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Stephen McNally

For other people named Stephen McNally, see Stephen McNally (disambiguation).

Stephen McNally (born Horace Vincent McNally; July 29, 1911 – June 4, 1994[1]) was an American actor remembered mostly for his appearances in many Westerns and action films. He often played hard-hearted characters, criminals, bullies, and other villains.

Stephen McNally
McNally in Split Second (1953)
Born
Horace Vincent McNally

(1911-07-29)July 29, 1911
New York City, U.S.
DiedJune 4, 1994(1994-06-04) (aged 82)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, attorney
Years active1939–1980
Spouse
Rita Wintrich
​
(m. 1941)​
Children8

Early years

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Stephen McNally was born Horace McNally in New York City. McNally attended Fordham University School of Law[2] and was an attorney in the late 1930s before he pursued his passion for acting.[3]

Career

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McNally in No Way Out (1950)

He started his stage career using his real name, Horace McNally, and began appearing uncredited in many World War II-era films. In 1948, he changed his stage name to Stephen McNally (taking the name of his then-2-year-old son)[4] and began appearing credited as both movie villains and heroes. In 1940, as "Horace McNally", he played Dr. Richardson in the Broadway stage production of Johnny Belinda.[5][6] As Stephen McNally, he played the villainous Locky McCormick in the film version of Johnny Belinda (1948).[7]

He appeared in Winchester '73 (1950) and co-starred in Criss Cross (1949). Notable 1950s films included No Way Out (1950), Split Second (1953), Violent Saturday (1955) and Johnny Rocco (1958).

McNally was cast in three episodes of the ABC religion anthology series Crossroads. He portrayed Monsigneur Harold Engle in "Ringside Padre" (1956) and Father Flanagan of the Boys Town orphanage in Nebraska in "Convict 1321, Age 21" (1957). In between, he was cast as United States Army General George S. Patton, in "The Patton Prayer" (also 1957). McNally also appeared in the episode "Specimen: Unknown" from the anthology series The Outer Limits. He co-starred on the 1958 episode, "The Ben Courtney Story" on Wagon Train as a former Union soldier turned sheriff. In 1959, he portrayed Clay Thompson, a bounty hunter, with Myron Healey as a sheriff, in the CBS Western series, The Texan.

In the 1960 episode "The Mormons" on the CBS Western, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre McNally played Matt Rowland, who tries to block a wagon train of Mormons from entering his town, as they are suspected of carrying cholera. Things change quickly, when Rowland's son, Tod (Mark Goddard), becomes interested in a young lady on the train, Beth Lawson (Tuesday Weld).[8]

In 1967, he started as Dal Neely, a murderous outlaw who tries to take his daughter away with him in the (S12E23) episode "The Lure" on Gunsmoke. In 1971, he appeared as Gus Muller in "The Men From Shiloh" (rebranded name for the TV Western The Virginian) in the episode titled "The Angus Killer". During the 1970s, McNally guest starred on television programs such as Fantasy Island, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, The Rockford Files, and Police Story.

Death

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McNally died of heart failure June 4, 1994, at age 82, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He and his wife, Rita, had eight children.[2]

Partial filmography

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Radio appearances

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Year Program Episode/source
1952 Hollywood Sound Stage Ivy[9]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1959 Wagon Train Sheriff Ben Courtney Season 2 Episode 17: "The Ben Courtney Story"
1959 The Texan Clay Thompson Season 1 Episode 32: "Badlands"
1960 Laramie Luke Wiley Season 2 Episode 2: "The Track of the Jackal"
1961 Rawhide Sky Blackstorm Season 3 Episode 28: "Incident of the Blackstorms"
1961-1962 Target: The Corruptors! Paul Marino 35 episodes
1963-1971 The Virginian (1) Sheriff Avedon
(2) Gus Muller		 (1) Season 2 Episode 3: "No Tears for Savannah" (1963)
(2) Season 9 Episode 18: "The Angus Killer" (1971)
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Captain Tolman Season 2 Episode 18: "Final Escape"
1964 The Fugitive Jack Glennon Season 2 Episode 13: "The Iron Maiden"
1967 Gunsmoke Dal Neely Season 12 Episode 23: "The Lure"[10]
1969-1972 Mission: Impossible (1) Kruger Schtelman
(2) Carl Reid		 (1) Season 4 Episode 7: "Submarine" (1969)
(2) Season 7 Episode 6: "Cocaine" (1972)
1971 Mannix Lawrence Powers Season 5 Episode 9: "A Choice of Evils"
1974 The Rockford Files Police Chief Austen Bailey Season 1 Episode 4: "Exit Prentiss Carr"
1975-1977 Starsky & Hutch George Prudholm (1) Season 1 Episode 8: "Pariah" (1975)
(2) Season 2 Episode 19: "Starsky's Lady" (1977)
1979 Charlie's Angels Joseph Thurgood Season 4 Episode 3: "Avenging Angel"


References

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  1. ^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (May 1, 2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-7864-0983-9.
  2. ^ a b "Stephen McNally, 82, Actor in Villain Roles". The New York Times. June 11, 1994. Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  3. ^ "News and Comment Of Stage and Screen". Fitchburg Sentinel. November 19, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved May 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Carroll, Harrison (April 23, 1948). "Hollywood". The Evening Independent. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ AFI American Film Institute
  6. ^ "'Johnny Belinda' Gets New Blood". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 30, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved May 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Sheaffer, Lew (October 2, 1948). "Screen". Brooklyn Eagle. p. 14. Retrieved May 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "The Mormons on Zane Grey Theatre". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  9. ^ Kirby, Walter (March 9, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 42. Retrieved May 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "Stephen McNally on Gunsmoke". imdb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
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