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Alex Sharp (American actor)

{{Short description|American actor, stuntman and writer (1921–2008)}}

{{other people||Alex Sharp (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Alex Sharp

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|09|16}}

| birth_place = Nebraska, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|03|06|1921|09|16}}

| death_place =

| other_names = Alex Sharpe

| occupation = Actor, stuntman, writer

| years_active = 1948–1993

| organization = Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4.5

}}

Alex Sharp, also known and credited as Alex Sharpe (September 16, 1921{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/alex_sharp|title=Alex Sharp|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=August 21, 2022}} – March 6,{{Citation needed |date=August 2022}} 2008) was an American actor, stuntman,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D9k1DwAAQBAJ|title=Classic Movie Fight Scenes: 75 Years of Bare Knuckle Brawls, 1914-1989|page=163|first=Gene|last=Freese|publisher=McFarland|date=October 5, 2017|isbn=9781476669434|via=Google Books}} and writer, perhaps best known for his work in television western shows such as Bonanza and Gunsmoke.{{cite book |last1=Freese |first1=Gene Scott |title=Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary |date=April 10, 2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786476435 |page=253 |edition=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=10dXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA253 |access-date=21 August 2022}}{{cite book |title=Western Clippings: Empty Saddles (#83 May-June 2008) |date=June 2008}}

Early years

Sharp was born in Nebraska and was raised in Washington and Colorado, where he learned to break horses. He spent time with the U.S. Cavalry at Fort Riley, and became a bomber gunner in the South Pacific during World War II.

Career

One of his earliest jobs in 1950 was doubling for Scott Forbes on the film Rocky Mountain. He would again double for Forbes in The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1956-1958)

Stunts in fight scenes were his specialty, and Sharp did at least a half-dozen with Michael Landon on Bonanza, with Sharp doubling for guest stars George Kennedy and Leif Erickson.

At around 6'4" and 200 pounds, Sharp was a large enough actor to double for James Arness (6'7") on Gunsmoke for its 20-year run from 1955 to 1975. Sharp also doubled for Richard Coogan on The Californians (1957-1959).

As a stuntman, Sharp was a member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures, and an inductee into the Stunmen's Hall of Fame.

As a writer, Sharp co-wrote (with Ed Erwin) the screenplay for the 1965 film Vengeance. Sharp also wrote and contributed teleplays for shows, including Bonanza and The High Chaparral.

Personal life

In 1963, Sharp and fellow stuntman Bill Hickman witnessed a bank robber, Carl Follette, speed by them on the Ventura Freeway near the Laurel Canyon off-ramp. After Hickman saw the suspect shoot police Officer Alphonso Begue in the chest, he used his stunt driver skills to chase him down on Laurel Canyon Road until law enforcement officers could catch up. The car chase eventually ended in a North Hollywood parking lot where Follette was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police.{{cite book |last1=McGee |first1=Scott |title=Danger on the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema's Greatest Stunts |date=5 April 2022 |publisher=Running Press |isbn=9780762474837 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3C87EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT206 |access-date=21 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Bill Hickman, left, and Alex Sharp, right, followed suspect |url=https://calisphere.org/item/6df272ab25af09143016dd815d14b90d/ |website=CaliSphere, University of California |year=1963 |access-date=21 August 2022}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/580450063/|title=A Tribute To Courage|work=Valley Times|location=North Hollywood, California|date=June 22, 1963|access-date=August 21, 2022|page=8|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}}

Death

Sharp died at the age of 86 from stroke-related ailments.

Filmography

A partial filmography follows

=Film=

Film credits for acting and stunts include:

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=Television=

Television credits for acting and stunts include:

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  • The Adventures of Jim Bowie
  • Batman
  • Ben Casey
  • Bonanza (1961-1972) stunts (13 episodes, uncredited)
  • "Elizabeth, My Love" (1961, S2E33) as Blackmer
  • "The Many Faces of Gideon Flinch" (1961, S3E7) as Cowboy (uncredited)
  • "The Last Vote" (1968, S10E6) as Townsman (uncredited)
  • "El Jefe" (1970, S12E10) as Truitt
  • "The Lonely Man" (1972, S13E16) as Brawler (uncredited)
  • Branded
  • The Californians (1957-1959)
  • Cheyenne
  • The Cisco Kid
  • Death Valley Days (1956-1957)
  • "California's Paul Revere" (1957) as John Brown
  • "Pat Garrett's Side of It" (1956) as Sheriff Pat Garrett
  • The Dakotas (1963) as Guard (uncredited)
  • Have Gun – Will Travel
  • The High Chaparral
  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1957-1959) 4 episodes (uncredited)
  • Little House on the Prairie
  • Little House: The Last Farewell (1984){{cite book |last1=Pitts |first1=Michael R. |title=Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films |date=21 December 2012 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786463725 |page=192 |edition=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aTX2mv0uX7UC&pg=PA192 |access-date=22 August 2022}}
  • The Lone Ranger
  • Mission: Impossible
  • The Rockford Files
  • Tales of Wells Fargo (1959) as Sam Benson
  • The Virginian
  • Gunsmoke (1955-1975) stunts and doubling James Arness{{cite book |last1=Greenland |first1=David R. |title=The Gunsmoke Chronicles: A New History of Television's Greatest Western |date=August 2013 |publisher=BearManor Media |isbn=9781593937331 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q3SdDwAAQBAJ |access-date=22 August 2022}}
  • "The Man Who Would Be Marshal" (1957, S2E37) as Jeff Willoughby
  • "Potshot" (1961, S6E25) as Bud
  • "Stolen Horses" (1961, S6E29) as Acker
  • "Perce" (1961, S7E1) as Nickols
  • "Apprentice Doc" (1961, S7E11) as Clerk (uncredited)
  • "The Dreamers" (1962, S7E30) as Drunken Cowboy (uncredited)
  • "Abe Blocker" (1962, S8E11) as Posse Member (uncredited)
  • "The Cousin" (1963, S8E21) as Saloon Brawler (uncredited)
  • "I Call Him Wonder" (1963, S8E28) as Cook
  • "Old York" (1963, S8E34) as Gang Member (uncredited)
  • "Snap Decision" (1966, S12E1) as Cowboy (uncredited)
  • "The Goldtakers" (1966, S12E2) as Trooper (uncredited)
  • "Saturday Night" (1967, S12E16) as Cowboy (uncredited)
  • "Cattle Barons" (1967, S13E2) as Drover (uncredited)
  • "Major Glory" (1967, S13E8) as Brawler (uncredited)
  • "Dead Man's Law" (1968, S13E17) as Rustler
  • "Shadler" (1973, S18E17) as Reno
  • "Jesse" (1973, S18E22) as Cowhand (uncredited)
  • "The Child Between" (1973, S19E14) as third Hidecutter
  • "The Fourth Victim" (1974, S20E8) as third Matt
  • Captains and the Kings (1976){{cite book |last1=Marill |first1=Alvin H. |title=Movies Made for Television |date=1981 |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=318 |isbn=9780306801563 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4TFaAAAAYAAJ |access-date=22 August 2022}}
  • The Magnificent Magical Magnet of Santa Mesa (1977) as Alex{{cite book |last1=Marill |first1=Alvin H. |title=Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1964-1979 |date=2005 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=139 |isbn=9780810851740 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEEOAQAAMAAJ |access-date=22 August 2022}}

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=Writer=

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Teleplay credits include:

  • Bonanza (1963-1968)
  • "The Hayburner" (1963, S4E21)
  • "Ponderosa Matador" (1964, S5E15)
  • "The Saga of Muley Jones" (1964, S5E26) Story co-written with Robert V. Barron
  • "Old Sheba" (1964, S6E10)
  • "Hound Dog" (1965, S6E25)
  • "Ponderosa Explosion" (1967, S8E16)
  • "Stage Door Johnnies" (1968, S9E34)
  • The High Chaparral (1968-1969)
  • "The Covey" (1968, S2E5)
  • "A Fella Named Kilroy" (1969, S2E23)
  • The Cowboys (1974) "The Remounts" (S1E9){{cite web |title=Prime-time network TV listings for Wednesday July 17, 1974 |url=https://www.ultimate70s.com/seventies_history/19740717/television |website=Ultimate70s.com |access-date=22 August 2022}}

Screenplay credits include:

  • Vengeance (1965) co-written with Ed Erwin{{cite book |last1=Pitts |first1=Michael R. |title=Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films |date=13 December 2012 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476600901 |page=381 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vgo3EgGRt44C&pg=PA381 |access-date=22 August 2022}}

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References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|id=0788994}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Alex}}

Category:1921 births

Category:2008 deaths

Category:Male actors from Nebraska

Category:American stunt performers

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:American television writers

Category:Western (genre) television actors