Leif Erickson
Erickson in Blonde Savage (1947)
Born
William Wycliffe Anderson

(1911-10-27)October 27, 1911
Alameda, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 29, 1986(1986-01-29) (aged 74)
Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1933–1984
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1936; div. 1942)​
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1942; div. 1942)​
      Ann Diamond
      ​
      (m. 1945)​
      Children2
      Military career
      Allegiance United States
      Service/branch United States Navy
      Years of service1941–45
      Rank Chief petty officer
      Awards

      Leif Erickson (born William Wycliffe Anderson; October 27, 1911 – January 29, 1986) was an American stage, film, and television actor.

      Early life

      Erickson was born in Alameda, California,[1] near San Francisco. He worked as a soloist in a band as vocalist and trombone player, performed in Max Reinhardt's productions, and then gained a small amount of stage experience in a comedy vaudeville act.

      Military service

      Erickson enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Rising to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Aviation Photographic Unit, he served as a military photographer, shooting film in combat zones, and as an instructor. He was shot down twice in the Pacific, and received two Purple Hearts.[2] Erickson was in the unit that filmed and photographed the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

      Acting career

      Erickson (left) alongside Yaphet Kotto in The High Chaparral, perhaps his best-known television role

      Erickson's first films were two 1933 band films with Betty Grable before starting a string of Buster Crabbe Western films based on Zane Grey novels. He went on to appear in films such as The Snake Pit; Sorry, Wrong Number; Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd; Invaders from Mars; On the Waterfront; A Gathering of Eagles; Roustabout; The Carpetbaggers; and Mirage.[3]

      One of his more notable roles was as Deborah Kerr's macho husband in the stage and film versions of Tea and Sympathy. He appeared with Greta Garbo, as her brother, in Conquest (1937). He played the role of Pete, the vindictive boat engineer, in the 1951 remake of the famed musical Show Boat. His final appearance in a feature film was in Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977).

      Erickson and Linda Cristal in The High Chaparral

      Erickson appeared frequently on television; he was cast as Dr. Hillyer in "Consider Her Ways" (1964) and as Paul White in "The Monkey's Paw—A Retelling" (1965) on CBS's The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. He is probably best known, however, for The High Chaparral, which aired on NBC from 1967 until 1971. He portrayed a rancher, Big John Cannon, determined to establish a cattle empire in the Arizona Territory while keeping peace with the Apache. Erickson guest-starred in several television series, including Rawhide; Bonanza (two episodes, 1961–1965); as Aaron Burr in Daniel Boone (two episodes, 1964–1970); Gunsmoke; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Medical Center; Longstreet; Cannon; The Rifleman; The Rockford Files; The Rookies; Night Gallery; and the 1977 series Hunter. His final role was in an episode of Fantasy Island in 1984.

      Death

      Erickson died of cancer in Pensacola, Florida, on January 29, 1986, aged 74.[4]

      Selected filmography

      Leif Erickson and Frances Farmer (front row, from left) with members of the Group Theatre in 1938

      Television

      Year Title Notes
      1958Alfred Hitchcock PresentsWayne PhillipsSeason 3 Episode 19: "The Equalizer"
      1961RawhideFrank TravisS3:E19, "Incident Near Gloomy River"
      1963HazelZachary KingS3:E11, "The Vanishing Hero"
      1973The Streets of San FranciscoFr. Henry DriscollS2:E3, "For the Love of God"

      See also

      References

      1. ↑ Upi (January 31, 1986). "Leif Erickson Is Dead; A Movie and TV Actor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
      2. ↑ "The Day Leif Erickson Faced Death". The High Chaparral. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
      3. ↑ "Profile". Blockbuster.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
      4. ↑ "Profile". Thehighchaparral.com. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
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