Walter Coy
Coy in Frontier, 1955.
Born
Walter Darrwin Coy

(1909-01-31)January 31, 1909
Great Falls, Cascade County
Montana, U.S.
DiedDecember 11, 1974(1974-12-11) (aged 65)
Santa Maria
Santa Barbara County
California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Washington
OccupationActor
Years active1936–1974
Spouses
  • Anne Burr
    (m. 1942; div. 194?)
Pamela Gillespie
​
​
(m. 1948; div. 1961)​
    Ruth E. Harburger
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1969; div. 1971)​
    Children3

    Walter Darwin Coy (January 31, 1909 – December 11, 1974) was an American stage, radio, film, and, principally, television actor, arguably most well known as John Wayne's character's brother in The Searchers (1956).

    Early years

    Originally from Great Falls, Montana, Coy was the son of Theodore Coy, who had a furniture store. The family moved to Seattle, Washington, around 1923.[1] He played varsity football at the University of Washington[2] and majored in dramatics.[1]

    Before Coy became an actor, he worked at salmon canneries in Alaska. In 1929, he moved to New York. During World War II, he served in the Army.[1]

    Career

    Coy performed on Broadway from 1930 to 1948.[3] He appeared in several early Group Theatre productions.[4] He was the first actor to play Lone Wolf on the radio series of the same name.[5]

    Broadway roles

    Western programs

    Of the 31 Frontier episodes, 16 are narrated by Coy:

    1. "Paper Gunman" (September 25, 1955)
    2. "Tomas and the Widow" (October 2)
    3. "A Stillness in Wyoming" (October 16)
    4. "The Shame of a Nation" (October 23)
    5. "In Nebraska" (October 30)
    6. "The Suspects" (November 6)
    7. "King of the Dakotas" (2 parts, November 8 and 20)
    8. "Cattle Drive to Casper" (November 27)
    9. "The Texicans" (January 8, 1956)
    10. "Mother of the Brave" (January 15)
    11. "The Ten Days of John Leslie" (January 22)
    12. "The Devil and Dr. O'Hara" (February 5)
    13. "Assassin" (March 4)
    14. "The Hanging at Thunder Butte Creek (March 18)
    15. "The Hostage" (September 9, 1956)


    Coy also appeared on Jim Davis' western anthology series, Stories of the Century in the role of Sam Clayton in the 1954 episode entitled "Tom Horn," an account of the western lawman-turned outlaw Tom Horn. He appeared on many other western television programs, including Cheyenne, Bronco, Cimarron City, The Lone Ranger, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (one episode as Ben Thompson), Shotgun Slade, The Deputy, Bonanza, Bat Masterson, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Trackdown, Tales of Wells Fargo, Yancy Derringer, Laramie, Two Faces West, Lawman, Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Restless Gun, The Rough Riders, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, Pony Express, Rawhide, Mackenzie's Raiders, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Texan, The Man from Blackhawk, Hotel de Paree, Overland Trail, Maverick, The Virginian, The Big Valley, Bat Masterson, Laredo, The Outcasts, Wagon Train (five times), and Robert Conrad's The Wild Wild West.

    Other television roles

    Coy portrayed Jason Farrel in the ABC soap opera Flame in the Wind (1965),[6] King Zorvac in the syndicated science fiction series Rocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954)[7]: 905  and Jason in the ABC serial A Time for Us.[7]: 1085 

    Other guest-starring roles in drama include Crusader, The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse, Crossroads, Whirlybirds, U.S. Marshal, Rescue 8, The Lineup, East Side/West Side, Mr. Adams and Eve, Mike Hammer, The Defenders, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Navy Log, Tightrope, Lock-Up, Lassie, Ironside, M Squad, and I Spy. Coy also appeared in two comedies, McKeever and the Colonel and Hazel.

    Coy's last television role was as Chief Blackfish on the NBC series Daniel Boone[5] in the 1970 episode "How to Become a Goddess".

    Selected filmography

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1961RawhideLem TragerS3:E25, "Incident of the Running Man"

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "Walter Coy, TV Actor, Falls Native". Great Falls Tribune. Montana, Great Falls. April 12, 1956. p. 10. Retrieved May 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
    2. ↑ "Authors and Actors Are Familiar: The Play is New". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. December 8, 1935. p. 54. Retrieved May 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
    3. ↑ "Walter Coy". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
    4. ↑ Smith, Wendy (2013). Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America, 1931-1940. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-307-83098-2. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
    5. 1 2 Brode, Douglas (2010). Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present. University of Texas Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-292-78331-7. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
    6. ↑ Royal, Don (March 21, 1965). "Flame In The Wind, New ABC Soap Opera". Daily Press. Virginia, Newport News. p. TV-2. Retrieved May 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
    7. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 370. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
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