Who was Chuck Connors? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Kevin Joseph Aloysius Connors

Died At Age: 71

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Elizabeth Riddell (m. 1948–1962), Faith Quabius (m. 1977–1980), Kamala Devi (m. 1963–1972)

father: Alban Francis Connors

mother: Marcella

children: Jeff Connors, Kevin Connors, Mike Connors, Steve Connors

Born Country: United States

Actors Baseball Players

Height: 6'6" (198 cm), 6'6" Males

Died on: November 10, 1992

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Ancestry: Irish American, Indian American

Diseases & Disabilities: Pneumonia

Cause of Death: Lung Cancer

Notable Alumni: Adelphi University, Seton Hall University

City: Brooklyn, New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: Adelphi University, Seton Hall University

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Childhood & Early life

Kevin Joseph Aloysius Connors was born on April 10, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York to Alban Francis Connors and Marcella Connors. He grew up in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. He had a sister, Gloria, who was younger to him by 2 years.

He attended ‘Adelphi Academy’, a private school on an athletic scholarship and graduated in 1940.

He went to ‘Seton Hall College’ in South Orange, New Jersey, on a baseball scholarship. He was the first baseman in Seton Hall College. He got his nickname ‘Chuck’ here as he was fond of saying “Chuck it to me”.

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Career

After leaving Seton Hall, Chuck Connors signed on as a baseman with ‘New York Yankee organisation’ for a short time.

During World War II Chuck enlisted in the Army in October 1942 as a tank instructor. He continued playing even when he was serving in the Army. He was discharged from the Army in February 1946.

He started playing basketball for ‘Rochester Royals’ and then played for ‘Boston Celtics’ till 1948.

Chuck played baseball by joining ‘Brooklyn Dodgers’ in 1949. He joined ‘Chicago Cubs’ in 1951 as first baseman.

In September 1951, when he was playing for ‘Los Angeles Angels’ Chuck got noticed by Bill Grady, a casting director for ‘MGM’ which made him change his career to acting.

He played his first role in ‘Pat and Mike’, a film starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn.

Chuck acted in several movies. Some of them were ‘Trouble Along the Way’, South Sea Woman’, Walt Disney's ‘Old Yeller’, ‘The Big Country’, ‘Geronimo’ and ‘Soylent Green’.

Chuck played various roles in TV serials too. He is mostly remembered for his role as Lucas McCain, a New Mexico homesteader on a ranch bringing up his son by himself, in ‘The Rifleman’ (1958 - 1963).

Chuck earned an Emmy nomination for his role in miniseries ‘Roots’. His other TV shows are ‘The Loretta Young Show’, ‘Four Star Playhouse’, ‘GE Theatre’ and ‘Superman’.

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He was active in acting till his death in 1992.

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Major Works

Chuck Connors is well-known for his role as Lucas McCain in ‘The Rifleman’ (1958-1963). He played the role of a single father who lived on a ranch in North Fork, New Mexico.

In 1977, his role in the miniseries ‘Roots’ earned him an ‘Emmy’ nomination.

Personal Life & Legacy

Chuck Connors married Elizabeth in 1948. They had four sons Michael, Jeffrey, Stephen and Kevin. They lived in Woodland Hills, California. Chuck divorced Elizabeth in 1961.

In 1963, he married Kamala Devi, his co-star in ‘Geronimo’. He divorced her in 1973.

He married Faith Quabius, who was a co-actor in Soylent Green, in 1977 and divorced her in 1979.(He was in a relationship with Rose Mary Grumley before his death.

Being a longtime smoker Chuck suffered from lung cancer. He was hospitalized with pneumonia and died on November 10, 1992, at ‘Cedars-Minai Medical Center’, Los Angeles, at the age of 71.

Trivia

Chuck Connors was the first person in the history of the ‘NBA’ to shatter a glass backboard in a pregame warm-up session.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Chuck was active in Republican politics. He was a strong supporter of Richard Nixon who became the President of the United States in 1968. He also campaigned for his friend Ronald Reagan who was elected as the Governor of California in 1966 and then elected as President in 1980.

In 1973, he was invited by President Richard Nixon to meet Leonid Brezhnev. Chuck presented the visiting Soviet leader a cowboy hat and two Colt .45 six shooters. Brezhnev was delighted with this gift.

Chuck Connors Biography