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Ray Danton
1931-1992
Updated 7/18/2007.
biography
Born Raymond Kaplan in New York on September 19, 1931, actor Ray Danton got his start in acting on radio and on stage, occasionally taking bit parts in films. Handsome and talented, Danton received good notices and was signed to Universal-International in 1954. On the set of The Looters (1955; with Rory Calhoun), he met beautiful actress Julie Adams, and the couple married soon after in 1954. Danton and Julie Adams later co-starred in Tarawa Beachhead (1958).
Handsome late 1950s portrait of Ray Danton
the films of ray danton
The Looters (1955)
With Rory Calhoun and Julie Adams in the Universal-International adventure The Looters
The Spoilers (1955)
With Barbara Britton in the Universal-International western The Spoilers
Outside the Law (1956)
From the Universal-International film noir thriller Outside the Law. LEFT and CENTER A: With Grant Williams and Leigh Snowden. CENTER B and RIGHT: As tough guy Johnny Salvo
The Night Runner (1957)
In Universal-International's film noir release The Night Runner, Danton portrays the disturbed Roy Turner, who sets his eye on Susan Mayes (Colleen Miller)
Tarawa Beachhead (1958)
From the Columbia war film Tarawa Beachhead
Too Much, Too Soon (1958)
Too Much, Too Soon was an autobiographical account of actress Diana Barrymore's tragic life and career. Here, Ray Danton portrays cad John Howard, the second husband of Diana Barrymore (Dorothy Malone). Danton's character is not to be confused with B-movie actor John Howard, who starred as Bulldog Drummond in a series of films in the 1930s
The Beat Generation (1959)
Danton never shied away from bad guy roles; in the MGM potboiler The Beat Generation, Danton portrays a serial rapist
The George Raft Story (1961)
Danton was cast as George Raft in Allied Artists' The George Raft Story. LEFT: With Jayne Mansfield. RIGHT: With Julie London
The Chapman Report (1962)
With Shelley Winters in the then-scandalous Warner Bros. drama The Chapman Report
Secret Agent Super Dragon (1966)
LEFT: With Jess Hahn in Secret Agent Super Dragon, which once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000. RIGHT: Poster from the film
Psychic Killer (1975)
Julie Adams starred in one of Danton's directorial efforts, the effective, low-budget horror flick Psychic Killer, written by Greydon Clark
later years
In the early 1970s, Danton turned to directing; his first effort was the vampire flick Deathmaster (1972; with Robert Quarry). As his career as a director took off, Danton quit acting. He moved on to direct many episodes of popular TV series, including Quincy, The Incredible Hulk (with Lou Ferrigno), and Cagney & Lacey. In addition, Danton wrote scripts and occasionally served as producer. Danton and Julie Adams were married for more than 25 years and had two sons before calling it quits in 1981. Sadly, a decade later he passed away on February 11, 1992, from a kidney ailment.
The Longest Day (Special Edition) [DVD](1962) DVD
Acclaimed as one of Hollywood's greatest epics, producer Darryl F. Zanuck's re-creation of the Allied landing at Normandy on June 6, 1944 follows the grand-scale drama and personal stories of D-Day. International all-star cast includes John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Mel Ferrer, Robert Ryan. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 4.0, Dolby Digital Surround, French mono, Spanish mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; featurettes; interview; photo gallery; theatrical trailer. Two-disc set.
Sandokan Fights Back [DVD](1964) DVD
Ray Danton plays the dashing Sandokan, a feared pirate who attempts to claim his rightful throne from an evil European who killed his family and now sits as ruler. Sandokan saves his enemy's niece from a tiger, but when Sandokan's identity is revealed, trouble ensues. With Franco Bettoia. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed).
Sandokan Fights Back [VHS](1964) VHS
Ray Danton plays the dashing Sandokan, a feared pirate who attempts to claim his rightful throne from an evil European who killed his family and now sits as ruler. Sandokan saves his enemy's niece from a tiger, but when Sandokan's identity is revealed, trouble ensues. With Franco Bettoia. Dubbed in English.
Secret Agent, Super Dragon [VHS](1966) VHS
A CIA agent uncovers a diabolical plot by a South American gangster to add lethal drugs to candy and gum and sell it to American college kids. Ray Danton and Marisa Mell star. 95 min.
Young Hannah, Queen Of The Vampires [DVD](1973) DVD
An isolated island is the setting for ageless terror when a 17th-century female vampire is revived and starts prowling for fresh victims. Andrew Prine, Mark Damon, and Teresa Gimpera as the bloodsucking beauty star. AKA: "Crypt of the Living Dead," "Vampire Woman." 85 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; theatrical trailers; biographies.
Young Hannah, Queen Of The Vampires [VHS](1973) VHS
An isolated island is the setting for ageless terror when a 17th-century female vampire is revived and starts prowling for fresh victims. Andrew Prine, Mark Damon, and Teresa Gimpera as the bloodsucking beauty star. AKA: "Crypt of the Living Dead," "Vampire Woman." 85 min.
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filmography
FILMS
Our Man Flint: Dead on Target (1976) with Sharon Acker
Six-Pack Annie (1975) with Bruce Boxleitner, Lindsay Bloom, Sid Melton, and Doodles Weaver
Apache Blood (1975)
Psychic Killer (1975) with Julie Adams, Jim Hutton, Paul Burke, Neville Brand, Rod Cameron. Whit Bissell, Della Reese, and Greydon Clark; directed by Ray Danton
The Centerfold Girls (1974) with Tiffany Bolling, Aldo Ray, Andrew Prine, Francine York, Jeremy Slate, and Jaime Lyn Bauer
Crypt of the Living Dead (1973) with Mark Damon and Andrew Prine; Danton directed some scenes of this horror flick
Runaway! (1973) with Ben Murphy, Vera Miles, Martin Milner, and Kip Niven
The Ballad of Billie Blue (1972) with Erik Estrada and Marty Allen
A Very Missing Person (1972) with Eve Arden, Julie Newmar, James Gregory, Skye Aubrey, Robert Easton, and Pat Morita
Deathmaster (1972) with Robert Quarry; Danton served as director
Banyon (1971) with Darren McGavin and Leslie Parrish
Triangle (1970) with Dana Wynter and Tiffany Bolling
The Last Mercenary (1968) with Mel Welles
Flatfoot (1968) with Mel Welles
Lucky, the Inscrutable (1967) with Rosalba Neri
Si muore solo una volta (1967) with Silvia Solar
Ballata da un miliardo (1966)
Secret Agent Super Dragon (1966) with Margaret Lee, Marisa Mell, and Jess Hahn; once aired on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Code Name: Jaguar (1965) with Horst Frank
Sandokan Fights Back (1964) with Guy Madison and Raf Baldassarre
Sandokan Against the Leopard of Sarawak (1964) with Guy Madison
FBI Code 98 (1963) with Merry Anders, Jack Kelly, and Philip Carey
The Chapman Report (1962) with Ty Hardin, Shelley Winters, Jane Fonda, and Glynis Johns
The Longest Day (1962) with Eddie Albert, John Wayne, and Paul Anka
A Majority of One (1961) with Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness
Portrait of a Mobster (1961) with Vic Morrow, Leslie Parrish, and Anthony Eisley
The George Raft Story (1961) with Jayne Mansfield, Barbara Nichols, Julie London, and Frank Gorshin
A Fever in the Blood (1961) with Jack Kelly, Angie Dickinson, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960) with Elaine Stewart, Karen Steele, and Warren Oates
Ice Palace (1960) with Martha Hyer, Richard Burton, Robert Ryan, and Carolyn Jones
The Big Operator (1959) with Steve Cochran, Mamie Van Doren, Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme, and Vampira
Yellowstone Kelly (1959) with Clint Walker, John Russell, Edd Byrnes, and Rhodes Reason
The Beat Generation (1959) with Steve Cochran, Mamie Van Doren, Fay Spain, and Dick Contino
Tarawa Beachhead (1958) with Julie Adams, William Boyett, and Karen Sharpe
Onionhead (1958) with Walter Matthau, Andy Griffith, Felicia Farr, and Erin O'Brien
Too Much, Too Soon (1958) with Errol Flynn, Dorothy Malone, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and Martin Milner
The Night Runner (1957) with Colleen Miller and Merry Anders
Outside the Law (1956) with Grant Williams and Leigh Snowden
I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955) with Susan Hayward
The Spoilers (1955) with Jeff Chandler, Rory Calhoun, Anne Baxter, and Barbara Britton
The Looters (1955) with Rory Calhoun and Julie Adams
Chief Crazy Horse (1955) with Victor Mature and Suzan Ball
TELEVISION SERIES
The Alaskans, 1959-1960 ABC TV series. Danton portrayed Nifty Cronin. Also in the regular cast were Roger Moore and Dorothy Provine
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This page premiered January 9, 2003.
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