Editing Stuart Whitman (section)

=== 1958 to 1961: Success on and off the screen ===
[[File:Stuart Whitman-Ina Balin in The Comancheros.jpg|right|thumb|Whitman and [[Ina Balin]] in ''[[The Comancheros (film)|The Comancheros]]'' (1961)]]
By this time, Whitman's side career as a real estate developer was thriving. He developed hundreds of acres in such places as [[Anaheim]], [[Benedict Canyon]], and [[Panorama City]], often in partnership with his father. "Because of it, I've never worked as an extra," he said in 1958. "I've never accepted a part that I wouldn't have thought advanced my career. I've never taken an acting job, in movies or TV, which paid less than $250 a week."<ref name="hedda" />

In the late 1950s, [[20th Century Fox]] was on a drive to develop new talent. Head of production [[Buddy Adler]] said, "We must bring young people back into film theatres and the best way is to develop young stars as a magnet. While stories have become more important than ever, we must seek our fresh, youthful talent to perform in them."<ref name="buddy" /> Whitman was one of a number of new names signed to Fox by Adler as part of a $3–4 million star-building program.<ref name="buddy">{{cite news|title=New Faces: Hand-Picked for Stardom: New Stars to Light Screens|last=Scott|first=John L.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 3, 1958|page=E1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=$4 MILLION LATER: 20th Has Its Stars of Tomorrow – Today 20th Builds Stable of Own Stars|last=Scheuer|first=Philip K.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 16, 1959|page=E1}}</ref> Whitman's contract was for seven years.<ref name="hopper">{{cite news|title=Film Work Abroad Disenchants Star: Stuart Whitman Discovers Some Unbearable Conditions|last=Hopper|first=Hedda|date=September 18, 1962|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=D10|author-link=Hedda Hopper}}</ref>

In January 1958, [[William A. Wellman]]'s ''[[Darby's Rangers]]'' premiered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52521-DARBYS-RANGERS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> During the film's production, roles fluctuated: the lead, [[Charlton Heston]], left the film and [[James Garner]] was given the lead, while Whitman wound up with Garner's original role,<ref name="TCMarticle" /> which dominated the first half of the picture then barely appeared in the second half. Whitman was one of several actors who tested for the role of Bart Maverick<ref>Garner, James & Winokur, Jon. ''The Garner Files: A Memoir'', p. 55. Simon & Schuster, October 23, 2012.</ref> In March 1958, the contract with FOX became exclusive.<ref>PARAMOUNT GOING ABROAD FOR MUSIC: Film Score Will Be Recorded Elsewhere Because of Strike, ''The New York Times'', March 6, 1958: p. 31.</ref> In June, production of [[Richard Fleischer]]'s ''[[These Thousand Hills]]''<ref name=":0" /> began. In May, ''[[Ten North Frederick (film)|Ten North Frederick]]'' began its theatrical run.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52765-TEN-NORTH-FREDERICK?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> Whitman later said he did this to get a choice small part and "many good things came from that".<ref name="hopper" /> In August, Whitman appeared in ''[[China Doll (film)|China Doll]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52500-CHINA-DOLL?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref>

In October, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]'s production of [[Andrew L. Stone]]'s ''[[The Decks Ran Red]]'', in which he was cast, was released. According to Whitman, he helped with the signing of his friend Broderick Crawford, promising the studio that Crawford would stay sober throughout the shoot. Crawford was hired and maintained his promise.<ref name=":322"/><ref name=":422"/><ref name=":522"/><ref name=":622"/>  

At that time, director [[Andrew L. Stone]] wanted Whitman to appear in ''[[The Last Voyage]]'' (1960),<ref>{{cite news|title=''Last Voyage'' Waits 'til Whitman's Ready|last=Hopper|first=Hedda|author-link=Hedda Hopper|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=November 1, 1958|page=17}}</ref> but the role went to [[Robert Stack]] instead. Fox granted him another role when he replaced [[Robert Wagner]] in ''[[The Sound and the Fury (1959 film)|The Sound and the Fury]]'' (1959).<ref>{{cite news|title=JOHN WAYNE SIGNS FOR CAVALRY FILM: Mahin and Rackin Scenario to Be Directed by Ford – Star Plaques Placed|first=Thomas M.|last=Pryor|newspaper=New York Times|date=August 16, 1958|page=9}}</ref> Also in 1959, Whitman acted in "The Last Laugh", the 20th episode of the first season of ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/have-gun-will-travel/episode-20-season-1/the-last-laugh/100200|title=Have Gun, Will Travel {{!}} TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com|language=en|access-date=December 13, 2019}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=December 2019}} Another TV credit came with ''[[The Court of Last Resort]]'', in an episode called "The Westover Case".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-court-of-last-resort/episodes/200694|title=The Court of Last Resort {{!}} TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com|language=en|access-date=December 14, 2019}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In 1958, [[Hedda Hopper]] wrote a piece on Whitman which said he could be the "new [[Clark Gable]]":<blockquote>This is a fresh personality with tremendous impact. He's tall and lean with shock of unruly black hair and dark hazel eyes which harden to slate grey when he plays a bad man or turns on the heat in a love scene. When he comes into camera range, the audience sits up and says: "Who dat?"<ref name="hedda">{{cite news|title=Stuart Whitman to Wear Gable's Crown?|last=Hopper|first=Hedda|author-link=Hedda Hopper|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 19, 1958|page=E3}}</ref></blockquote>

In 1959, Whitman acted in several features. In February, [[Richard Fleischer]]'s [[Western Film|Western]] ''These Thousand Hills''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53040-THESE-THOUSAND-HILLS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> premiered. In March, ''The Sound and the Fury'' was released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53019-THE-SOUND-AND-THE-FURY?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> At Fox, Whitman graduated to leading-man parts. In November, [[Don Siegel]]'s ''[[Hound-Dog Man]]'' premiered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/52921-HOUND-DOG-MAN?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> Whitman had an excellent role co-starring with [[Fabian Forte]] playing his "fourth heel in a row... I had a ball because the character was a real louse, everything hanging off him and no inhibitions. I like those kind of guys, I suppose because I can't be that way myself."<ref>{{cite news|title=You Can't Judge a Player by His Fan Mail|first=Joe|last=Hyams|newspaper=The Washington Post and Times-Herald|date=March 27, 1960|page=G4}}</ref>

In May 1960, the ''Los Angeles Times'' did a profile on Whitman, calling him "an actor of growing importance in a business that needs stalwarts to follow in the steps of the Clark Gables, Gary Coopers, and John Waynes... Whitman is like a finely trained athletic champion – a modest but self-assured chap who seems to know where he is going."<ref name="scott">{{cite news|title=Whitman to Be Film Stalwart|last=Scott|first=John L.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 1, 1960|page=H17}}</ref>

The premiere of [[Henry Koster]]'s Biblical drama ''[[The Story of Ruth]]'', in which Whitman had replaced [[Stephen Boyd]] as [[Boaz]], was in June 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53295-THE-STORY-OF-RUTH?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> Whitman's next release was in July, with the gangster tale ''[[Murder, Inc. (1960 film)|Murder, Inc.]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/53226-MURDER-INC?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref> "I've done lots of different parts since I left Hollywood High School and City College", said Whitman in a 1960 interview, "so the sudden switch didn't bother me too much. I hope 20th Century Fox will keep the roles varied and interesting."<ref name="scott" /> Whitman said the production of ''Murder, Inc.'' was troubled. First, when he was reading the script, he was under the impression that he was going to play the role for which [[Peter Falk]] was already cast, but he was actually cast as the romantic lead. Additionally, director [[Stuart Rosenberg]] was fired by the studio because they felt he was taking too much time setting up shots. Once fired, an actor's [[sitdown strike]] began, and it was announced that a full strike was going to happen. This put the studio under pressure to finish the project, hence producer [[Burt Balaban]], who shares the directorial credit with Rosenberg, stepped in and finished the film in a week, and on the exact day when the strike started.<ref name=":322"/><ref name=":422"/><ref name=":522"/><ref name=":622"/>

In January 1961, [[Guy Green (filmmaker)|Guy Green]]'s ''[[The Mark (1961 film)|The Mark]]'' had its London premiere.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/82926/the-mark#notes|title=The Mark (1961) – Notes – TCM.com|website=Turner Classic Movies|language=en|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref> The role came about when Whitman was frustrated with the sort of roles he was getting. "I had been knocking around and not getting anything to test my ability", he said. When [[Richard Burton]] turned down the role of a [[pedophilia|child molester]] in ''[[The Mark (1961 film)|The Mark]]'' to do ''[[Camelot (musical)|Camelot]]'' on stage, Whitman said that he was asked by his agent to fly to Ireland to act in the film, without his agent telling him what it was about. Whitman didn't know the controversial nature of the role until he read the script on location. Impressed and frightful of the content, Whitman had doubts and asked himself if he was in the right business, but came to the conclusion that he could pull it off. Whitman's performance earned him rave reviews and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He said the film "doubled my rating as an actor".<ref name="hopper" /> However, he later said, "I had a tough time breaking my image in that movie... it blocked my image as a gutsy outdoorsman."<ref name="strip">{{cite news|last=Gysel|first=Dean|date=September 6, 1967|title=Whitman to Star In 'Cimarron Strip'|page=B11|newspaper=The Washington Post and Times-Herald}}</ref>

On April 11, 1961, Whitman appeared in ''[[The Fiercest Heart]]'', which was shot in [[South Africa]] and debuted in [[San Francisco]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23693-THE-FIERCEST-HEART?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref> On July 12, Whitman appeared in [[Michael Curtiz]]'s [[List of religious films|religious]] [[Epic film|epic]] ''[[Francis of Assisi (film)|Francis of Assisi]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23043-FRANCIS-OF-ASSISI?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref> According to Whitman, while on the set, Curtiz told him that he would like him for a role in his next film, the [[Western (genre)|Western]] ''[[The Comancheros (film)|The Comancheros]]'', an adaptation of a novel by [[Paul Wellman]]. Whitman loved the idea, but was booked by the studio elsewhere. The only way to rectify this was for Whitman to talk with the film's star [[John Wayne]], as only Wayne could ask the studio heads to arrange for Whitman to play the part. Whitman went and introduced himself to Wayne and convinced him to do this.<ref name=":322"/><ref name=":422"/><ref name=":522"/><ref name=":622"/> On November 1, ''The Comancheros'' premiered. In it, Whitman played Paul Regret, who flees the law to avoid [[death]] but is eventually captured by [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Ranger]] Captain Jake Cutter (Wayne).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23776-THE-COMANCHEROS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref>

Around the same time, [[Jerry Wald]] cast Whitman in ''The Hell Raisers'', about the [[Boxer Rebellion]], but it was never filmed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boyd Likes Script of 'Hell Raisers': Stuart Whitman His Costar; Ford to Attend Government Meet|last=Hopper|first=Hedda|author-link=Hedda Hopper|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 24, 1960|page=C10}}</ref> Whitman also lobbied unsuccessfully to play the lead in ''[[Sanctuary (1961 film)|Sanctuary]]'' (1961).<ref name="scott" /> Later in 1961, he announced he would form his own production company to make ''Mandrake Route'' by Frederick Wakeman. He also stated that his bulldozer had "developed into quite a sideline. I'm sure I still wouldn't be in the picture business without it."<ref name="mark" />

In an interview later that year, Whitman said, "I've had to battle and say what is an actor? It's a fellow who plays someone else. But now I realize it's the image that makes a star. John Wayne is a great example of a super actor. [[Gary Cooper]] is another one. My image? I think it's being free and easy and all man. I say to myself I want to become an actor, I want to lose myself in each role. But that's not the way to become an actor."<ref name="mark" />