biography

Mike Connors Born Krekor Ohanian in Fresno, California, on August 15, 1925, actor Mike Connors grew up in an Armenian community in Fresno. Upon graduation from high school, Connors served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. Upon his discharge, he entered UCLA, where he played basketball and was given the nickname "Touch." Famed director William Wellman saw the young basketball player and encouraged him to give acting a try. Although Connors had originally intended to study law, he soon began studying acting. Connors eventually signed with by Famous Artist Agency, and agent Henry Willson combined his nickname "Touch" with Connors to give the actor his stage name. His hard work paid off when he was cast in his first film, the RKO film noir thriller Sudden Fear (1952; with Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame, and Bruce Bennett). In 1953, Connors finally worked under Wellman's direction in the adventure Island in the Sky (1953; with John Wayne, Lloyd Nolan, and James Arness).

Mike Connors
After a terrific start as a supporting actor in several high-profile films, Connors soon found himself at American-International Pictures as the star of low-budget films for Roger Corman, including Five Guns West (1955; with Dorothy Malone), the first film directed by Corman; Swamp Women (1955; with Marie Windsor and Beverly Garland); The Day the World Ended (1955; with Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, and Adele Jergens); and Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956; with Lisa Gaye). Connors also stayed busy in television, making guest appearances on such shows as Gunsmoke and The Gale Storm Show. Toward the end of the 1950s, Connors dropped the moniker "Touch" and began using the first name Michael, which soon gave way to Mike. His first television series starred Connors as an undercover agent in the CBS series Tightrope (1959-1960). The show didn't last long, so Connors went back to work in films and television until he was cast in the title role of the CBS actioner Mannix (1967-1975). Connors won a Golden Globe in 1970 for his portrayal of the gritty detective Joe Mannix.


the films of mike connors

Swamp Women (1955)

Marie Windsor, Mike Connors, and Susan CummingsCarole Mathews, Mike Connors, Jil Jarmyn, and Marie Windsor

From Roger Corman's crime flick Swamp Women. This film aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000 as episode 503. LEFT: With Marie Windsor and Susan Cummings. RIGHT: With Carole Mathews, Jil Jarmyn, and Marie Windsor

The Day the World Ended (1956)

Adele Jergens and Mike ConnorsRichard Denning and Mike Connors

From Roger Corman's apocalyptic sci-fi effort The Day the World Ended. LEFT: With Adele Jergens. RIGHT: Connors wrestles with hero Richard Denning

Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956)

Mike Connors and Lisa Gaye

From the American International rock-and-roll drama Shake, Rattle & Rock! with Lisa Gaye

Flesh and the Spur (1957)

John Agar, Marla English, and Mike Connors

From the American International western Flesh and the Spur with John Agar and Marla English

Voodoo Woman (1957)

Mike Connors and Marla English

With Marla English in the American International horror flick Voodoo Woman

Live Fast, Die Young (1958)

Mike Connors and Mary Murphy

With Mary Murphy in the Universal-International film noir Live Fast, Die Young

Suicide Battalion (1958)

Mike Connors and Jewell Lain

With Jewell Lain in the American International war drama Suicide Battalion

Good Neighbor Sam (1964)

Jack Lemmon and Mike Connors

With Jack Lemmon in the Columbia comedy Good Neighbor Sam

Panic Button (1964)

Mike Connors and Jayne Mansfield

With Jayne Mansfield in the comedy Panic Button. Shot in the summer of 1962, this film sat on the shelf for two years before its 1964 release

Where Love Has Gone (1964)

Joey Heatherton and Mike ConnorsSusan Hayward and Mike Connors

From Paramount's potboiler Where Love Has Gone. LEFT: Connors portrays the father of troubled teen Joey Heatherton. RIGHT: With Susan Hayward

Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious (1965)

Robert Redford and Mike Connors

With Robert Redford in the Paramount war comedy Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious

Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966)

Mike ConnorsMike Connors and Margaret Lee

LEFT: Connors as Kelly in the Eurospy film Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die. RIGHT: With Margaret Lee

Mannix (1967-1975 CBS TV Series)

Mike ConnorsMike Connors and Gail FisherMike Connors and Dane Clark

LEFT: Promotional photo from Connor's series Mannix. CENTER: With series regular Gail Fisher, who portrayed Peggy Fair from 1968 to 1975. RIGHT: With Dane Clark in a 1970 episode

Avalanche Express (1979)

Mike Connors and Lee MarvinLee Marvin, Robert Shaw, and Mike Connors

From the 20th Century Fox thriller Avalanche Express. LEFT: With Lee Marvin. RIGHT: With Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw. Shaw died during the production of this film

later years

Mike Connors slowed his acting career in the 1990s, and after a 2007 appearance on the CBS series Two and a Half Men, he retired from acting. He did the commentary track on the Mannix DVD sets and was an occasional interview subject. Sadly, Mike Connors passed away one week after being diagnosed with leukemia at age 91. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, his daughter, and granddaughter.

filmography

FILM
Nobody Knows Anything! (2003) with Margaret Cho, Stephen Colbert, Paul Dooley, Robert Englund, and Janeane Garofalo
The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave (2000) with Super Dave Osborne and Dan Hedaya
Gideon (1999) with Christopher Lambert, Charlton Heston, Carroll O'Connor, Shirley Jones, Barbara Bain, Shelley Winters, Crystal Bernard, and Harvey Korman
James Dean: Race with Destiny (1997) with Casper Van Dien, Diane Ladd, Robert Mitchum, Connie Stevens, Casey Kasem, and Joseph Campanella
Downtown Heat (1994)
Hart to Hart Returns (1993) with Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, Lionel Stander, and Ken Howard
Armen and Bullik (1992)
Fist Fighter (1989) with Jorge Rivero and Edward Albert
Too Scared to Scream (1985) with Anne Archer, Leon Isaac Kennedy, Ian McShane, John Heard, and Maureen O'Sullivan; directed by Tony Lo Bianco
Glitter (1984) with David Birney, Morgan Brittany, Cyd Charisse, Teri Copley, Ken Howard, Arte Johnson, and Van Johnson
Earthlings (1984) with James Cromwell, Leonard Frey, and Dan Hedaya
The Bureau (1981) with Paul Sorvino
Nightkill (1980) with Robert Mitchum, Jaclyn Smith, James Franciscus, Fritz Weaver, and Sybil Danning
Casino (1980) with Barry Van Dyke, Gene Evans, Gary Burghoff, Joseph Cotten, Lynda Day George, Bo Hopkins, Robert Loggia, Robert Reed, Barry Sullivan, and Sherry Jackson
High Midnight (1979) with David Birney
The Death of Ocean View Park (1979) with Diana Canova, Caroline McWilliams, Mare Winningham, and Martin Landau
Avalanche Express (1979) with Lee Marvin, Robert Shaw, Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell, Joe Namath, and Horst Buchholz
Long Journey Back (1978) with Cloris Leachman, Stephanie Zimbalist, and Nicolas Coster
Revenge for a Rape (1976) with Robert Reed and Deanna Lund
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die (1976) with Samantha Eggar, Mariette Hartley, Patrick O'Neal, Clu Gulager, James Shigeta, Robert Hooks, and Lucille Benson
Beg, Borrow, or Steal (1973) with Kent McCord, Michael Cole, Russell Johnson, Ron Glass, and Roger Perry
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966) with Dorothy Provine, Terry-Thomas, Margaret Lee, Beverly Adams, and Marilu Tolo
Stagecoach (1966) with Ann-Margret, Red Buttons, Alex Cord, Bing Crosby, Robert Cummings, Van Heflin, Slim Pickens, Stefanie Powers, and Keenan Wynn
Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious (1965) with Alec Guinness and Robert Redford
Harlow (1965) with Carroll Baker, Red Buttons, Angela Lansbury, Peter Lawford, Martin Balsam, and Leslie Nielsen
Where Love Has Gone (1964) with Susan Hayward, Bette Davis, Joey Heatherton, DeForest Kelley, George Macready, Willis Bouchey, Ann Doran, and Whit Bissell
Good Neighbor Sam (1964) with Jack Lemmon, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine, Edward Andrews, Louis Nye, Robert Q. Lewis, Joyce Jameson, and Charles Lane
Panic Button (1964) with Jayne Mansfield, Maurice Chevalier, and Eleanor Parker
The Expendables (1962) with Dina Merrill and Zachary Scott
The Dalton That Got Away (1960)
Live Fast, Die Young (1958) with Mary Murphy, Troy Donahue, and Joan Marshall
Suicide Battalion (1958) with John Ashley and Russ Bender
Voodoo Woman (1957) with Marla English, Tom Conway, and Lance Fuller
Flesh and the Spur (1957) with John Agar, Marla English, Raymond Hatton, Joyce Meadows, and Kenne Duncan
Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956) with Lisa Gaye, Sterling Holloway, Douglass Dumbrille, Raymond Hatton, Margaret Dumont, and Fats Domino
The Ten Commandments (1956) with Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Vincent Price, and John Carradine
The Oklahoma Woman (1956) with Peggie Castle, Richard Denning, Cathy Downs, Dick Miller, Jonathan Haze, and Bruno VeSota
Jaguar (1956) with Sabu, Barton MacLane, and Jonathan Hale
Have Camera Will Travel (1956) with Paul Birch and Charles Bronson
Day the World Ended (1955) with Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, Adele Jergens, Paul Birch, Raymond Hatton, and Jonathan Haze
The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955) with Mickey Rooney, Coleen Gray, Hugh O'Brian, Don 'Red' Barry, Jil Jarmyn, Raymond Hatton, and Ruta Lee
Five Guns West (1955) with Dorothy Malone, Jonathan Haze, and Paul Birch
Swamp Women (1955) with Marie Windsor, Beverly Garland, Carole Mathews, Susan Cummings, Jonathan Haze, Ed Nelson, and Jil Jarmyn
Day of Triumph (1954) with Lee J. Cobb and Joanne Dru
Island in the Sky (1953) with John Wayne, Lloyd Nolan, James Arness, Andy Devine, Harry Carey Jr., and Sean McClory
Sky Commando (1953) with Dan Duryea, Frances Gifford, and Morris Ankrum
The 49th Man (1953) with John Ireland, Richard Denning, Tommy Farrell, and Peter Marshall
Sudden Fear (1952) with Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame, and Bruce Bennett

TELEVISION SERIES
Mannix, 1967-1975 CBS TV series. Connors portrayed Joe Mannix. Also in the series were Gail Fisher (1968-1975) and Joseph Campanella (1967-1968)
Today's F.B.I., 1981-1982 TV series
Tightrope, 1959-1960 CBS TV series. Connors portrayed Nick Stone

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Two and a Half Men, episode Prostitutes and Gelato, originally aired May 14, 2007
Hercules, episode Hercules and the Falling Stars, originally aired November 10, 1998 (voice work only)
Hercules, episode Hercules and the Driving Test, originally aired September 26, 1998 (voice work only)
Walker, Texas Ranger, episode Code of the West, originally aired October 24, 1998
Diagnosis Murder, episode Hard-Boiled Murder, originally aired February 13, 1997
Murder, She Wrote, episode Shooting in Rome, originally aired November 16, 1995
Murder, She Wrote, episode Film Flam, originally aired February 19, 1995
Burke's Law, episode Who Killed the Anchorman?, originally aired May 13, 1994
The Commish, episode Scali, P.I., originally aired October 9, 1993
Murder, She Wrote, episode Truck Stop, originally aired April 2, 1989
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, episode Driving Under the Influence, originally aired February 25, 1989
The Love Boat, episode The Spoonmaker Diamond/Papa Doc/The Role Model/Julie's Tycoon, originally aired November 13, 1982
The Love Boat, episode A Model Marriage/This Year's Model/Original Sin/Vogue Rogue/Too Clothes for Comfort, originally aired May 2, 1981
Police Story, episode Stigma, originally aired November 9, 1977
Here's Lucy, episode Lucy and Mannix Are Held Hostage, originally aired October 4, 1971
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Bullied Bowler, originally aired November 5, 1964
Redigo, episode Shadow of the Cougar, originally aired November 26, 1963
The Untouchables, episode The Eddie O'Gara Story, originally aired November 13, 1962
Mike Hammer, episode Pen Pals, originally aired July 10, 1959
The Californians, episode The Bell Tolls, originally aired May 19, 1959
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, episode The Aerialist, originally aired April 28, 1959
Bronco, episode School for Cowards, originally aired April 21, 1959
The Rough Riders, episode Wilderness Trace, originally aired January 29, 1959
Lawman, episode Lady in Question, originally aired December 21, 1958
Jefferson Drum, episode Simon Pitt, originally aired December 11, 1958
Rescue 8, episode Find That Bomb!, originally aired November 25, 1958
Cimarron City, episode Hired Hand, originally aired November 15, 1958
The Texan, episode The Edge of the Cliff, originally aired October 27, 1958
Cheyenne, episode Dead to Rights, originally aired May 20, 1958
Studio 57, episode Getaway Car, originally aired March 29, 1958
Studio 57, episode Take Five, originally aired March 22, 1958
Telephone Time, episode The Checkered Flag, originally aired February 18, 1958
Official Detective, episode The Cover-Up, originally aired February 15, 1958
Wagon Train, episode The Dora Gray Story, originally aired January 29, 1858
The Walter Winchell File, episode The Steep Hill, originally aired December 25, 1957
Maverick, episode The Naked Gallows, originally aired December 15, 1957
The Gale Storm Show, episode Mardi Gras, originally aired December 7, 1957
Have Gun - Will Travel, episode The Bride, originally October 19, 1957
M Squad, episode Pete Loves Mary, originally aired October 11, 1957
Maverick, episode Point Blank, originally aired September 29, 1957
Lux Video Theatre, episode The Latch Key, originally aired June 27, 1957
Code 3, episode The Water Skier, originally aired June 25, 1957
Sheriff of Cochise, episode Husband and Wife, originally aired May 3, 1957
State Trooper, episode What Price Gloria?, originally aired December 11, 1956
Gunsmoke, episode The Mistake, originally aired November 24, 1956
The Adventures of Jim Bowie, episode Broomstick Wedding, originally aired October 12, 1956
Letter to Loretta, episode Now a Brief Word, originally aired September 29, 1956
The Millionaire, episode The Victor Volante Story, originally aired February 22, 1956
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, episode The Big Baby Contest, originally aired November 22, 1955
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, episode No Trial by Jury, originally aired November 11, 1955
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, episode The Last Out, originally aired September 30, 1955
Frontier, episode Tomas and the Widow, originally aired October 2, 1955
The Lineup, episode The Messenger Case, originally aired May 13, 1955
City Detective, episode Baby in the Basket, originally aired January 18, 1955
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Yours for a Dream, originally aired April 8, 1954

mike connors trailers now showing

Watch the trailer for Mike Connors' 1956 sci-fi thriller The Day the World Ended and 1966 Eurospy film Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die

mike connors film now showing

Watch Mike Connors' 1957 horror film Voodoo Woman
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This page premiered February 12, 2009.
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