Myron Daniel Healey (June 8, 1923 – December 21, 2005) was an American actor. He began his career in Hollywood, California during the early 1940s and eventually made hundreds of appearances in movies and on television during a career spanning more than half a century.
Early years Healey was born in Petaluma in Sonoma County, California, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Robert D. Healey. He served in World War II as an Air Corps navigator and bombardier, flying in Martin B-26 Marauders in the European Theatre. After the war he continued military duties, retiring in the early 1960s as a captain in the United States Air Force Reserve.
Acting career
Healey's film debut came in 1943 with Young Ideas. Returning to film work after World War II, he played villains and henchmen in low-budget Western films. He also did some screenwriting. In the post-war period he was frequently seen in Westerns from Monogram Pictures, often starring Johnny Mack Brown, Jimmy Wakely and Whip Wilson.
In the 1950s Healey moved to more "bad guy" roles in other films, including the Bomba and Jungle Jim series, crime dramas and more westerns. He portrayed the bandit Bob Dalton in an episode of the syndicated television series Stories of the Century, starring and narrated by Jim Davis. In 1955 he played a "good guy" for a change as Phyllis Coates' partner in the 1955 Republic Pictures serial Panther Girl of the Kongo.
Earlier in 1952, Healey was cast in one of the first episodes of the syndicated television anthology series Death Valley Days, hosted by the "Old Ranger" (Stanley Andrews).
Healey appeared seven times as Captain Bandcroft in The Adventures of Kit Carson (1951–55). He was cast twice in 1957–58 as Becker in two episodes of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series Colt .45 starring Wayde Preston, seven times (1950–57) in the long-running The Lone Ranger, and ten times (1952–55) in The Roy Rogers Show television series.
Healey played the outlaw Johnny Ringo in the western television series Tombstone Territory, with Pat Conway as Sheriff Clay Hollister, in the episode "Johnny Ringo's Last Ride" with a teleplay by Sam Peckinpah. He appeared in an episode of the children's western series Buckskin, which aired on NBC from 1958 to 1959. He was a semi-regular on programs produced by Gene Autry's Flying A production company: Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, Jr., The Range Rider, and The Gene Autry Show. He also guest-starred on the crime drama with a modern Western setting, The Sheriff of Cochise, starring John Bromfield, and in the Western set in the 1840s, Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin. He also appeared in an episode of the second season of Zorro.
Between 1960 and 1963, Healey appeared five times on the NBC western Laramie, starring John Smith and Robert Fuller. He appeared ten times on another NBC western, The Virginian, and four times on Laredo. He also made appearances on Gunsmoke.
From 1959 to 1961, he played Major Peter Horry, top aide to Leslie Nielsen, in the miniseries Swamp Fox on Walt Disney Presents, based on the American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.
In 1970 Healey appeared as Wardlow in the TV western "The Men From Shiloh" (the rebranded name of The Virginian) in the episode titled "Jenny".
The television role for which Healey may be best remembered is that of "Doc Holliday" in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp TV series which starred Hugh O'Brian. He played that role for one season when Douglas Fowley, the regular Doc Holliday on the series, was away on a movie job.
Collectively, Healey appeared in some 140 films, including 81 westerns and three serials. Among his non-western pictures, he appeared in at least three horror films: the Americanized version of the Japanese giant-monster movie Varan the Unbelievable (1958), The Unearthly with John Carradine (1957) and The Incredible Melting Man (1977).
Death In 2005, Healey broke his hip in a fall and never recovered. He died at the age of 82 at a hospital near his home in Simi Valley, California.
Recognition In 2000, Healey received a Golden Boot Award for his contributions to Western films and television programs.
Selected filmography Feature films include
Young Ideas (1943) - Student (uncredited) Salute to the Marines (1943) - Gunner (uncredited) Swing Shift Maisie (1943) - Young Pilot (uncredited) Thousands Cheer (1943) - Soldier at Train Station with Polish Girl (uncredited) I Dood It (1943) - Page Boy (uncredited) The Iron Major (1943) - Paul Cavanaugh (uncredited) See Here, Private Hargrove (1944) - Lieutenant (uncredited) Meet the People (1944) - Marine (uncredited) The Time of Their Lives (1946) - Dandy at Party (uncredited) Crime Doctor's Man Hunt (1946) - Philip Armstrong / John Foster (uncredited) That Brennan Girl (1946) - Party Guest (uncredited) Blondie's Big Moment (1947) - Pipe-Smoking Office Worker (uncredited) Millie's Daughter (1947) - Attendant (uncredited) Buck Privates Come Home (1947) - Tech Sergeant, Medic #5 (uncredited) The Corpse Came C.O.D. (1947) - Reporter (uncredited), Pilot (uncredited) It Had to Be You (1947) - Gardner Huntington Standish (uncredited) Tall, Dark and Gruesome (1948, Short) - Partygoer in devil's costume I, Jane Doe (1948) - Intern (uncredited) Blondie's Reward (1948) - Cluett Day Walk a Crooked Mile (1948) - FBI Agent Thompson (uncredited) The Return of October (1948) - Assistant Lawyer (uncredited) You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) - Day Clerk (uncredited) Hidden Danger (1948) - James Carson Wake of the Red Witch (1948) - 'Red Witch' Seaman (uncredited) Ladies of the Chorus (1948) - Randy's Cousin (uncredited) The Man from Colorado (1949) - Powers (uncredited) Slightly French (1949) - Stevens (uncredited) Knock on Any Door (1949) - Assistant District Attorney (uncredited) Gun Law Justice (1949) - Jensen Trails End (1949) - Drake Across the Rio Grande (1949) - Stage Holdup Man Laramie (1949) - Lieutenant Reed (uncredited) Batman and Robin (1949, Serial) - Walker, Policeman [Ch. 7] (uncredited) Air Hostess (1949) - Ralph Brand of Fear (1949) - Jeffers The Wyoming Bandit (1949) - Tom Howard (uncredited) Range Justice (1949) - Murdered Henchman South of Rio (1949) - Marshal Travis Mr. Soft Touch (1949) - Doctor (uncredited) Haunted Trails (1949) - Henchman Lassiter Western Renegades (1949) - Henchman Gus Rusty's Birthday (1949) - Jack Wiggins (uncredited) Riders of the Dusk (1949) - Sheriff Jim Pioneer Marshal (1949) - Larry Devlin Lawless Code (1949) - Donald Martin Fence Riders (1950) - Cameo Krogan Trail of the Rustlers (1950) - Ben Mahoney (uncredited) West of Wyoming (1950) - Brodie Over the Border (1950) - Jeff Grant A Woman of Distinction (1950) - Cameraman (uncredited) Kill the Umpire (1950) - Train Conductor Operator (uncredited) No Sad Songs for Me (1950) - Chris's Young Man (uncredited) Salt Lake Raiders (1950) - Fred Mason In a Lonely Place (1950) - Post Office Clerk (uncredited) Timber Fury (1950) - Paxton Man (uncredited) Federal Man (1950) - The Tracking Device Specialist (uncredited) Hi-Jacked (1950) - Police Broadcaster I Killed Geronimo (1950) - Henchman Frank Corcoran The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) - Employee (uncredited) My Blue Heaven (1950) - Adoptive Father (uncredited) Law of the Panhandle (1950) - Henry Faulkner Between Midnight and Dawn (1950) - Officer Davis (uncredited) Hot Rod (1950) - Joe Langham, Policeman Emergency Wedding (1950) - Guest (uncredited) Experiment Alcatraz (1950) - Wire Service Reporter (uncredited) Outlaw Gold (1950) - Sonny Lang Short Grass (1950) - Les McCambridge Colorado Ambush (1951) - Chet Murdock Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951) - Confederate Corporal (uncredited) Baby Sitters Jitters (1951, Short) - George Lloyd Night Riders of Montana (1951) - Steve Bauer I Was an American Spy (1951) - American Soldier in Jeep (uncredited) Roar of the Iron Horse (1951, Serial) - Ace, Henchman [Chs.3,4,6,9,10,15] Lorna Doone (1951) - Todd Darcy (uncredited) The Texas Rangers (1951) - Texas Ranger Captain Peak (uncredited) Montana Desperado (1951) - Ron Logan Bonanza Town (1951) - Krag Boseman Journey Into Light (1951) - Jerry, the Cop Slaughter Trail (1951) - Heath (uncredited) Drums in the Deep South (1951) - Union Lieutenant (uncredited) Elephant Stampede (1951) - Joe Collins The Longhorn (1951) - Andy The Wild Blue Yonder (1951) - Man on Tower (voice, uncredited) Silver City (1951) - Bleek (uncredited) The Big Night (1951) - Kennealy Fort Osage (1952) - Martin Christensen Rodeo (1952) - Richard Durston Montana Territory (1952) - Bill Landers Storm Over Tibet (1952) - Bill March The Kid from Broken Gun (1952) - Kiefer Fargo (1952) - Red Olsen Apache War Smoke (1952) - Pike Curtis Desperadoes' Outpost (1952) - Lieutenant Dan Booker Monsoon (1952) - Rault The Maverick (1952) - Sergeant Frick The Studebaker Story (1953) as Peter Studebaker Kansas Pacific (1953) - Morey White Lightning (1953) - Nelson Son of Belle Starr (1953) - Sheriff Hansen The Moonlighter (1953) - Deputy Joe Bayliss (uncredited) Saginaw Trail (1953) - Miller Webb Fighting Lawman (1953) - Sheriff Dave Wilson Combat Squad (1953) - Marley Hot News (1953) - Jim O'Hara Vigilante Terror (1953) - Brett Private Eyes (1953) - Carl, Rose Hill Attendant Texas Bad Man (1953) - Jackson Rails Into Laramie (1954) - Con Winton Silver Lode (1954) - Rider (uncredited) They Rode West (1954) - Major 'Van' Vandergrift (uncredited) Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) - Hank Gang Busters (1955) - as John Omar Pinson (FBI's 4th most wanted fugitive) Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955) - Larry Sanders African Manhunt (1955) - Captain Bob Kirby Man Without a Star (1955) - Mogollon (uncredited) Rage at Dawn (1955) - John Reno The Man from Bitter Ridge (1955) - Clem Jackman Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955) - Marty, Kidnapper (uncredited) Jungle Moon Men (1955) - Mark Santo Tennessee's Partner (1955) - Reynolds Count Three and Pray (1955) - Floyd Miller Dig That Uranium (1955) - Joe Hody Slightly Scarlet (1956) - Wison, Caspar Thug (uncredited) The First Texan (1956) - Captain Martin (uncredited) Magnificent Roughnecks (1956) - Werner Jackson The Young Guns (1956) - Deputy Nix Calling Homicide (1956) - Jim Haddix The White Squaw (1956) - Eric Swanson Running Target (1956) - Kaygo Guns Don't Argue (1957) - as John Dillinger Hell's Crossroads (1957) - Cole Younger Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957) - Rafe Sanders Lure of the Swamp (1957) - Bank Guard The Restless Breed (1957) - Sheriff Mike Williams The Unearthly (1957) - Undercover Police Officer Mark Houston Undersea Girl (1957) - Eric 'Swede' Nelson, Gang Member The Hard Man (1957) - Ray Hendry (uncredited) Escape from Red Rock (1957) - Joe Skinner Cavalry Command AKA Day of the Trumpet (1958) - Lieutenant Worth Cole Younger, Gunfighter (1958) - Phil Bennett / Charlie Bennett Quantrill's Raiders (1958) - Jarrett Apache Territory (1958) - Webb Onionhead (1958) - Leggas (uncredited) Rio Bravo (1959) - Barfly (uncredited) Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960) - Sioux Falls Bank Robber (uncredited) The George Raft Story (1961) - Joel Creelman (uncredited) Convicts 4 (1962) - Gunther Varan the Unbelievable (1962) - Commander James Bradley He Rides Tall (1964) - Marshal Ed Loomis (uncredited) Mirage (1965) - Bar Patron Discussing Watermelon (voice, uncredited) Harlow (1965) - Rex Chambers (uncredited) The Swinger (1966) - Reporter (uncredited) Gunfight in Abilene (1967) - Ingles (uncredited) Journey to Shiloh (1968) - Sheriff Briggs The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) - Stage Passenger (uncredited) True Grit (1969) - Deputy at prisoner unloading (uncredited) The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) - Police Detective (uncredited) The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) - Deuter Which Way to the Front? (1970) - Army Major Doctor (uncredited) Smoke in the Wind (1975) - Mort Fagan The Incredible Melting Man (1977) - General Michael Perry Claws (1977) - Sheriff The Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 (1978) - Doctor in Bishop