What made television so memorable in the early days, besides the writing, were the guest actors that appeared each week on shows like Ben Casey, Naked City, Route 66 and Gunsmoke. One of those guest stars that made a huge contribution to the success of television was Alex Cord.
He's probably best known today for his work as Archangel on Airwolf, but add that to his whole body of work and you have an actor that should have been more well known than he actually is.
When he was cast as The Ringo Kid, in the highly anticipated 1966 remake of the John Ford Classic, Stagecoach, it looked like his career was about to take off. Unfortunately for Alex Cord, the critics and fans of the original western were not kind to the movie and were not happy to see anyone else except John Wayne play the role that made him famous.
After Stagecoach, a film career never developed and this gifted actor returned to television where he had an excellent run as a guest star in everything from The Love Boat to Walker, Texas Ranger. Had his first major film role not been a remake of a cherished classic, Alex Cord's career in Hollywood may have taken a different turn. He certainly had the looks and talent to be a major star, but like so many other gifted actors, he is now a lifetime member of the Not Very Famous...but should be.
He's probably best known today for his work as Archangel on Airwolf, but add that to his whole body of work and you have an actor that should have been more well known than he actually is.
When he was cast as The Ringo Kid, in the highly anticipated 1966 remake of the John Ford Classic, Stagecoach, it looked like his career was about to take off. Unfortunately for Alex Cord, the critics and fans of the original western were not kind to the movie and were not happy to see anyone else except John Wayne play the role that made him famous.
After Stagecoach, a film career never developed and this gifted actor returned to television where he had an excellent run as a guest star in everything from The Love Boat to Walker, Texas Ranger. Had his first major film role not been a remake of a cherished classic, Alex Cord's career in Hollywood may have taken a different turn. He certainly had the looks and talent to be a major star, but like so many other gifted actors, he is now a lifetime member of the Not Very Famous...but should be.
ADDENDUM
Alex Cord passed away on August 9, 2021 at the age of 88. Shortly after this blog post dropped, I was contacted by Mr. Cord who asked if I could interview him for a follow up. I was excited to do this and sent him a list of questions. Sadly, for reasons I do not know, he never responded. Rest in peace. His wonderful work will live on.
I agree, he should have been a major star. He is an wonderful Actor..
ReplyDeleteAlex Cord did a fantastic job in "Grayeagle". He did even better in the 1968 Spaghetti Western "A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die" He's one of my favorite actors and it's just so sad that he died over a year ago. His role as Ringo in the 1966 remake of "Stagecoach" always stood out in my mind as one of his best roles yet. I can't stress this enough. He was truly a legend.
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