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Chuck ConnorsAmerican actor, writer and professional basketball and baseball player
Date of Birth: 10.04.1921
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors, whose real name was Kevin Joseph Aloysius Connors, was born on April 10, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York. He was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player.
Early Life and Sports Career
Connors was the son of Allan, a longshoreman, and Marcella Connors, a homemaker. His parents were immigrants from the British Dominion of Newfoundland. Connors was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and served as an altar boy in the Sunset Park area. He had a strained relationship with his father and often got into trouble. His father later worked as a night watchman.
Before becoming a fan of sports, Connors' mother, with whom he had a close relationship, listened to baseball games of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants on the radio. Connors wanted to change his name to "Lefty" or "Stretch," but settled on "Chuck" because he would always shout, "Chuck it to me, baby, chuck it to me!" when playing first base. Baseball was Connors' first love, and he played professionally while serving in the army. He briefly played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 and then joined the Chicago Cubs in 1951, playing in 66 games. However, he eventually gave up his professional sports career and pursued acting.
Acting Career
Living close to Hollywood, Connors caught the eye of an MGM casting director and made his film debut in 1953 in the movie "South Sea Woman." He went on to have roles in numerous television series. His breakthrough came in 1960 when he landed the lead role in the hit western series "The Rifleman," which brought him widespread popularity. He portrayed Lucas McCain in the show. Connors also appeared in other notable films and TV shows, including "Old Yeller" (1957), "Flipper" (1963), and "Move Over, Darling" (1963).
Personal Life and Politics
Connors was a supporter of the Republican Party and participated in fundraising events for President Richard M. Nixon's re-election campaign. He was introduced to Leonid Brezhnev during a meeting with Nixon at the White House in San Clemente, California, in June 1973. Connors was one of the few Americans shown on Soviet television because Brezhnev liked him. In 1982, Connors wanted to attend Brezhnev's funeral, but the U.S. government did not allow him to be part of the official delegation.
Connors was married three times. His first wife, Elizabeth 'Betty' (Riddell) Connors, passed away almost a year before his death, in February 1992, after a long illness. They met at one of Connors' baseball games and married on October 1, 1948. They had four sons together: Michael, Jeffrey, Steven, and Kevin.
Connors' life was not without challenges. He battled with smoking-related health issues and ultimately died of pneumonia caused by lung cancer at the age of 71 in Los Angeles.
Connors was known for his love of golf, reading, swimming, fishing, writing poetry, spending time with his family, baseball, politics, and helping the less fortunate. He often rode horses in many episodes of "The Rifleman."
"I don't want my children growing up thinking there's nothing destructive in the world. I want them to know there's good and evil in the world, that you can be physically hurt, that a gun can kill you, that drugs are bad, and that not all means justify the ends," Connors once said.
