Rory Calhoun was a famous American actor known for his roles in many Western movies and TV shows during the 1950s and 1960s. People often wonder how much he was worth during his time, as he was very popular and worked in the entertainment industry for many years. Rory Calhoun’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million at the time of his death in 1999. In this article, we’ll look at his sources of income when he started his career, along with details about his wife, career, children, and cause of death.
Early Life
Francis Timothy McCown was born in Los Angeles, California. His parents were Elizabeth Cuthbert and Floyd Conley McCown. His dad was a professional gambler. He grew up in Santa Cruz, California. He had Irish ancestors. When he was 13, he took a gun without permission. Because of this, he was sent to a place called the Preston School of Industry in Ione, California. But he ran away while he was there.
When he was 17, he left his home to get away from his stepdad who used to beat him. He started stealing cars. He robbed some jewelry shops too. Then, he took a car and drove it to another state, which was against the law. When the police caught him again, he was sent to prison for three years. He stayed in a place called the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri until he was allowed to leave, just before he turned 21.
After that, he did a lot of different jobs. He worked as a mechanic, a logger in the redwood forests of California, a miner in Nevada, a cowboy in Arizona, a fisherman, a truck driver, a crane operator, and a forest firefighter.
What Was Rory Calhoun’s Net Worth?
As we have already discussed the estimated net worth of Rory Calhoum, which was around $10 million, but there isn’t specific information available about Rory Calhoun’s net worth. However, we could say that behind his strong wealth, his sources of income mostly come from his career as an actor. He earned considerable wealth through his film and television roles, and he might have had investments and other business ventures.
Rory Calhoun’s Movies and TV Shows
Rory Calhoun started acting in the early 1940s. In 1944, he met Alan Ladd while horseback riding in Hollywood. Ladd, impressed by Calhoun’s physique, introduced him to talent agent Sue Carol, who arranged a screen test at 20th Century Fox. Calhoun got small roles in movies like “Something for the Boys” and “Sunday Dinner for a Soldier,” and a one-line part in a Laurel and Hardy comedy called “The Bullfighters,” credited under the name Frank McCown.
In 1945, Calhoun’s name changed to Rory Calhoun thanks to a deal with David O. Selznick’s company. He made appearances with Lana Turner and starred in movies like “The Red House” and “Adventure Island.” Later, he moved to Paramount for “That Hagen Girl” with Ronald Reagan and Shirley Temple.
Calhoun continued making films through the 1950s, starring in Westerns like “A Ticket to Tomahawk” and “With a Song in My Heart.” He also appeared in big hits like “How to Marry a Millionaire” and “River of No Return.”
In the mid-1950s, Calhoun freelanced, starring in movies like “The Spoilers” and “Raw Edge.” Despite a publicized past, his career remained strong. He formed a production company in 1957 and starred in and produced several films.
Throughout the 1960s and beyond, Calhoun continued acting in both TV shows and movies, including roles in cult classics like “Night of the Lepus” and “Motel Hell.” His last role was in the film “Pure Country” in 1992.
Who was Rory Calhoun’s wife?
Rory Calhoun was married three times. He married Lita Baron first, and they had three daughters: Cindy, Tami, and Lorri. Later, Lita Baron divorced him. She said he had affairs with many women, including Betty Grable. Calhoun joked that she didn’t even list half of them.
Then Calhoun married journalist Sue Rhodes. They had one daughter together named Rory.
Was Rory Calhoun Gay?
There have been rumors and speculation regarding Rory Calhoun’s sexuality, but there is no concrete evidence to definitively confirm or deny whether he was gay. In 1955, Calhoun’s agent, Henry Willson, told “Confidential” magazine about Calhoun’s time in prison. He did this to stop the tabloid from revealing Rock Hudson’s secret life as a gay man, as Hudson was also one of Willson’s clients. This revelation didn’t harm Calhoun’s career and actually made his rebellious reputation stronger.
Rory Calhoun’s Cause of Death
Rory Calhoun died on April 28, 1999, at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. The cause of his death was emphysema and diabetes. He was 76 years old.
10 Interesting Facts about Rory Calhoun
Here are 10 interesting facts about Rory Calhoun:
- As a teen, Rory got into trouble. He stole a gun at 13, robbed jewelry stores, and drove a stolen car across state lines.
- His agent betrayed him to protect Rock Hudson.
- Rory was born Francis Timothy McCown.
- His wife accused him of cheating with 79 women when they divorced.
- After leaving San Quentin prison, Rory did different jobs.
- He had a daughter with Vitina Marcus.
- Producers thought about him for a role in The Wild Wild West, but they didn’t like his screen test.
- His final movie was Pure Country.
- Later in his career, Rory acted in some movies that became popular among certain groups, like “Night of the Lepus.”
- He played Kit Carson in two movies called “Angel” and “Avenging Angel.”
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