack, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Ralph Bellamy, Polly Bergen, Molly Picon and Sonny Bono. 97 min.
The Shootist [DVD](1976) DVD
A famed gunslinger dying from cancer wants to live peacefully in a small town, but can't escape his reputation. Ironic, dramatic finale to John Wayne's career, buoyed by the Duke's moving performance, also stars James Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard. 99 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English mono, French; Subtitles: English; theatrical trailer; interviews; scene access.
Bruce Lee: Ultimate Collection [DVD] DVD
In "The Big Boss" (1973), Bruce Lee plays a naive country boy who chops and kicks his way through corruption and drug smuggling at an ice factory. AKA: "Fists of Fury." Set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in 1908, "Fist of Fury" (1973) follows Lee on a violent path of revenge against the foreign villains who killed his martial arts instructor. AKA: "The Chinese Connection." Then, Lee travels to Rome to help a friend whose restaurant is being terrorized by gangsters, in "Way of the Dragon" (1974), which features top-notch fights, climaxed by a battle in the ruins of the Colosseum with Chuck Norris; directed by Lee. AKA: "Return of the Dragon." Completed and released six years after Bruce's death, "Game of Death" (1979) casts him as a kung fu star up against an evil syndicate. Includes the classic confrontation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Norris, Gig Young co-star. Finally, after his older brother (Lee, in outtakes and early film footage) is murdered, Bruce Li must fulfill his late sibling's legacy by defeating seven of the world's deadliest martial artists, in "Game of Death II" (1980). AKA: "Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death," "Tower of Death." 8 hrs. total.
Fantasy Island: The Complete First Season [DVD](1978) DVD
All 16 episodes from the first season--including "Escape/Cinderella Girls," "Family Reunion/Voodoo," "The Funny Girl/Butch and Sundance," "Fool for a Client/Double Your Pleasure," and "Call Me Lucky/Torch Singer"--are featured in a four-disc set. 13 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono, Portuguese Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: Spanish, Portuguese; featurettes.
Twins [DVD](1988) DVD
Double your pleasure, double your fun, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as mismatched siblings, the product of a genetics experiment that went farblondjet. Mental and physical giant Arnold flexes his comedic muscles as he searches for lowlife brother Danny on the streets of L.A. With Chloe Webb, Kelly Preston. 107 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Surround; French Dolby Surround, Spanish Dolby Surround; Subtitles: Spanish; biographies; interactive menus; production notes; scene access.
Gunsmoke: The Last Apache [DVD](1990) DVD
Matt Dillon (James Arness) receives a request for help from a former flame and is shocked to find her ranch was burned by Apache warriors who have taken a captive--the daughter Dillon never knew he had. Michael Learned, Richard Kiley, and Hugh O'Brian also star. 94 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital stereo, Spanish Dolby Digital mono.
The Gambler Returns: The Luck Of The Draw [DVD](1991) DVD
It's the wildest game for frontier rogue Kenny Rogers yet, as he gets involved with shady lady Reba McEntire, takes a dangerous cross-country trek, meets a passel of TV gunslingers (including Chuck Connors, Gene Barry, Hugh O'Brian and Clint Walker), and winds up playing cards with Teddy Roosevelt! Rick Rossovich, Linda Evans and Mickey Rooney also star. 180 min.
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filmography
FILM
Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone (1994) with Bruce Boxleitner
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991) with Kenny Rogers, Rick Rossovich, Claude Akins, Gene Barry, David Carradine, Doug McClure, Chuck Connors, Johnny Crawford, Linda Evans, and Brian Keith
Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990) with James Arness, Richard Kiley, and Joe Lara
Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988) with Adam West, Candy Azzara, Gloria Hendry, Roddy McDowall, and Maureen Stapleton
Twins (1988) with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, and Kelly Preston
Game of Death (1978) with Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Gig Young
Cruise Into Terror (1978) with Dirk Benedict, John Forsythe, Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Lee Meriwether, Ray Milland, Stella Stevens, and Marshall Thompson
Murder at the World Series (1977) with Lynda Day George, Karen Valentine, Michael Parks, Janet Leigh, Nancy Kelly, Tamara Dobson, and Bruce Boxleitner
Fantasy Island (1977) with Ricardo Montalban, Bill Bixby, Sandra Dee, Peter Lawford, Carol Lynley, Victoria Principal, and Dick Sargent
Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover (1977) with Jane Seymour, Jack Cassidy, Pat Harrington Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, Marty Allen, George Gobel, and Bobby Troup
The Shootist (1976) with John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, Bill McKinney, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, and Sheree North
Killer Force (1975) with Telly Savalas, Peter Fonda, Christopher Lee, O.J. Simpson, and Maud Adams
Murder on Flight 502 (1975) with Ralph Bellamy, Polly Bergen, Robert Stack, Sonny Bono, Laraine Day, Fernando Lamas, George Maharis, and Farrah Fawcett
Probe (1972) with Elke Sommer, John Gielgud, and Burgess Meredith
Harpy (1971) with Elizabeth Ashley
Wild Women (1970) with Anne Francis, Marilyn Maxwell, and Marie Windsor
Strategy of Terror (1969) with Barbara Rush and Neil Hamilton
A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer (1968) with Betsy Palmer, Nancy Dussault, and Don DeFore
Africa - Texas Style! (1967) with John Mills
Dial M for Murder (1967) with Laurence Harvey
Ten Little Indians (1966) with Fabian, Shirley Eaton, and Daliah Lavi
Ambush Bay (1966)
Love Has Many Faces (1965) with Lana Turner, Ruth Roman, Cliff Robertson, Stefanie Powers, and Virginia Grey
Assassination in Rome (1964) with Cyd Charisse
Come Fly with Me (1963) with Dolores Hart, Pamela Tiffin, and Lois Maxwell
The Fiend Who Walked the West (1958) with Robert Evans, Linda Cristal, Stephen McNally, and Ron Ely
The Brass Legend (1956) with Raymond Burr
White Feather (1955) with Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Debra Paget, and Virginia Leith
The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955) with Mickey Rooney, Coleen Gray, Don 'Red' Barry, and Mike Connors
Drums Across the River (1954) with Audie Murphy, Mara Corday, Walter Brennan, Lyle Bettger, Lisa Gaye, and Jay Silverheels
There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) with Marilyn Monroe, Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Dan Dailey, Johnnie Ray, and Mitzi Gaynor
Broken Lance (1954) with Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, and Katy Jurado
Fireman Save My Child (1954) with Buddy Hackett, Adele Jergens, and Spike Jones
Saskatchewan (1954) with Alan Ladd and Richard Long
Back to God's Country (1953) with Rock Hudson and Steve Cochran
Meet Me at the Fair (1953) with Dan Dailey, Diana Lynn, Scatman Crothers, and Carole Mathews
Seminole (1953) with Rock Hudson, Richard Carlson, and Barbara Hale
The Stand at Apache River (1953) with Julie Adams and Hugh Marlowe
The Man from the Alamo (1953) with Glenn Ford, Julie Adams, and Guy Williams
The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) with Jeff Chandler, Susan Cabot, and Richard Egan
The Lawless Breed (1952) with Rock Hudson and Julie Adams
The Raiders (1952) with Richard Conte, Viveca Lindfors, Barbara Britton, Gregg Palmer, William Reynolds, Morris Ankrum, Dennis Weaver, and Margaret Field
Sally and Saint Anne (1952) with Ann Blyth and Edmund Gwenn
Son of Ali Baba (1952) with Tony Curtis, Susan Cabot, and Gerald Mohr
Red Ball Express (1952) with Jeff Chandler
Cave of Outlaws (1951) with Macdonald Carey
The Cimarron Kid (1951) with Audie Murphy and John Bromfield
Little Big Horn (1951) with Lloyd Bridges, John Ireland, and Marie Windsor
On the Loose (1951) with Joan Evans
Fighting Coast Guard (1951) with Brian Donlevy, Martin Milner, and Steve Brodie
Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas (1951)
Vengeance Valley (1951) with Burt Lancaster, Sally Forrest, Joanne Dru, and John Ireland
Never Fear (1950) with Sally Forrest
Rocketship X-M (1950) with Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, Noah Beery Jr., and Morris Ankrum; once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000
The Return of Jesse James (1950) with John Ireland and Reed Hadley
Beyond the Purple Hills (1950) with Gene Autry
Never Fear (1949) with Sally Forrest and Keefe Brasselle
TELEVISION SERIES
Search, 1972-1973 TV series. O'Brian portrayed Hugh Lockwood
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, 1955-1961 ABC TV series. O'Brian portrayed Wyatt Earp
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This page premiered May 8, 2002.
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