Editing Jeffrey Hunter

{{Short description|American actor (1926–1969)}}
{{for-multi|the Australian politician|Jeff Hunter (politician)|the American football player|Jeff Hunter (American football)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Jeffrey Hunter
| image              = Jeffrey Hunter Sgt Rutledge.jpg
| caption            = Hunter in 1960
| birth_name         = Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1926|11|25|mf=yes}}
| birth_place        = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1969|05|27|1926|11|25|mf=yes}}
| death_place        = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| resting_place      = Glen Haven Memorial Park<br />Los Angeles, California
| years_active       = 1942–1969
| other_names        = Jeff Hunter<br />Hank McKinnies
| alma_mater         = [[Northwestern University]]<br/>[[University of California, Los Angeles]]
| awards             = [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|producer}}
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Barbara Rush]]|1950|1955|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Joan Bartlett|1957|1967|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[Emily McLaughlin]]|1969}}
}}
| children           = 4
}}

'''Jeffrey Hunter''' (born '''Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.'''; November 25, 1926&nbsp;– May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as ''[[The Searchers]]'' and ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]''. On television, Hunter is known for his 1965 role as Captain [[Christopher Pike (Star Trek)|Christopher Pike]] in the original [[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|pilot episode]] of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''.<ref name="hunter">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|access-date=12 May 2025|date=12 May 2025|title=Not Quite Movie Stars: Jeffrey Hunter|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/not-quite-movie-stars-jeffrey-hunter/}}</ref>

==Early life==
Hunter was born in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana, the son of Edith Lois (née Burgess) and Henry Herman McKinnies. His family was of Scottish ancestry.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hK9iAwAAQBAJ&q=%22The+McKinnies+family+history+had+its%22&pg=PA5|title=Jeffrey Hunter: The Film, Television, Radio and Stage Performances|first=Paul|last=Green|date=April 29, 2014|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786478682|via=Google Books}}</ref> After 1930, he was reared in [[Milwaukee]], Wisconsin, where he graduated from [[Whitefish Bay High School]]. He was involved in school sports and began acting in local theater and radio in his early teens.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|pages=5–6}}

From 1942 to 1945, he spent his summers appearing in small roles for a touring [[summer-stock theater]] company from New York called the Northport Players. He made his professional radio debut in his senior year in high school on a program called ''Those Who Serve'', playing a [[G.I.]] After graduating from high school in 1945, Hunter joined the United States Navy. He completed a naval radar course at the Radio Technical School and was assigned to Communications Division, Headquarters of the [[Ninth Naval District]] in [[Great Lakes, Illinois]]. Although he served during World War II, he did not see any battle duty because of a broken [[Arches of the foot|arch]] bone suffered in a high-school football injury.<ref name="bio" />

===College===
After the war, he attended [[Northwestern University]], from which he graduated in 1949.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jeffrey Hunter Died Tuesday From Home Fall|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1665&dat=19690528&id=je0eAAAAIBAJ&pg=4189,4450315|newspaper=The Times-News|date=May 28, 1969|page=3}}</ref> Here, he was a member of [[Phi Delta Theta]] fraternity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Hunter |url=https://museum.phideltatheta.org/famous/jeffrey-hunter/ |website=phideltatheta.org}}</ref>

In college, Hunter appeared in two NU stage productions, including [[Ruth Gordon]]'s ''Years Ago'' (as Captain Absolute). He also acted with the NU Theatre summer-stock company at Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, in 1947, appearing in ''Too Many Husbands'', ''The Late George Apley'', ''Payment Deferred'', ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'', and ''Fata Morgana.'' He did radio work with the NU Radio Workshop and Radio Guild, and worked summers with the [[NBC]] Radio Institute in [[Chicago]].<ref name="bio" />

Hunter's first film role came in 1949. While at NU, he was one of a number of students who were cast in [[David Bradley (director)|David Bradley]]'s version of ''[[Julius Caesar (1950 film)|Julius Caesar]]'' (1950). The movie is best remembered today for starring a young [[Charlton Heston]] as [[Mark Antony]].

He graduated from NU on August 26, 1949, then moved to the [[University of California at Los Angeles]] to get his master's degree in radio. In 1950, he was appearing in a college production of ''[[All My Sons]]'' (in the role of Chris) and was spotted by talent scouts from 20th Century Fox and Paramount. Paramount tested him – doing two scenes from ''All My Sons'' with [[Ed Begley]]. They were impressed and offered him an option; [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] of Fox heard about this and offered him a long-term contract. The young actor agreed and the studio changed his name to "Jeffrey Hunter" on June 1, 1950.<ref name="bio">{{cite web |last=Brand |first=Harry |date=1952 |title=Jeff Hunter Studio bio prepared by 20th Century Fox |url=https://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bio_mobile.pdf |website=Jeff Hunter fansite}}</ref>

==20th Century Fox==
Fox started off Hunter in a small role in ''[[Fourteen Hours]]'' (1951), shot in New York City for director [[Henry Hathaway]]; [[Debra Paget]] and he were two young people who connect while watching a man about to jump off a ledge. He had a two-minute scene in ''[[Call Me Mister (film)|Call Me Mister]]'' (1951) and was a "campus Casanova" in a [[Jeanne Crain]] drama, ''[[Take Care of My Little Girl]]'' (1952), directed by [[Jean Negulesco]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Charles |first=Arthur L. |date=June 1952 |title=dreamboat's a-comin' |url=https://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/modernscreen0652_mobile.pdf |magazine=Modern Screen}}</ref>  Hunter then was given a bigger part in the all-male war movie ''[[The Frogmen]]'' (1951) for director [[Lewis Milestone]], supporting [[Richard Widmark]] and [[Dana Andrews]];<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=20}} among his fellow support players was [[Robert Wagner]], another young actor under contract to Fox at the time. The two would appear in several movies together and were often rivals for the same part.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Maychick |first1=Diana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HtsRToREz0EC&dq=%22Jeffrey+Hunter%22+%22Robert+Wagner%22&pg=PT149 |title=Heart to Heart With Robert Wagner |last2=Borgo |first2=L. Avon |date=2011-11-28 |publisher=Graymalkin Media |isbn=978-1-935169-85-7 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=1}}

===Leading man===
''Frogmen'', and Hunter's role in it, received favorable reviews and he moved into leading roles with ''[[Red Skies of Montana]]'' (1952), billed third in a film about [[smokejumper]]s with Richard Widmark.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|pages=21–23}} He had a more conventional male juvenile lead in ''[[Belles on Their Toes (film)|Belles on Their Toes]]'' (1953), a sequel to ''[[Cheaper by the Dozen]]'', which reunited him with Crain.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=25}}

[[Marilyn Monroe]] later gave an interview where she discussed Hunter's appeal: 
<blockquote>To me, Jeff is the acme of young American manhood. Why, he looks like he just stepped off a college campus. He's extremely handsome, but this is not what impresses me. He has sort of — well, an all-encompassing type of magnetism. And he's a walking advertisement for marriage. You can't be with Jeff more than two minutes without realizing that he takes his marriage seriously, and adores his wife and child. He talks about them constantly, and with extreme pride&nbsp;... You would be certain to guess, even without knowing, that Jeff is the real athletic type. He likes to ski especially, and can you think of anyone who would look better soaring down a mountain?<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Tower |first=Townsend |date=August 1953 |title=The Most Exciting Men in Hollywood |url=https://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/MoviesAug1953_mobile.pdf |magazine=Movies |page=59}}</ref></blockquote>

Fox gave Hunter his first starring role in ''[[Lure of the Wilderness]]'' (1952), a remake of ''[[Swamp Water]]'', directed by Negulesco and opposite Jean Peters. After ''[[Dreamboat (film)|Dreamboat]]'' (1952), where Hunter supported [[Clifton Webb]] and [[Ginger Rogers]], he was given his best role yet, the starring part in a war film, ''[[Sailor of the King]]'' (1953), based on [[C. S. Forester]]'s book, ''[[Brown on Resolution]].'' Although financed by Fox, it was essentially a British film, with British talent&nbsp;— Hunter was cast as a Canadian to explain his accent (his casting led to some difficulties with British film unions).<ref>{{cite news |last=Forrest |first=Elizabeth |date=July 25, 1953 |title=He Made It Single Handed |url=https://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/picturegoer0753_mobile.pdf |newspaper=Picturegoer}}</ref>

''Sailor of the King'' was a minor success, ''Filmink'' arguing Hunter "didn’t have that X factor of great, or even second tier stars – Hunter lacked individuality, a presence that compelled the audience to look at him, and we think this is what would hold him back as a star for the rest of his career."<ref name="hunter"/> He followed it with a Western Hunter made with [[Mitzi Gaynor]], ''[[Three Young Texans]]'' (1954). ''[[Princess of the Nile]]'' (1954) was an "Eastern" with [[Debra Paget]] in the title role. It was not particularly successful, either, and Hunter did not manage to transition into being a top-line star. The title role in ''Prince Valiant'', which had been mentioned for him, was given to Robert Wagner. "It was a terrible disappointment to me", said Hunter later. "I just didn't know what to do. It seemed my career was over. They were making a lot of pictures on the lot, but I wasn't cast in any of them and I couldn't understand why, particularly since I started out with such a terrific lot of luck."<ref name="luck">{{cite magazine |page=45 |url= http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1957/movieland0557.pdf |date=1957 |title= Good Guys Sometimes Win: Jeffrey Hunter |magazine= Movieland}}</ref>

===Career lull===
Fox lent him out, along with Debra Paget, to [[Monogram Pictures|Allied Artists]] to play the [[abolitionist]] [[Owen Brown (abolitionist, born 1824)|Owen Brown]] in ''[[Seven Angry Men]]'' (1955), with [[Raymond Massey]] in the lead.

Hunter then played an Indian chief in the Western, ''[[White Feather (film)|White Feather]]'' (1955), essentially supporting Robert Wagner. It was a moderate hit at the box office. Hunter said after it, "I had no immediate pictures scheduled&nbsp;... Nothing seemed to be coming up. I wasn't thinking of leaving my studio&nbsp;— it's important having a major studio behind you. It was just that I was restless, and nothing seemed to be happening."<ref name="photo">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1956/photoplay0756.pdf|title=He got out from behind the eight ball|magazine=Photoplay|date=July 1956}}</ref>

With a friend, Bill Hayes, he set up a production company, Hunter Enterprises. They produced a documentary, ''The Living Swamp.'' Hunter also began appearing regularly on television, having particular success in an episode of ''[[Climax!]]'' he made with [[Margaret O'Brien]].<ref name="luck"/> Back at Fox, he supported [[Anthony Quinn]] in ''[[Seven Cities of Gold (film)|Seven Cities of Gold]]'' (1955).

He was lent to [[United Artists]] along with fellow Fox contract players Wagner and [[Joanne Woodward]] for ''[[A Kiss Before Dying (1956 film)|A Kiss Before Dying]]'' (1956). Wagner had the best role&nbsp;—as a killer—while Hunter had the more conventional leading-man part. (The movie was shelved for a year before being released.) ''Filmink'' wrote "Hunter’s specialty by this time might best be described as 'sensible principled character who acts as a counterpoint to a neurotic lead'."<ref name="hunter"/> A loan-out to co-star with John Wayne in the title roles of the now-classic Western ''The Searchers'' (1956) began the first of three pictures he made with director John Ford, followed by ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]'' (1958) and ''[[Sergeant Rutledge]]'' (1960).

===''The Searchers''===
[[File:Jeffrey Hunter The Searchers trailer screenshot.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Hunter as Martin Pawley in ''[[The Searchers]]'']]
Hunter's career was revitalized when he successfully lobbied John Ford to cast him as the second lead in ''[[The Searchers]]'' (1956), supporting John Wayne. ''Filmink'' argued "There’s a reason that critics don’t rhapsodise too much over Jeffrey Hunter, but it’s a fine performance, far superior to those given by other male juveniles who supported John Wayne in Ford picture."<ref name="hunter"/>

[[Disney]] borrowed him to play [[William Allen Fuller]] in the Civil War action movie ''[[The Great Locomotive Chase]]'' (1956), opposite [[Fess Parker]]. Ironically, according to Parker's [[Archive of American Television]] interview, Ford had originally wanted to cast Parker in Hunter's role in ''The Searchers'', but Disney refused to lend him out, something Parker did not hear about until years later; Parker referred to this lost opportunity as his single biggest career setback.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/fess-parker|title=Fess Parker|website=Archive of American Television|date=October 22, 2017}}</ref>

The success of ''The Searchers'' and ''The Great Locomotive Chase'' reignited Fox's interest in Hunter and the studio re-signed him, while giving him the right to make one "outside" film a year.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1956/picturegoer0956.pdf|title=The Rebel with a cause| magazine=Picturegoer|date=September 29, 1956}}</ref>

He supported [[Robert Ryan]] in a Western, ''[[The Proud Ones]]'' (1956). Hunter went over to [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]] and supported another older star, [[Fred MacMurray]], in another Western, ''[[Gun for a Coward]]'' (1957), in a role originally meant for [[James Dean]]. Back at Fox, Hunter was reunited with Wagner as the [[James–Younger Gang|James brothers]] in ''[[The True Story of Jesse James]]'' (1957), directed by [[Nicholas Ray]] (Hunter played [[Frank James|Frank]]); it was mildly popular, although considered a critical disappointment.

Fox gave him a leading role in ''[[The Way to the Gold]]'' (1957), another Western. It was a low-budget production, but proved profitable. He was one of several leads in Fox's look at young people, ''[[No Down Payment]]'' (1957) – not a big hit, but the early work for director [[Martin Ritt]] received some critical acclaim. Fox sent Hunter to Britain to be an American star in a British war film once more: ''[[Count Five and Die]]'' (1957).

===Illness===
In October 1957, Hunter started shooting for his role in the Universal film ''If I Should Die'' (later ''[[Appointment with a Shadow]]''), but collapsed following his first day on the set, and was replaced by [[George Nader]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hunter Is Ill, Film Put Off|author=|date=October 30, 1957|newspaper=The New York Times|page=23}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Movie Mirror|title=Jeff Hunter: My Wife's Love Saved My Life|url=http://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/MovieMirror_Dec1958.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Meyer |first=Jim |date=1974 |title=Notes on Jeffrey Hunter and His Films (part 2) |url=https://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Filmograph-Part-1_mobile.pdf |magazine=Filmograph |volume=4 |issue=2}}</ref> He was off the screen for 14 months while ill with what was diagnosed as [[hepatitis]].<ref name="louella"/>

John Ford cast him in another film, ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]'' (1958), starring [[Spencer Tracy]]. He had a cameo as himself in the [[Pat Boone]] musical at Fox, ''[[Mardi Gras (1958 film)|Mardi Gras]]'' (1958).

Hunter then made a war film, ''[[In Love and War (1958 film)|In Love and War]]'' (1958), co-starring with several other Fox signees such as Wagner. It proved popular.

Hunter formed a production company, Mexico Films, and made a film in Mexico, ''[[The Holy City, The Sacred City]]''. It struggled to find a release.

John Ford used him for a third (and final) time as the lead in the Western legal drama ''[[Sergeant Rutledge]]'' (1960) starring [[Woody Strode]], and the film was not a big success.

Hunter was in an urban thriller, ''[[Key Witness (1960 film)|Key Witness]]'' (1960), directed by [[Phil Karlson]]. After making the film, Fox did not renew its contract with Hunter.

In June 1959 he announced he would make ''The Golden Horde'' for his own company, Hunter Enterprises.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety215-1959-06/page/n84/mode/1up?|title=Briefs from the lots|date=10 June 1959|page=21}}</ref>

==Career after Fox==
[[Image:Kingofkings10.JPG|thumb|right|500px|Hunter as [[Jesus]] in ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]'']]
Hunter's next film was with Karlson; he played [[Guy Gabaldon]] in the Allied Artists film ''[[Hell to Eternity]]'' (1960), which was a hit at the box office. Gabaldon later named one of his sons Jeffrey Hunter Gabaldon.

[[Nicholas Ray]] cast Hunter in the role of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] in the $8 million epic ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]'' (1961), produced by [[Samuel Bronston]]. "I've broken my shackles at last", said Hunter at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1961/BritPhotoplay0961.pdf|title=The Man Who Plays Jesus|page=51|magazine=Photoplay}}</ref> He told [[Louella Parsons]], "Christ was a carpenter and 33 years old, and I am 33, and I suppose my physical measurements fitted the description in the [[New Testament]]. At the time of His death, He was robust, and not a delicate man."<ref name="louella">{{cite news|first=Louella|last=Parsons|title=Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1961/SFExaminerPictorialLiving10011961.pdf|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|date=1961|page=18}}</ref>

It was a difficult part, met by critical reaction that ranged from praise to ridicule because of Hunter's youthful, matinee-idol appearance. However, the film was a box-office hit and remains one of Hunter's best-remembered roles.<ref>Gwilym Beckerlegge, ''From Sacred Text to Internet'', Ashgate, 2001, p.268.</ref> Hunter later said: "I still get an average of 1,500 letters a month from people who saw me in that film and share the beauty and inspiration I derived from it with me. There are some things that can't be measured in dollars and cents and how can anyone put a price—even the price of a million-dollar career—on the role of the greatest Being this mortal world has ever known?"<ref name="king">{{cite news|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/TVPages/TempleHouston/ChicagoTribuneJan1164.pdf|title=Jeff Hunter breaks Hollywood jinx|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=January 11, 1964}}</ref>

When Hunter returned to Hollywood, he deliberately selected parts that were different, such as that of a psychopathic killer in an episode of ''[[Checkmate (American TV series)|Checkmate]]'' and as the lead in a heist thriller ''[[Man-Trap]]'' (1961), directed by actor [[Edmond O'Brien]].

At Universal, Hunter starred in ''[[No Man Is an Island (film)|No Man Is an Island]]'' (1962), the story of [[George Ray Tweed]]. He joined an all-star cast in the Fox World War II battle epic ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]''. Hunter provided a climactic heroic moment playing a sergeant who is killed while leading a successful attempt to breach the defense wall atop [[Omaha Beach]] in [[Normandy]].

[[File:Jeffrey Hunter Temple Houston 1963.JPG|thumb|left|Hunter as ''[[Temple Houston (TV series)|Temple Houston]]'' (1963)]]
He traveled to Italy to make ''[[Gold for the Caesars]]'' (1963) with director [[André de Toth]]. He was set to costar with Spencer Tracy and James Stewart in ''The Long Flight'' when he received an offer to appear in a television show.<ref name="king"/>

Having guest-starred on television dramas since the mid-1950s, Hunter was offered a two-year contract by [[Warner Bros.]] studio head [[Jack L. Warner|Jack Warner]] that included a starring role as [[Circuit riding|circuit-riding]] Texas lawyer [[Temple Lea Houston]], the youngest son of [[Sam Houston]], in the [[NBC]] series ''[[Temple Houston (TV series)|Temple Houston]]'' (1963–1964), which Hunter's production company coproduced.

''Temple Houston'' did not survive beyond 26 weeks, and in 1964, Hunter accepted the lead role of [[Christopher Pike (Star Trek)|Captain Christopher Pike]] in "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]", the first pilot episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'', completed in early 1965 (with a copyright date of 1964). Hunter declined to appear in a second ''Star Trek'' pilot requested by NBC in 1965 in order to concentrate on film roles. He told the press, "I was asked to do it, but had I accepted, I would have been tied up much longer than I care to be. I have several things brewing now and they should be coming to a head in the next few weeks. I love doing motion pictures and expect to be as busy as I want to be in them."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1965/interview070465.pdf|date=April 7, 1965|title=Interview with Jeffrey Hunter}}</ref><ref>''Star Trek'' creator and producer [[Gene Roddenberry]] wrote to him on April 5, 1965:
<blockquote>I am told you have decided not to go ahead with ''Star Trek''. This has to be your own decision, of course, and I must respect it. You may be certain I hold no grudge or ill feelings and expect to continue to reflect publicly and privately the high regard I learned for you during the production of our pilot.</blockquote>
David Alexander, ''Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry'', Roc, 1994, p. 244. {{ISBN|978-0-451-45418-8}}.</ref><ref>J.D. Spiro, "[http://www.jeffreyhuntermovies.com/NewSite/InPrint/1965/interview070465.pdf Happy in Hollywood] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923181108/http://jeffreyhuntermovies.com/NewSite/InPrint/1965/interview070465.pdf |date=September 23, 2010 }}" (interview), ''The Milwaukee Journal'', July 4, 1965.</ref><ref>Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman, ''Inside Star Trek: The Real Story'', Pocket Books, 1996. {{ISBN|0-671-89628-8}}.</ref>

Later in 1965, Hunter filmed the pilot for another NBC series, the espionage thriller ''Journey into Fear'', which the network rejected.<ref>Lee Goldberg, ''Unsold Television Pilots 1955–89'', Backinprint.com, 2001, {{ISBN|978-0-595-19429-2}}.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Unknown Captain|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/Biographies/UnknownCaptain.pdf|magazine=Starlog|date=October 1996}}</ref>

==Later career==
With the demise of the [[Studio system|studio contract system]] in the early 1960s and the [[outsourcing]] of much feature production, Hunter, like many other leading men of the 1950s, found work in [[B movie]]s produced in Italy, Hong Kong and Mexico, with an occasional television guest part in Hollywood.<ref name="ferguson">{{cite book |last=Ferguson |first=Michael |title=Idol Worship: A Shameless Celebration of Male Beauty in the Movies |publisher=Michael |year=2003 |isbn=1-891-85548-4 |page=100}}</ref>

His films included the [[William Conrad]] thriller ''[[Brainstorm (1965 film)|Brainstorm]]'' (1965), the Western ''[[Murieta (film)|Murieta]]'' (1965), the spy film ''[[Dimension 5 (film)|Dimension 5]]'' (1965), the Hong Kong-filmed but unreleased ''[[Strange Portrait]]'' (1966) and ''A Witch Without a Broom'' (1967), a comedy fantasy set in Spain. He guest-starred on ''[[Insight (American TV series)|Insight]]'', ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]'' and ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]''

After a cameo in ''[[A Guide for the Married Man]]'' (1967), Hunter took the lead role in a Western shot in Spain for [[Sidney W. Pink]], ''[[The Christmas Kid]]'' (1967). Hunter appeared in ''[[Custer of the West]]'' (1968), also shot in Spain.

In Hollywood, Hunter supported [[Bob Hope]] in ''[[The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell]]'' (1968). He returned to low-budget films such as ''[[Find a Place to Die]]'' (1968), a [[spaghetti Western]], although in the lead role. He appeared in Italian films such as ''[[Sexy Susan Sins Again]]'' (1968) and ''[[Cry Chicago]]'' (1969), and was set to make ''A Band of Brothers'' with [[Vince Edwards]] when he died.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=He Had Changed So Much|magazine=unknown|date=n.d.|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/AfterDeath/hehadchangedsomuch.pdf}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Hunter's first marriage from 1950 to 1955 to actress [[Barbara Rush]] produced a son, Christopher (born 1952). From 1957 to 1967, Hunter was married to model Dusty Bartlett. He adopted her son Steele, and the couple had two other children, Todd and Scott. In February 1969, just three months before his death, he married actress [[Emily McLaughlin]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Jeffrey Hunter, Actor, Dies|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19690528&id=PFpIAAAAIBAJ&pg=7323,330348|newspaper=Toledo Blade|date=May 28, 1969|page=7}}</ref>

Hunter was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QfHXAAAAQBAJ&q=Jeffrey+Hunter&pg=PA173|title=When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics|first=Donald T.|last=Critchlow|date=October 21, 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521199186|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Death==
While in Spain in November 1968 to film ''Cry Chicago (¡Viva América!)'', a story about the [[Chicago Mafia]], Hunter was injured in an on-set explosion when a car window near him, which had been rigged to explode outward, accidentally exploded inward.<ref name=ferguson/> Hunter sustained a serious concussion. According to Hunter's wife Emily, he "went into shock" on the flight back to the United States after filming and "couldn't speak. He could hardly move." After landing, Hunter was taken to [[Good Samaritan Hospital (Los Angeles)|Good Samaritan Hospital]] in Los Angeles, but doctors could not find any serious injuries except for a displaced vertebra and a concussion.<ref name=gilpatrick>{{cite book|last=Gilpatrick|first=Kristin|title=Famous Wisconsin Film Stars|year=2002|publisher=Badger Books Inc.|isbn=1-878-56986-4|page=73}}</ref>

On the afternoon of May 26, 1969, Hunter suffered an [[intracranial hemorrhage]] while walking down stairs at his home in [[Van Nuys, California]].<ref name=ferguson/><ref name=gilpatrick/> He fell, fracturing his skull.<ref name=times>{{cite news|title=Hunter Lost His Balance|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19690529&id=pPkrAAAAIBAJ&pg=1111,5071292|newspaper=Times Daily|date=May 29, 1969|page=10}}</ref> He was found unconscious<ref>{{cite news|title=Jeffrey Hunter|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/jeffrey-hunter/|work=Hollywood Star Walk}}</ref> and taken to [[Valley Presbyterian Hospital]], where he underwent brain surgery. He died at about 9:30 the following morning at the age of 42.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jeff Hunter, Movie Actor, Dies Tuesday|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19690528&id=z9oeAAAAIBAJ&pg=6255,7053869|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=May 28, 1969|page=4}}</ref>

Hunter's funeral was held at St Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys on May 31. He was interred at Glen Haven Memorial Park in [[Sylmar, Los Angeles|Sylmar]].<ref name=times/><ref>{{cite book|last=Ellenberger|first=Allan R.|title=Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory|year=2001|publisher=McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub|isbn=0-786-40983-5|page=102}}</ref>

==Honors==
For his contribution to the television industry, Hunter has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 6918 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://walkoffame.com/jeffrey-hunter/|title=Jeffrey Hunter|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|date=October 25, 2019 |access-date=April 29, 2024}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Film
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1950
| ''[[Julius Caesar (1950 film)|Julius Caesar]]''
| Third Plebeian
| Uncredited
|-
| 1951
| ''[[Call Me Mister (film)|Call Me Mister]]''
| The Kid
| Two minute part.
|-
| 1951
| ''[[Fourteen Hours]]''
| Danny Klempner
| First film under the contract with Fox. Also stars [[Grace Kelly]] in a small role.
|-
| 1951
| ''[[The Frogmen]]''
| Pappy Creighton
| First featured billing. First film with [[Robert Wagner]].
|-
| 1951
| ''[[Take Care of My Little Girl]]''
| Chad Carnes
|
|-
| 1952
| ''[[Red Skies of Montana]]''
| Edward J. (Ed) Miller
| Alternative title: ''Smoke Jumpers''. Billed third.
|-
| 1952
| ''[[Belles on Their Toes (film)|Belles on Their Toes]]''
| Dr. Bob Grayson
|
|-
| 1952
| ''[[Lure of the Wilderness]]''
| Ben Tyler
| First leading role.
|-
| 1952
| ''[[Dreamboat (film)|Dreamboat]]''
| Bill Ainslee
|
|-
| 1953
| ''[[Sailor of the King]]''
| Signalman Andrew 'Canada' Brown
| Alternative titles: ''C.S. Forester's Sailor of the King'', ''Single-Handed''.<br />First starring role.
|-
| 1954
| ''[[Three Young Texans]]''
| Johnny Colt
| First Western.
|-
| 1954
| ''[[Princess of the Nile]]''
| Prince Haidi
| 
|-
| 1955
| ''[[White Feather (1955 film)|White Feather]]''
| Little Dog
|
|-
| 1955
| ''[[Seven Angry Men]]''
| [[Owen Brown (abolitionist)|Owen Brown]]
| Alternative title: ''God's Angry Man''. First film made on loan out to another studio, Allied Artists.
|-
| 1955
| ''[[Seven Cities of Gold (film)|Seven Cities of Gold]]''
| Matuwir
|
|-
| 1955
| ''The Living Swamp''
| {{center|&nbsp;– }}
| Documentary film. Hunter produced.
|-
| 1956
| ''[[The Great Locomotive Chase]]''
| [[William A. Fuller]]
| Alternative title: ''Andrews' Raiders''
|-
| 1956
| ''[[A Kiss Before Dying (1956 film)|A Kiss Before Dying]]''
| Gordon Grant
| Filmed immediately before ''The Searchers'' but not released until after.
|-
| 1956
| ''[[The Searchers]]''
| Martin Pawley
|
|-
| 1956
| ''[[The Proud Ones]]''
| Thad Anderson
|
|-
| 1957
| ''[[Gun for a Coward]]''
| Bless Keough
|
|-
| 1957
| ''[[The True Story of Jesse James]]''
| [[Frank James]]
|
|-
| 1957
| ''[[The Way to the Gold]]''
| Joe Mundy
|
|-
| 1957
| ''[[No Down Payment]]''
| David Martin
|
|-
| 1958
| ''[[Count Five and Die]]''
| Captain Bill Ranson
| Shot in Britain.
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]''
| Adam Caulfield
| Second film for John Ford.
|-
| 1958
| ''[[In Love and War (1958 film)|In Love and War]]''
| Sgt. Nico Kantaylis
| Last film under contract to Fox.
|-
| 1959
| ''La ciudad sagrada''
| {{center|&nbsp;– }}
| Credited as producer; re-released in 1964 as ''The Mighty Jungle'', combined with new African-shot footage with [[Marshall Thompson]]
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Sergeant Rutledge]]''
| Lt. Tom Cantrell
| Last film for John Ford.
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Hell to Eternity]]''
| [[Guy Gabaldon]]
|
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Key Witness (1960 film)|Key Witness]]''
| Fred Morrow
|
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Man-Trap]]''
| Matt Jameson
|
|-
| 1961
| ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]''
| [[Jesus]]
|
|-
| 1962
| ''[[No Man Is an Island (film)|No Man Is an Island]]''
| [[George R. Tweed]] 
|
|-
| 1962
| ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]''
| Sgt. (later Lt.) John H. Fuller
| Credited as Jeff Hunter
|-
| 1963
| ''[[Gold for the Caesars]]''
| Lancer
| Alternative title: ''Oro per i Cesari''. Filmed in Italy.
|-
| 1963
| ''The Man From Galveston''
| Timothy Higgins
| Pilot for ''Temple Houston''.
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Murieta (film)|Murieta]]''
| [[Joaquín Murrieta]]
| Alternative title: ''Joaquín Murrieta''
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Uncle Tom's Cabin (1965 film)|Uncle Tom's Cabin]]''
|
| Alternative title: ''Onkel Toms Hütte''<br />Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Brainstorm (1965 film)|Brainstorm]]''
| Jim Grayam
| Credited as Jeff Hunter
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Dimension 5 (film)|Dimension 5]]''
| Justin Power
|
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Strange Portrait]]''
| Mark
| Film never released theatrically.
|-
| 1967
| ''[[A Witch Without a Broom]]''
| Garver Logan
| Credited as Jeff Hunter
|-
| 1967
| ''[[A Guide for the Married Man]]''
| Technical Adviser (Mountain Climber)
| Cameo role
|-
| 1967
| ''[[The Christmas Kid]]''
| Joe Novak
|
|-
| 1967
| ''[[Custer of the West]]''
| [[Frederick Benteen|Capt. Frederick Benteen]]
|
|-
| 1968
| ''[[The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell]]''
| Lt. (J.G.) Lyman P. Jones 
| 
|-
| 1968
| ''[[Find a Place to Die]]''
| Joe Collins 
| Alternative title: ''Joe... cercati un posto per morire!''
|-
| 1968
| ''[[Sexy Susan Sins Again]]''
| Count Enrico
| Alternative titles: ''Frau Wirtin hat auch einen Grafen''<br />''The Hostess Also Has a Count''
|-
| 1969
| ''Super Colt 38''
| Billy Hayes
|
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Cry Chicago|¡Viva América!]]''
| Frank Mannata
| Alternative titles: ''The Mafia Mob''<br />''Cry Chicago''<br />(final film role)
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Television
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1955–1957
| ''[[Climax!]]''
| Wesley Jerome Penn<br />Phil Aubry
| Episode: "South of the Sun"<br />Episode: "Hurricane Diane"
|-
| 1956
| ''[[The 20th Century Fox Hour]]''
| Dick Cannock
| Episode: "The Empty Room"
|-
| 1958
| ''[[Pursuit (TV series)|Pursuit]]''
| Lt. Aaron Gibbs
| Episode: "Kiss Me Again, Stranger"
|-
| 1960
| ''Destiny, West!''
| John Charles Fremont
| TV movie
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Checkmate (American TV series)|Checkmate]]''
| Edward "Jocko" Townsend
| Segment: "Waiting For Jocko"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[List of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episodes|The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]''
| Harold
| Episode: "Don't Look Behind You"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[Death Valley Days]]''
| Capt. Walter Reed, MD
| Episode: "Suzie"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[Combat! (TV series)|Combat!]]''
| Sergeant Dane
| Episode: "Lost Sheep, Lost Shepherd"
|-
| 1963–1964
| ''[[Temple Houston (TV series)|Temple Houston]]''
| Temple Houston
| 26 episodes<br />Star and Executive producer
|-
| 1963–1964
| ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]''
| Gabe<br />Barry Stinson
| Episode: "Seven Miles of Bad Road"<br />Episode: "Parties to the Crime"
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]''
| Fred Girard
| Episode: "The Trains of Silence"
|-
| 1965–1967
| ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]''
| Francis Jerome<br />Ralph Stuart
| Episode: "The Monsters"<br />Episode: "The Enemies"
|-
| 1966
| ''Journey into Fear''
| Dr. Howard Graham
| Episode: "Seller's Market"
|-
| 1966
| ''[[The Legend of Jesse James (TV series)|The Legend of Jesse James]]''
| Jeremy Thrallkill
| Episode: " A Field of Wild Flowers"
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]''
| Roark Logan
| Episode: "Requiem for Craw Green"
|-
| 1966
| ''[[The Green Hornet (TV series)|The Green Hornet]]''
| Emmet Crown
| Episode: "Freeway to Death"
|-
| 1965–1966
| ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''
| [[Christopher Pike (Star Trek)|Captain Christopher Pike]]
| Episode: "[[The Cage (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Cage]]"<br />Released posthumously (1986)<br />Episode: "[[The Menagerie (Star Trek: The Original Series)|The Menagerie]]"<br />Footage incorporated from "The Cage" 
|-
| 1967
| ''[[The Monroes (1966 TV series)|The Monroes]]''
| Ed Stanley
| Episode: "Wild Bill"
|-
| 1967–1969
| ''[[Insight (American TV series)|Insight]]''
| James Smith<br />Ken
| Episode: "Madam"<br />Episode: "The Poker Game"
|}

==References==
{{reflist|40em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0001374}}
{{Memory Alpha}}
* [http://wp.jeffreyhunter.net/ Tribute site to Jeffrey Hunter]
* {{Find a Grave|4987}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Greater Los Angeles|Film|Television}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Jeffrey}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:20th Century Studios contract players]]
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[[Category:Male Western (genre) film actors]]
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[[Category:United States Navy officers]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:Whitefish Bay High School alumni]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Deaths from intracranial haemorrhage]]
[[Category:Phi Delta Theta members]]