- Michael Blodgett
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Michael Blodgett Born September 26, 1939
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.Died November 14, 2007 (aged 68)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.Other names Mike Blodgett Occupation Actor, Novelist, Screenwriter Spouse Lynn Hammerlund (m. 1957–1960)
Sandra Kirchner (m. 1961–1977)
Lanetta Wahlgren (m. 1984–1995)
Meredith Baxter (m. 1995–2000)Michael Blodgett (September 26, 1939 – November 14, 2007) was an American actor, novelist, and screenwriter. Of his many film and television appearances he is best known for his performance as gigolo Lance Rocke in Russ Meyer's 1970 cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. He retired from acting in the late 1970s and began a writing career.
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Early life and career
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Blodgett attended the University of Minnesota before moving to Los Angeles to act. Once in Los Angeles, he earned a degree in political science from Cal State Los Angeles and attended Loyola Law School for one year before turning his attention to acting.[1] In the summer of 1967, Blodgett served as emcee of Groovy, a beach-party dance show for teens on Los Angeles' KHJ-TV.[2] In 1968, Blodgett moved to KTTV, where he hosted a 90-minute Saturday night talk show, The Michael Blodgett Show.[1]
After his role in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls in 1970, Blodgett appeared in the Western There Was a Crooked Man..., opposite Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, and then The Velvet Vampire (1971). Throughout the 1970s, Blodgett appeared in films and guest starring roles in television series including Barnaby Jones and The Secrets of Isis. Having become dissatisfied with the type of roles he was being offered, Blodgett made his last film appearance in 1978's Disco Fever and then shifted his focus to writing novels and screenplays. He would make a cameo appearance in the 1988 adaptation of his novel Hero and the Terror, and he also contributed to interview segments in the documentary Above, Beneath and Beyond the Valley, which was featured on the 2006 DVD release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
In 1982, Blodgett released his first novel, Captain Blood, followed by his second novel Hero and the Terror, that same year. His third novel, The White Raven, was released in 1986 and was later adapted into a 1998 film starring Ron Silver. With his writing partner Dennis Shryack, Blodgett penned the screenplays for Rent-A-Cop (1987) starring Burt Reynolds, Turner & Hooch (1989) starring Tom Hanks, and Run (1991) starring Patrick Dempsey.
Personal life and death
Blodgett was married four times and had three daughters. He died at his home in Los Angeles of an apparent heart attack.[1]
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 1965 A Swingin' Summer Beach bum Credited as Mike Blodgett 1967 40 Guns to Apache Pass Mike Malone The Trip Lover Catalina Caper Bob Draper Credited as Mike Blodgett 1970 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Lance Rocke There Was a Crooked Man... Coy Cavendish 1971 The Velvet Vampire Lee Ritter 1972 The Carey Treatment Roger Hudson 1974 The Ultimate Thrill Tom Alternative title: The Ultimate Chase 1978 Disco Fever Tommy Aspen 1987 Rent-A-Cop - Co-screenwriter 1988 Hero and the Terror - Co-screenwriter 1989 Turner & Hooch - Co-screenwriter 1991 Run - Co-screenwriter 1998 The White Raven - Screenwriter Television Year Title Role Notes 1961 Macbeth Malcolm Television movie 1964 McHale's Navy Boy on the park bench 1 episode The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Dancer - Apollo 1 episode 1965 Never Too Young Tad Unknown episodes 1966 The Munsters Jim 1 episode Man in the Square Suit Gary Young Television movie Meet Me in St. Louis John Truitt Television movie 1967 Daniel Boone Sam Linn 2 episodes Bonanza Billy Slater 1 episode 1970 Family Affair Mike West 2 episodes To Rome With Love Hank Martin 1 episode Night Gallery John Michael Fearing 1 episode 1971 Ironside Matthew Roberts 1 episode Marcus Welby, M.D. Vince Kolski 1 episode 1973 Barnaby Jones Kirk 1 episode 1975 Barbary Coast Whiting 1 episode 1976 Electra Woman and Dyna Girl King Alex X of Tourembourg 2 episodes The Secret of Isis Rick Mason's Double 2 episodes 1992 Revenge on the Highway - Television movie
Writer, co-producerNovels
- Captain Blood (1982)
- Hero and the Terror (1982)
- The White Raven (1986)
References
- ^ a b c Nol, Claire (2007-11-27). "Michael Blodgett, 68; actor went on to write books and screenplays". articles.latimes.com. http://articles.latimes.com/2007/nov/22/local/me-blodgett22. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Austen, Jake (2005). TV-a-Go-Go: Rock on TV from American Bandstand to American Idol. Chicago Review Press. pp. 44. ISBN 1-556-52572-9.
External links
- Michael Blodgett at the Internet Movie Database
- Michael Blodgett at AllRovi
- Michael Blodgett at Find a Grave
Categories:- Actors from Minnesota
- American film actors
- American novelists
- American screenwriters
- American television actors
- California State University, Los Angeles alumni
- Cardiovascular disease deaths in California
- Deaths from myocardial infarction
- Loyola Law School alumni
- People from Minneapolis, Minnesota
- University of Minnesota alumni
- 1939 births
- 2007 deaths
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