Editing Stuart Whitman (section)

=== 1951 to 1959: Early roles and first leads ===
Whitman was spotted by a talent scout while at City College. He made his screen debut, credited as Kip Whitman, in a bit part in [[Rudolph Maté]]'s ''[[When Worlds Collide (1951 film)|When Worlds Collide]]'', which was released in November 1951.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50368-WHEN-WORLDS-COLLIDE?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> He followed this with another small part, using the same pseudonym, in [[Robert Wise]]'s ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951 film)|The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'', released in September of that same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50072-THE-DAY-THE-EARTH-STOOD-STILL?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref>

In 1952, Whitman continued playing small roles, starting with [[George Archainbaud]]'s ''[[Barbed Wire (1952 film)|Barbed Wire]]'', released in July,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50406-BARBED-WIRE?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> and [[Tay Garnett]]'s ''[[One Minute to Zero]]'', released in August.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50606-ONE-MINUTE-TO-ZERO?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> In December 1952, he signed a contract with Universal, which put him in [[Douglas Sirk]]'s ''[[All I Desire]]'', released in July 1953, and [[Jesse Hibbs]]'s ''[[All American (film)|The All American]]'', released in October.<ref>{{cite news|title=Scoutmaster Duty Now Likely for Webb; Lauren Bacall to Bait Tycoons|last=Schallert|first=Edwin|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 13, 1952|page=11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50742-ALL-I-DESIRE?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50740-ALL-AMERICAN?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref>

Whitman was still cast in small parts in features premiering in 1953. This began with [[Budd Boetticher]]'s ''[[The Man from the Alamo]]'', released in August.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53555-THE-MAN-FROM-THE-ALAMO?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> Following this was [[Jacques Tourneur]]'s ''[[Appointment in Honduras]]'', which premiered on October 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/50746-APPOINTMENT-IN-HONDURAS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> The next was [[George Sherman]]'s ''[[The Veils of Bagdad]]'', in November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51091-THE-VEILS-OF-BAGDAD?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> Finally, [[Lloyd Bacon]]'s ''[[Walking My Baby Back Home (film)|Walking My Baby Back Home]]'' started its theatrical run in December.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51098-WALKING-MY-BABY-BACK-HOME?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref>

In 1954, Whitman continued to be seen in minor film roles. First was [[Charles Vidor]]'s ''[[Rhapsody (film)|Rhapsody]]'' at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM), on April 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51322-RHAPSODY?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> On May 14, it was [[Andrew Marton]]'s ''[[Prisoner of War (1954 film)|Prisoner of War]],''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51309-PRISONER-OF-WAR?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> followed in June by [[Allan Dwan]]'s ''[[Silver Lode (1954 film)|Silver Lode]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51355-SILVER-LODE?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> On July 25, it was [[Lesley Selander]]'s ''[[Return from the Sea]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51320-RETURN-FROM-THE-SEA?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> Premiering on October 6 was ''[[Passion (1954 film)|Passion]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53466-PASSION?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> He then appeared in ''[[Brigadoon (film)|Brigadoon]]'' on October 22.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51152-BRIGADOON?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> He starred on stage in [[Christopher Fry]]'s ''Venus Observed'' at the Coast Theatre in 1954.<ref>{{cite news |last=Von Blon |first=Katherine |date=May 26, 1954 |title=Fry's 'Venus Observed' Given Coast Premiere |page=Part III: 7 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> On television, Whitman acted in episodes of ''[[Dr. Christian]]'', ''[[The Roy Rogers Show]]'', and ''[[Death Valley Days]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bawden |first1=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lm6bDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Stuart+Whitman%22+%22+Dr.+Christian%22&pg=PA97 |title=Conversations with Legendary Television Stars: Interviews from the First Fifty Years |last2=Miller |first2=Ron |date=2019-08-13 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-7766-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3wcwAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Stuart+Whitman%22+%22+Death+valley+days%22 |title=Cue: The Weekly Magazine of New York Life |date=1971 |publisher=Cue Publishing Company |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Phillips |first=Robert W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O79eJXn1GT8C&dq=%22Stuart+Whitman%22+%22roy+rogers%22&pg=PA116 |title=Roy Rogers: A Biography, Radio History, Television Career Chronicle, Discography, Filmography, Comicography, Merchandising and Advertising History, Collectibles Description, Bibliography, and Index |date=1995-05-01 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-89950-937-2 |language=en}}</ref>

On July 1, 1955, Whitman appeared as a man on the beach in [[Curtis Bernhardt]]'s ''[[Interrupted Melody]]''. Also that year, Whitman had a minor role in the serial ''[[King of the Carnival]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayer |first=Geoff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCgSDgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Stuart+Whitman%22+%22King+of+the+Carnival%22&pg=PA171 |title=Encyclopedia of American Film Serials |date=2017-02-07 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2719-9 |pages=171 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1956, Whitman continued with the same types of roles, starting with [[Allan Dwan]]'s ''[[Hold Back the Night]]'' on July 29,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51863-HOLD-BACK-THE-NIGHT?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> followed by [[Budd Boetticher]]'s ''[[Seven Men from Now]]'' on August 4.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51996-SEVEN-MEN-FROM-NOW?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> Another acting credit was the [[Republic Pictures]] film ''[[Diane (1956 film)|Diane]]''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2019}}

Starting that year, he began a recurring role as Sgt. Walters on the television series ''[[Highway Patrol (American TV series)|Highway Patrol]],'' appearing in a total of sixteen episodes. Whitman explained that, at the time, he was working part-time in a slaughterhouse, and when he got the role, he and its star [[Broderick Crawford]] got along immediately and became friends. From that point on, whenever Whitman was low on cash, he would call Crawford who would gladly invite him to appear in another episode, on the premise that he could drink while Whitman handled most of the dialogue.<ref name=":322">{{cite magazine|last=Petkovich|first=Anthony|date=2013|title=Interview with Stuart Whitman (part 1)|url=https://archive.org/details/Shock_Cinema_44_c2c_2013_TLK-EMPIRE/page/n11|magazine=Shock Cinema|volume=44|pages=10–11|via=Archive}}</ref><ref name=":422">{{cite magazine|last=Petkovich|first=Anthony|date=2013|title=Interview with Stuart Whitman (part 2)|url=https://archive.org/details/Shock_Cinema_44_c2c_2013_TLK-EMPIRE/page/n13|magazine=Shock Cinema|volume=44|pages=12–13|via=Archive}}</ref><ref name=":522">{{cite magazine|last=Petkovich|first=Anthony|date=2013|title=Interview with Stuart Whitman (part 3)|url=https://archive.org/details/Shock_Cinema_44_c2c_2013_TLK-EMPIRE/page/n15|magazine=Shock Cinema|volume=44|pages=14–15|via=Archive}}</ref><ref name=":622">{{cite magazine|last=Petkovich|first=Anthony|date=2013|title=Interview with Stuart Whitman (part 4)|url=https://archive.org/details/Shock_Cinema_44_c2c_2013_TLK-EMPIRE/page/n49|magazine=Shock Cinema|volume=44|pages=48|via=Archive}}</ref>

In 1957, Whitman's film roles gradually grew in size with the following films: [[Gerd Oswald]]'s ''[[Crime of Passion (1957 film)|Crime of Passion]]'', which opened in February,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52136-CRIME-OF-PASSION?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> and [[Reginald Le Borg]]'s ''[[War Drums]]'', in April.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53639-WAR-DRUMS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> On September 21, Whitman had his first leading role in [[John H. Auer]]'s ''[[Johnny Trouble]]'', produced by John Carroll, who had Whitman under contract for one film a year for seven years; the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' said he "reminds of both [[Robert Ryan]] and [[James Dean]]."<ref>{{cite news|title=Panic in Rain' Readied for Whitman; Stockton to Sub for Deep South|last=Scheuer|first=Philip K.|date=August 29, 1957|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=C11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52246-JOHNNY-TROUBLE?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> In October, he appeared in two releases: ''[[Hell Bound (1957 film)|Hell Bound]]'' and [[Howard W. Koch]]'s ''[[The Girl in Black Stockings]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52212-HELL-BOUND?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52188-THE-GIRL-IN-BLACK-STOCKINGS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> On November 30, it was [[Gordon Douglas (director)|Gordon Douglas]]' ''[[Bombers B-52]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52113-BOMBERS-B-52?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 18, 2019}}</ref> 

Early prominent roles in 1957 were in the [[Television syndication|syndicated]] military dramas ''[[Harbor Command]]'', about the [[United States Coast Guard]], and ''The Silent Service'', based on true stories of the [[submarine]] service of the [[United States Navy]].{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} Around that time, Whitman acted in "Until the Man Dies", episode 16 of the first season of ''[[Zane Grey Theater]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/zane-grey-theatre/episode-16-season-1/until-the-man-dies/205710|title=Zane Grey Theatre {{!}} TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com|language=en|access-date=December 13, 2019}}</ref>