Chuck Connors, born Kevin Joseph Connors on April 10, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, was a notable American actor and athlete. He was the son of Marcella and Alban Francis "Allan" Connors, immigrants from Newfoundland and Labrador. He had a younger sister named Gloria.
Connors displayed athletic talent from a young age, earning a scholarship to Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, where he graduated in 1939. He attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, playing both basketball and baseball. He left college after two years to pursue a professional sports career. Notably, Connors is one of 13 athletes to have played in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Boston Celtics during the 1946–47 season and later for MLB teams such as the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.
Transitioning to acting in the early 1950s, Connors gained fame for his role as Lucas McCain in the ABC television series "The Rifleman," which aired from 1958 to 1963. This role established him as a prominent figure in Western-themed entertainment. He also appeared in films like "South Sea Woman" (1953) and "Old Yeller" (1957).
Connors was married three times. His first marriage to Elizabeth Jane Riddell Connors lasted from 1948 to 1961, and they had four sons: Michael, Jeffrey, Stephen, and Kevin. He later married actress Kamala Devi in 1963; they divorced in 1972. His third marriage was to Faith Quabius from 1977 to 1979.
A lifelong smoker, Connors was diagnosed with lung cancer and hospitalized with pneumonia shortly before his death. He passed away on November 10, 1992, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 71. He is buried in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Chuck Connors, born Kevin Joseph Connors on April 10, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, was a notable American actor and athlete. He was the son of Marcella and Alban Francis "Allan" Connors, immigrants from Newfoundland and Labrador. He had a younger sister named Gloria.
ReplyDeleteConnors displayed athletic talent from a young age, earning a scholarship to Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, where he graduated in 1939. He attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, playing both basketball and baseball. He left college after two years to pursue a professional sports career. Notably, Connors is one of 13 athletes to have played in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Boston Celtics during the 1946–47 season and later for MLB teams such as the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.
Transitioning to acting in the early 1950s, Connors gained fame for his role as Lucas McCain in the ABC television series "The Rifleman," which aired from 1958 to 1963. This role established him as a prominent figure in Western-themed entertainment. He also appeared in films like "South Sea Woman" (1953) and "Old Yeller" (1957).
Connors was married three times. His first marriage to Elizabeth Jane Riddell Connors lasted from 1948 to 1961, and they had four sons: Michael, Jeffrey, Stephen, and Kevin. He later married actress Kamala Devi in 1963; they divorced in 1972. His third marriage was to Faith Quabius from 1977 to 1979.
A lifelong smoker, Connors was diagnosed with lung cancer and hospitalized with pneumonia shortly before his death. He passed away on November 10, 1992, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 71. He is buried in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Los Angeles.