Jack Starrett

Jack Starrett
Born
Claude Ennis Starrett Jr.

(1936-11-02)November 2, 1936
Refugio, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 27, 1989(1989-03-27) (aged 52)
Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, film director
Years active1961–1987
SpouseValerie Starrett

Claude Ennis "Jack" Starrett Jr.[1] (November 2, 1936 – March 27, 1989) was an American actor and film director.[2]

Starrett is perhaps best known for his role as Gabby Johnson, a parody of George "Gabby" Hayes, in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles and is also known for his role as the brutal policeman Art Galt in the 1982 action film First Blood. He also played the cruel foreman Swick in The River (1984).

Starrett acted in the biker films The Born Losers, Hells Angels on Wheels (both from 1967), Angels from Hell (1968) and Hell's Bloody Devils (1970), and directed two more: Run, Angel, Run in 1969 and Nam's Angels (1970) as well as the horror film Race with the Devil (1975) - that was filmed in his home state of Texas - in which he also played a gas station attendant.

Life and career

Starrett was raised in Refugio, Texas and worked in the oil fields before coming to Hollywood.[3] He starred in the 1961 film Like Father Like Son as Coach Jennings, and later reprised the role in The Young Sinner in 1965 and Like Father Like Son in 1987.

Valerie Starrett, his wife at one time, said Jack had always wished to direct rather than act. He made an uncredited first attempt at direction when the original director of The Girls from Thunder Strip needed assistance.[4]

Throughout his career, Starrett directed feature films and episodes of television programs. In addition, he made guest appearances on TV shows including Hill Street Blues, Hunter, The A-Team, and Knight Rider (in which he made three guest appearances as different characters.) Starrett starred in three short films directed by Tony Schweikle. Starrett and Schweikle stayed close friends until Starrett's death.[5]

He played the mumbling Gabby Johnson in Mel Brooks' 1974 film Blazing Saddles, which was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.[5]

Death

Starrett died from liver failure in Sherman Oaks, California at the age of 52. According to his sister, he had been ill for "some time".[6] At the time of his death he was married to Valerie Starrett. [citation needed]

Filmography

Film

Director

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
1965 The Young Sinner Coach Jennings
1967 Hells Angels on Wheels Sergeant Bingham
1967 The Born Losers Deputy Fred
1968 Angels from Hell Bingham
1969 The Gay Deceivers Colonel Dixon
1970 Hell's Bloody Devils Rocky
1970 The Girls from Thunder Strip Sheriff
1970 Nam's Angels Chet Davis Uncredited
1970 Cry Blood, Apache The Deacon
1973 Kid Blue Tough Guy
1974 Blazing Saddles Gabby Johnson
1974 The Gravy Train Gentleman Rancher
1975 Race with the Devil Gas Station Attendant
1976 A Small Town in Texas Buford Tyler
1979 The Rose Dee
1982 First Blood Deputy Sergeant Art Galt
1983 Grizzly II: The Concert Papas Unreleased film
1984 The River Swick
1987 Like Father Like Son Coach Jennings Uncredited
1988 Death Chase Lieutenant MacGrew
1988 Brothers in Arms Father
1989 Family Reunion Charlie
1989 Nightwish Professor
1990 Hollywood Heartbreak Lou Budowski (final film role)

Television

TV series

Director

Year Title Notes
1969 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors 2 episodes
1974 Planet of the Apes Episode: "The Horse Race"
1975-1977 Starsky & Hutch 3 episodes
1978 What Really Happened to the Class of '65? Episode: "Class Underachiever"
1979 Paris Episode: "Decisions"
1979 A Man Called Sloane Episode: "Sweethearts of Disaster"
1979-1980 The Dukes of Hazzard Two episodes
1980 Beyond Westworld Episode: "The Lion"
1980 Eischied Episode: "Powder Burn"
1981 Hill Street Blues Episode: "Life, Death, Eternity"

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Cade's County Wilbur Bain Episode: "The Mustangers"
1983 Hill Street Blues Farley Episode: "Moon Over Uranus"
1983-1985 Knight Rider Hagen / Lieutenant George Barth / Sheriff 3 episodes
1985 Wildside General Abraham Wollock Episode: "Well Known Secret"
1985 Hunter Dennis Balzer / The Bartender / The Sniper 3 episodes
1986 The A-Team Wade Blackburn Episode: "The Duke of Whispering Pines"

TV movies

Director

  • Night Chase (1970)
  • Roger and Hary: The Mitera Target (1977)
  • Nowhere to Hide (1977)
  • Thaddeus Rose and Eddie (1978)
  • Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus (1978)
  • Mr. Horn (1979)
  • Survival of Dana (1979)

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
1977 Nowhere to Hide Gus
1979 Mr. Horn General George Crook
1979 Survival of Dana Police Photographer Uncredited

References

  1. ^ "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997". Familytreelegends.com. Archived from the original on 2013-08-18. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  2. ^ Staff report (March 29, 1989). Jack Starrett, 52; Adventure Film Actor, Director. Los Angeles Times
  3. ^ (April 1, 1989). Jack Starrett, Actor/Director in films, TV. San Jose Mercury News
  4. ^ Valerie Starrett Interview Sixties Cinema
  5. ^ a b "Librarian of Congress Adds Home Movie, Silent Films and Hollywood Classics to Film Preservation List" (Press release). Library of Congress. December 27, 2006. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  6. ^ L.A. TIMES ARCHIVES (March 29, 1989). "Jack Starrett, 52; Adventure Film Actor, Director". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 17, 2024.