Peter Breck

Joseph Peter Breck (March 13, 1929 – February 6, 2012) was an American character actor of stage, television, and film. The rugged, dark-haired Breck played the gambler and gunfighter John H. "Doc" Holliday on the ABC/Warner Brothers television series Maverick but is best known for his role as Victoria Barkley's (Barbara Stanwyck) hot-tempered, middle son Nick in the popular 1960s ABC western, The Big Valley.

Family

Breck was the son of Joe Breck, "a popular show business figure of the 1930s." His parents divorced when Peter was 8. Peter went with Joe, while George accompanied their mother, resulting in a decades-long separation. In 1959, an Associated Press photograph showed the brothers reunited after being out of touch for 22 years. The caption explained: "George told newsmen he saw Peter on television and recognized a resemblance. He went to the actor's studio and the relationship was confirmed."

Career

Early career

After United States Navy service on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42), Breck studied drama at the University of Houston. He made his debut in a film that was eventually released under the title The Beatniks (film). As well as performing in live theatre, Breck had several guest-starring roles on a number of popular series, such as Sea Hunt, several episodes of Wagon Train, Have Gun – Will Travel, Perry Mason, and Gunsmoke. In 1956, he and David Janssen appeared in John Bromfield's syndicated series Sheriff of Cochise in the episode entitled "The Turkey Farmers". He appeared in another syndicated series too in the episode "The Deserter" of the American Civil War drama Gray Ghost, with Tod Andrews in the title role.