William Martin "Clu" Gulager (; November 16, 1928 – August 5, 2022) was an American film and television actor.
Clu Gulager first became known for his work in television, appearing in the co-starring role of Billy the Kid in the 1960–1962 NBC television Western series The Tall Man and as Emmett Ryker in another NBC Western, The Virginian. He later had a second career as a horror film actor, including a lead part in Dan O'Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead (1985).
Gulager's first major film role was in Don Siegel's The Killers (1964), followed by a supporting part in the racing film Winning (1969); in Peter Bogdanovich's drama The Last Picture Show (1971); and opposite John Wayne in McQ (1974). He also directed the short film A Day with the Boys, which was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival.
In the 1980s, Gulager appeared in several horror films, such as The Initiation (1984). In 2005, he appeared in the horror film Feast, and its sequels. He also appeared in the independent film Tangerine (2015) and in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), which was his final film role.
Early life and education Gulager was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, on November 16, 1928, the son of John Delancy Gulager, who had been an actor before settling down to practice law in nearby Muskogee.Michener, Judith "Gulager, William Martin (1928 – )," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture; accessed August 25, 2016. His paternal grandmother, Martha Schrimsher Gulager, was a sister of Mary Schrimsher, the mother of Will Rogers, making Gulager and Rogers first cousins, once removed., psychotronicvideo.com; accessed February 12, 2019. He was Cherokee, having been an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.Conley, Robert J. A Cherokee Encyclopedia, University of Old Mexico Press, 2007. pg. 110.
His Cherokee nickname was given to him by his father for the clu-clu birds (known in English as martins, like his middle name) that were nesting at the Gulager home at the time of his birth.Profile, clugulager.com; accessed September 2, 2018. From 1946 to 1948, Gulager served in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton. After attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Gulager transferred to the Baptist-affiliated Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he graduated. He won a one-year scholarship to study abroad in Paris, where he worked under Jean-Louis Barrault, a French actor and director.
Career
In 1958 he appeared as Roy Carter in the episode "The Return of Roy Carter" (written by Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek) in the CBS television Western series Have Gun – Will Travel starring Richard Boone.
Gulager stated, "Lew Wasserman saw me on a Playhouse 90 episode where I played an Elvis Presley–type character. I became the first contract player at Universal." In the spring of 1959, he signed with MCA-TV, where he appeared as Tommy Pavlock in the episode "The Immigrant" of NBC's series The Lawless Years, a 1920s crime drama. In the fall of 1959, he appeared in the episode "The Temple of the Swinging Doll" of NBC's short-lived espionage drama Five Fingers, starring David Hedison.
On June 3, 1959, he guest-starred as the unscrupulous photographer Elliott Garrison in "The Andrew Hale Story" on NBC's Wagon Train. On October 11, 1959, Gulager appeared as a U.S. Navy sailor in the "Appointment at Eleven" episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and again as an escaped convict in "Pen Pal" on November 1, 1960. On The Untouchables, he played the role of real-life vicious mob killer Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll. Gulager was hailed for his utterly chilling performance as the psychopathic Coll. Late in 1959, he was cast as Beau Chandler in the episode "Jessie Quinn" of the NBC Western series Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds. The episode is a tale of intrigue involving the Texas Revolution. Capt. Holden attempts to send weapons to Sam Houston, but forces of Antonio López de Santa Anna in Mexico threaten to blow up Holden's vessel, the Enterprise.
From 1960 to 1962, Gulager played Billy the Kid in The Tall Man, opposite Barry Sullivan as Sheriff Pat Garrett. The episodes portray Billy as a sympathetic character without resorting to the "misunderstood young man" theme used in such films as The Outlaw (1943) and The Left Handed Gun (1958). In 1961, Gulager guest-starred in another NBC Western, Whispering Smith, Audie Murphy's only attempt at series television. Gulager portrayed Deputy Sheriff Emmett Ryker from 1964 to 1968 on The Virginian, the 90-minute Western series in which he starred with James Drury, Doug McClure, Lee J. Cobb, Roberta Shore, Randy Boone, Gary Clarke, and Diane Roter. Gulager appeared more than 60 times in other roles in film and television, including the film Winning (1969) and the CBS series Three for the Road. He also appeared several times on NBC's Bonanza. He starred with Lee Marvin, Ronald Reagan, John Cassavetes, and Angie Dickinson in The Killers (1964), teaming with Marvin as a pair of ruthless hit men. The Killers was intended to be one of the early made-for-TV movies as part of a Project 120 series of films that did not reach the airwaves,Smith, Cecil. (November 21, 1963) "Two-Part Show Is One Worth Look" Los Angeles Times but NBC deemed it too violent for broadcast; Universal released the film theatrically instead.p 167 Moore, Barbara, Bensman, Marvin R. & Van Dyke, Jim Prime-time Television: A Concise History Praeger (March 30, 2006)
In 1971, Gulager appeared in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show. In 1977, long after his role on The Virginian, he appeared in an episode of Rod Taylor's unsuccessful NBC Western series The Oregon Trail. Gulager also played the boss of Susan Sarandon in a 1977 film drama, The Other Side of Midnight. In 1981, he co-starred as Angela Channing's long-suffering nephew Chase Gioberti, opposite Oscar-winner Jane Wyman, Lorenzo Lamas, William R. Moses, and Jamie Rose, in the pilot episode of The Vintage Years, which was later retooled as the primetime soap opera Falcon Crest. When he was not rehired to continue with his role, Robert Foxworth took over the role until his firing in 1987.
In 1985, he was cast as Burt Wilson in Dan O'Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead. He was also a featured player in director John Landis' darkly comedic 1985 film noir satire, Into the Night, a film rife with insider Hollywood cameos, as an FBI agent who is a courier of a cache of clandestine funds, which he grudgingly delivers to secure the safety of the film's two romantic leads (Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Goldblum).
In 2005, Gulager appeared as a shotgun-toting bartender in Feast, followed by the film's two sequels, Feast II: Sloppy Seconds (2008), and Feast III: The Happy Finish (2009), all of which were directed by his son, John. He also had a minor role in the critically acclaimed independent film Tangerine (2015). He had a role in the 2012 film Piranha 3DD. Gulager's final screen performance was as a book store owner in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019.
Personal life On June 19, 1952, he married actress Miriam Byrd-Nethery. The couple had two sons, including filmmaker John Gulager, and remained married until her death in 2003.
Death Aged 93, Gulager died of natural causes at the Los Angeles home of his son John on August 5, 2022.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1964 The Killers Lee 1966 And Now Miguel Johnny 1969 Winning Larry A Day with the Boys — Short film; as director 1971 The Last Picture Show Abilene 1972 Molly and Lawless John Deputy Tom Clements 1974 McQ Toms Hit Lady Roarke Gangsterfilmen Glenn Mortenson 1977 The Other Side of Midnight Bill Fraser 1979 A Force of One Dunne 1983 Lies Doctor Bartlett 1984 Chattanooga Choo Choo Sam 1984 The Initiation Dwight Fairchild 1985 Into the Night Federal Agent Prime Risk Paul Minsky The Return of the Living Dead Burt Wilson A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge Mr. Walsh 1986 Hunter's Blood Mason Rand 1987 From a Whisper to a Scream Stanley Burnside Original title: The Offspring The Hidden Lieutenant Ed Flynn Summer Heat Will 1988 Tapeheads Norman Mart I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Lieutenant Baker Teen Vamp The Reverend Uninvited Albert 1990 Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective Desk Sergeant The Willies Greeley Principal 1991 My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys Dark Glasses 1992 Eddie Presley Sid 1993 Killing Device Smitty 1994 Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter Man No. 1 1999 Gunfighter Uncle Buck Peters Palmer's Pick-Up Jeb 2005 Feast Bartender 2006 Vic Vic Reeves Short film 2008 Feast II: Sloppy Seconds Bartender 2009 Feast III: The Happy Finish 2012 Piranha 3DD Mo 2015 Tangerine The Cherokee Director's Commentary: Terror of Frankenstein Gavin Merrill (voice) 2016 Blue Jay Waynie 2018 Children of the Corn: Runaway Crusty Give Til It Hurts Mr. Lawson 2019 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Book Store Owner
Television Year Title Role Notes 1956 The United States Steel Hour Danny Episode: "Bang the Drum Slowly" Goodyear Playhouse Terrible Episode: "Stardust II" 1957 Studio One in Hollywood Lloyd Carpenter Episode: "Walk Down the Hill" The Alcoa Hour James Wesley Episode: "15 October 1864" 1959 Black Saddle Andy Meade Episode: "Client: Meade" Playhouse 90 Zach Episode: "The Day Before Atlanta" Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Young Vix Episode: "The Day the Town Stood Up" Laramie Private Gil Brady Episode: "Fugitive Road" The Untouchables Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll The Lawless Years Tommy Pavolock Episode: "The Immigrant" Have Gun – Will Travel Roy Carter Episode: "Return of Roy Carter" Wanted Dead or Alive Joe Collins Episode: "Crossroads" 1959–62 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Sailor / Rod Collins / Jimmy K. Bresson 3 episodes 1959–64 Wagon Train Various 5 episodes 1960 The Rebel Virgil Taber Episode: "Paint a House with Scarlet" 1960–62 The Tall Man Billy the Kid 75 episodes 1963–68 The Virginian Jake Carewe / Jud / Emmet Ryker Guest; 2 episodes