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John Beck (actor)

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John Beck
Born (1943-01-28) January 28, 1943 (age 81)[1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[2]
OccupationActor
Years active1965–2009

John Beck (born January 28, 1943[1]) is an American retired actor, known best for his role as Mark Graison in the television series Dallas during the mid-1980s.[2]

Early life

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Beck was born in Chicago, Illinois but he grew up in Evanston and Joliet on his father's ranch, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. His goals changed at the age of sixteen after performing in a play in high school to overcome shyness.[3] Three years later, Beck relocated to California and had jobs in television commercials.[4] In 1963–1964, Beck attended Joliet Junior College but quit to begin acting in plays in other cities.[5]

Career

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Beck's television debut was as a Sergeant in the 1965 episode "Russian Roulette" of the television series I Dream of Jeannie.[3] His first regular role was for the television western series Nichols (1971-1972) alongside James Garner, playing the roles of Orv/Ketcham.[4]

One of Beck's earliest movie roles was as Skinny in Cyborg 2087 (1966).[6] Beck played Erno who commands a revolt against a totalitarian government in Woody Allen's science fiction comedy Sleeper (1973). That same year, he appeared as John W. Poe in the Sam Peckinpah western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. In 1975, he appeared opposite James Caan as Moonpie in the science-fiction film Rollerball. The following year he played Shoulders in the disaster movie spoof The Big Bus (1976). He had a leading role in The Other Side of Midnight (1977), which the critics condemned, but the movie was a financial success.[4] Other movie credits include Audrey Rose (1977), Deadly Illusion (1987), In the Cold of the Night (1990), A Climate for Killing (1991), Last Time Out (1994), Black Day Blue Night (1995), Dark Planet (1997), A Place to Grow (1998), Chain of Command (2000), Crash Point Zero (2001), Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision (2003), and Crash Landing (2005).

Beck also had guest roles for television series and movies, one of the most popular being his 67-episode stint as Mark Graison on Dallas.[4] Guest appearances include those for Baywatch, Bonanza, Death Valley Days, Diagnosis: Murder, Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, Magnum, P.I., Mannix, Matlock, Mission: Impossible, The Mod Squad, Murder, She Wrote, Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Touched by an Angel, The Twilight Zone (1989), and Walker, Texas Ranger, among others.

Recurring soap opera roles include Dorian Blake in Peyton Place: The Next Generation, Sam Curtis in Flamingo Road, David Raymond in Santa Barbara, and Bruce in Passions.[4]

As a voice actor, Beck played the role of the Punisher, Frank Castle in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.[7]

Personal life

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On April 23, 1971, in Los Angeles, Beck married Valerie Shellibeer (also known by her stage name, Tina Carter). The couple had a son and three daughters.[4]

Filmography

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A partial filmography follows.

Film

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1965 I Dream of Jeannie[3] Sergeant "Russian Roulette'
1966 Days of Our Lives[8] Sam Wilson
1969 Bonanza[9] Walt Nagel "The Medal"
1969 Death Valley Days[10] Sandy Peters "Solomon's Glory"
1969 Mannix[11] Jerry Boyes "Color Her Missing"
1969 The Mod Squad[11]: 333  Bill "A Seat by the Window"
1969 The Silent Gun[4] Billy Reed TV Movie
1970 Bonanza[9]: 160  Luke Baldwin "What Are Pardners For?"
1970 Gunsmoke Albert Vail "Kiowa"
1970 Lancer[4] Chad Buford "Chad"
1970 Lancer[4] Chad Lancer "Dream of Falcons"
1971 Gunsmoke Moody Fowler "The Tycoon"
1971 Lock, Stock and Barrel[4] Micah Brucker TV Movie
1971 Mission: Impossible[12] John Hecker "The Missile"
1971-1972 Nichols[4] Orv Ketcham 23 episodes
1974 Hawaii Five-O[11]: 213  Walter Stark "Nightmare in Blue"
1974 Nourish the Beast[13] Bruno TV Movie
1974 The Law[4] Gene Carey TV Movie
1974 Sidekicks[4] Luke TV Movie
1975 Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan[4] Rev. George Greg TV Movie
1975 Gunsmoke Mitch Hansen "The Busters"
1976 The Call of the Wild[4] John Thornton TV Movie
1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible[14] Samson "Samson and Delilah"
1978 The Time Machine[4] Neil Perry TV Movie
1978 Wheels[4] Peter Flodenhale TV Mini Series (episode 1)
1979 The Buffalo Soldiers[15] Col. Frank "Buckshot" O'Connor TV Movie
1979 Time Express[16] Roy Culper "Rodeo/Cop"
1980-1982 Flamingo Road[4] Sam Curtis 38 episodes
1980 The Great American Traffic Jam (aka Gridlock)[4] Buzz Gregory TV Movie
1981 Tales of the Unexpected[17] Jack "A Glowing Future"
1983-1986 Dallas[2] Mark Graison 67 Episodes
1985 Murder, She Wrote[18] Web McCord "Sudden Death"
1985 Peyton Place: The Next Generation[4] Dorian Blake TV Movie
1986 Crazy Dan[19] "Crazy" Dan Gatlin TV Movie
1986 Matlock Brad Bingham The Seduction
1987 Magnum, P.I.[20] Edward T. Durant "Limbo"
1988 Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake[4] Doug Vickers TV Movie
1989 Fire and Rain[4] Captain Edward Conners TV Movie
1989 The Twilight Zone[21] Maj. Alex McAndrews "The Wall"
1991 Murder, She Wrote[18]: 249  Ben Olston "Thursday's Child"
1991-1992 Santa Barbara[4] David Raymond 114 Episodes
1993 Diagnosis: Murder[22] Detective Eugene Vickers "Vanishing Act" (2 episodes)
1993 Trade Winds[4] Robert Philips TV Mini Series (episodes 1–3)
1994 Baywatch[23] Buzz Buchannon "Coronado del Soul" (2 episodes)
1994 Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders[4] Detective Les Zoeller TV Movie
1994 Matlock[24] Paul Cox "The Idol"
1994 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine[25] Raymond Boone "Tribunal"
1995 Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart[4] Captain Jeremy Daniels TV Movie
1995 Spider-Man: The Animated Series[7] Punisher / Frank Castle (voice) "Neogenic Nightmare" (2 episodes)
1995 Suspect Device[4] CIA Director TV Movie
1995 Touched by an Angel[26] Captain Meyers "Trust"
1996 Time Well Spent[27] Cal Clevenger TV Movie
1996 Walker, Texas Ranger[28] Sergeant Lou Ross "The Brotherhood"
1997 Spider-Man: The Animated Series[7] Punisher / Frank Castle (voice) "Partners in Danger Chapter 8: The Return of the Green Goblin"
1997 Steel Chariots[4] Dale Tucker TV Movie
1997 Walker, Texas Ranger Max Elson "Rainbow's End"
2000 Walker, Texas Ranger Jake Foley "Showdown at Casa Diablo: Part 1"
2001-2003 Passions[4] Bruce 22 episodes
2002 Project Viper[4] Simpkins TV Movie

References

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  1. ^ a b Hellmann, Paul T. (February 14, 2006). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Taylor & Francis. p. 278. ISBN 9781135948597. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. Bernan Press. September 24, 2019. p. 104. ISBN 9781641433167. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Tate, Marsha Ann; Houser, Earl (January 11, 2022). What America Watched: Television Favorites from the Cornfields to the Cosmos, 1960s-1990s. McFarland. p. 209. ISBN 9781476644653. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be Aaker, Everett (May 16, 2017). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. pp. 28, 29. ISBN 9781476628561. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  5. ^ Chapman, Peter (1994). The Players: Actors in Movies on Television and Videocassette. Windsor Press. p. 36. ISBN 9780963704733. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Young, R. G. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies. Applause. p. 128. ISBN 9781557832696. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "John Beck: Credits". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Russell, Maureen (June 8, 2015). Days of Our Lives: A Complete History of the Long-Running Soap Opera. McFarland. p. 183. ISBN 9780786486519. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Leiby, Bruce R.; Leiby, Linda F. (September 15, 2015). A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel and Broadcast History. McFarland. p. 152. ISBN 9781476600758. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Television Previews: Young Lovers". St. Petersburg Independent. February 5, 1969. p. 13-B. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Martindale, David (1991). Television Detective Shows of the 1970s: Credits, Storylines, and Episode Guides for 109 Series. McFarland. p. 297. ISBN 9780899505572. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  12. ^ Lentz III, Harris M. (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows. McFarland. p. 1957. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  13. ^ Roberts, Jerry (2003). The Great American Playwrights on the Screen: A Critical Guide to Film, Video, and DVD. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 516. ISBN 9781557835123. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  14. ^ Campbell, Richard H.; Pitts, Michael R. (1981). The Bible on Film: A Checklist, 1897-1980. Scarecrow Press. p. 69. ISBN 9780810814738. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  15. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials: Volume 2. New York Zoetrope. p. 68. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  16. ^ TV Guide: Volume 27. Triangle Publications. 1979. p. 127. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1981). Television, 1970-1980. A.S. Barnes. p. 167. ISBN 9780498025396. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Parish, James Robert (1997). The Unofficial Murder, She Wrote Casebook. Kensington Books. p. 76. ISBN 9781575662107. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  19. ^ Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010 (2 ed.). McFarland. p. 218. ISBN 9780786486410. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "TV/Radio". New Straits Times. December 9, 1992. p. 26. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  21. ^ Thompson, Dave (November 2015). The Twilight Zone FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Fifth Dimension and Beyond. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. ISBN 9781495046100. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  22. ^ TV Guide: Volume 54. Triangle Publications. 2006. p. 73. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  23. ^ TV Guide: Volume 42. Triangle Publications. 1994. p. 67. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  24. ^ TV Guide: Volume 55. Triangle Publications. 2007. p. 45. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  25. ^ Erdmann, Terry J.; Block, Paula M. (2000). Deep Space Nine Companion. Pocket Books. p. 148. ISBN 9780671501068. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  26. ^ Williamson, Martha; Sheets, Robin (October 1997). Touched by an Angel. Zondervan. p. 266. ISBN 9780310221593. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  27. ^ Terrace, Vincent (January 17, 2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019 (2 ed.). McFarland. p. 251. ISBN 9781476638102. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  28. ^ TV Guide: Volume 45. Triangle Publications. 1997. p. 79. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
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