Actor Jody McCrea dies at 74
The son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee, he made a dummy and, of course, he was the opposite of that." name for himself in the 1960s 'Beach Party' movies. Recalling the much taller McCrea, Avalon said, "He was a
By Dennis McLellan, April 16, 2009 well-built, real athletic-looking guy, and he really was a surfer: Jody McCrea, the actor son of Joel McCrea who appeared in a He'd get on that board and surf."
spate of westerns in the 1950s and '60s but was best known for Although McCrea had two famous parents, Avalon said, "he his comedic work in the surf and sand as a regular cast member never boasted about who his parents were."
of the popular "Beach Party" movies, has Peter McCrea said following in the foot-d i e d . H e w a s 7 4 . steps of Joel McCrea had its upside and
McCrea, whose mother was actress Frances downside for his brother. Dee and who later became a cattle rancher in "It was kind of an inspiration and a diffi-
New Mexico, died of cardiac arrest April 4 in cult path to follow, because Pop had been so Roswell, N.M., said his brother, Peter. famous and done so many films," he said.
The strapping, 6-foot-3 McCrea launched "They got along great. There never was any his acting career in films in 1955 and teamed sense of competition or tension, but it's a
up with his movie-star father in the 1959-60 tough act to follow." TV western "Wichita Town," in which the McCrea, who also played a rival motor-
elder McCrea played the marshal and Jody cycle gang leader opposite Dennis Hopper one of his deputies in the 1968 AIP biker film "The Glory
Over the next decade, McCrea appeared in Stompers," retired from acting in the mid-about two dozen films and television shows, 1970s and eventually moved to New Mexi-
including the movie westerns "The Broken co. Land," "Young Guns of Texas," "Law of the The oldest of three children, he was born
Lawless," "Young Fury" and "Cry Blood, Joel Dee McCrea in Los Angeles on Sept. 6, Apache." 1934, and raised on the family's cattle ranch
The beach movies provided a distinct in Ventura County. change of pace. While majoring in theater arts at UCLA,
Beginning with "Beach Party," the music- McCrea threw the javelin on the Bruins' filled 1963 American International Pictures 1956 national championship track and field
comedy starring Annette Funicello and team. After college, McCrea served a stint Frankie Avalon, McCrea appeared in "Muscle i n t h e A r m y .
Beach Party," "Bikini Beach" "Pajama Party," McCrea's wife, actress Dusty Iron Wing "Beach Blanket Bingo" and "How to Stuff a McCrea, died in 1996.
Wild Bikini." In addition to his brother Peter, McCrea McCrea's character in the beach movies, is survived by his other brother, David; and
which his brother Peter likened to being the his step-children, David Iron Wing and Jac-equivalent of court jester -- "He was always quet Rogers.
the one making gags and interrupting the love scenes" -- was A memorial service has been held in Roswell. originally called Deadhead and then Bonehead.
"A great thing about Jody," Avalon told The Times this week, "was he was just a real fine gentleman and a lot more talented
than he really got out of the career of being an actor. He was very bright, and he created this character that was kind of the
-5-
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16