Joel McCrea

Born: November 5, 1905, South Pasadena, California
Died: October 20, 1990, (age 84), Los Angeles, California

Joel Albert McCrea was an American actor and film star whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films. Among his films are "The Virginian," "Foreign Correspondent," "The Palm Beach Story," "Sullivan's Travels," "Ride The High Country," "These Three" and "Wells Fargo."

1. He got his first leading role in 1930. What was the movie?

2. Bird of Paradise (1932) was made pre-Hays Code that nudity could be shown. The film scandalized the public of this year due to the bold scenes between Dolores del Rio and Joel McCrea where they were swimming naked.

• True or False?

3. Over his career, he made six movies with Barbara Stanwyck. One of their movies together was Internes Can't Take Money (1937). He was the first actor to play this movie character. Who was the character?

• Dr. Kildare
• Dr. Strangeglove
• Dr. Morgan

4. He did Wells Fargo (1937), playing Ramsay MacKay. Who played Justine Pryor MacKay?

• Frances Dee
• Barbara Stanwyck
• Miriam Hopkins

5. Union Pacific is a 1939 film about the building of the railroad across the American West. The story is based upon the novel Trouble Shooter, written by the prolific Western fiction author, Ernest Haycox. It stars McCrea and Judy Garland.

• True or False?

6. He played William Frederick 'Buffalo Bill' Cody in Buffalo Bill (1944). W ho played Sergeant Chips McGraw?

• Thomas Mitchell
• Edgar Buchanan
• Anthony Quinn

7. Joel McCrea plays The Virginian, in director Stuart Gilmore’s The Virginian (1946). Who plays the bad guy Trampas?

• William Frawley
• Tom Tully
• Brian Donlevy

8. Tales of the Texas Rangers, a western adventure old-time radio drama, premiered on July 8, 1950, on the US NBC radio network and remained on the air through September 14, 1952. Movie star Joel McCrea starred as Texas Ranger Jayce Pearson, who used the latest scientific techniques to identify the criminals and his faithful horse, Charcoal, to track them down. The shows were reenactments of actual Texas Ranger cases. Who was the show’s sponsor?

• Snicker Candy Bars
• Wheaties
• Quaker Oatmeal

9. Wichita Town is a Western television series starring Joel McCrea, Jody McCrea (his son), Carlos Romero, and George Neise that aired on the NBC television network. The series began September 30, 1959. How many seasons did the show air?

• 1 season
• 5 seasons
• 10 seasons

10. McCrea made his last film appearance in 1976. What was the movie?

11. McCrea died from pneumonia.

• True or False?

12. Where is Joel McCrea buried?

• Cremated, ashes scattered at sea
• Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery, Westwood, California
• Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California

Check Your Answer

1. True
2. The Silver Hoard
3. Dr. Kildare
4. Frances Dee
5. False. It stars McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck.
6. Edgar Buchanan
7. Brian Donlevy
8. Wheaties
9. 1 season
10. Mustang Country
11. True
12. Cremated, ashes scattered at sea

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