John Ashley | |
|---|---|
 Ashley in 1962 | |
| Born | John Atchley (1934-12-25)December 25, 1934 |
| Died | October 3, 1997(1997-10-03) (aged 62) New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma State University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1957–1997 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
John Ashley (December 25, 1934[citation needed] – October 3, 1997) was an American actor, producer and singer. He was best known for his work as an actor in films forAmerican International Pictures, producing and acting in horror films shot in the Philippines, and for producing varioustelevision series, includingThe A-Team.
Ashley never knew his unmarried parents who gave him up foradoption. He was adopted by a doctor, Roger Atchley and his wife Lucille, and reared inTulsa, Oklahoma, where he had a younger sister, Kathryn.[1][2]
He attendedWill Rogers High School in Tulsa, where he was a championwrestler, then went toOklahoma State University inStillwater on a wrestling scholarship, where he earned abachelor's degree ineconomics.[3]
While still in college, Ashley was holidaying inCalifornia. He visited an alumnus of hiscollege fraternity,Sigma Chi, who was apress agent who representedDick Powell andJohn Wayne. The agent took him to the set ofThe Conqueror (1956), where he met Wayne, who had also belonged to Sigma Chi. Wayne was impressed with the young man's good looks and set him up with an interview withWilliam Castle.[3]
Castle was then making the TV anthology seriesMen of Annapolis, and was looking for someone to play a role that involvedwrestling. Ashley's wrestling experience helped him get the job, and he did two episodes of the series, which helped him get anagent.[4][5]
Ashley broke into films when he accompanied a girlfriend to an audition atAmerican International Pictures for a part inDragstrip Girl (1957), directed byEdward L. Cahn. "We had a date at 6 p.m. but first she had to read for a part in a movie", he later recalled. "I was sitting in American International Picture's waiting room and a guy walked out and said, `Have we read everyone? What about this young man here?' It was the old Hollywood story -- I got a part in the film and she didn't."[6] He ended up getting the part as the villain; his audition included anElvis Presley impersonation.[6][7] AIP signed Ashley to a four-picture non-exclusive contract expected to run for two years.[8]
Dragstrip Girl was a success relative to its small budget. Ashley became a particular favorite of the daughters ofJames H. Nicholson, one of the main figures at AIP, and Nicholson always hoped Ashley would become a big star. Ashley unsuccessfully auditioned for the lead inI Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) but appeared in several of AIP's other movies.[4][9]
Ashley's second role for AIP,Motorcycle Gang (1957), was almost identical toDragstrip Girl (it was again directed by Cahn). By this stage, Ashley had beendrafted, and production was held up until he completed his basic training and could go on leave.[7]
Ashley only served six months in theArmy, at thePresidio in San Francisco. AIP got an early release for him to appear in a war film,Suicide Battalion (1958), directed by Cahn.[10]
Outside AIP, he had a small role as a singer forParamount'sZero Hour! (1957), a supporting role (although first-billed) inFrankenstein's Daughter (1958) and guest starred onJefferson Drum (1958) in the episode "Arrival".
In addition to acting, Ashley was also a singer. His manager, Jerry Capeheart, also managedEddie Cochran and in July 1957 his first single was released on Intro Records – the standard "Bermuda" and the song "Let Yourself Go Go Go"; Ashley performed the latter inZero Hour!. The release of the single was timed to coincide with the release ofDragstrip Girl.[11]
Ashley went on to make a number of records,[4][12][13] including the singles "Seriously in Love" (1958), "Let the Good Times Roll" (1958), "Born to Rock" (1958), and "Little Lou" (1961). In 1959, he recorded a double-sided single, "The Net" and "The Hangman," both of which were early collaborations between songwritersBurt Bacharach andHal David.[14]
Ashley would perform the occasional concert; one of his musicians for a time wasGlen Campbell.[15] Ashley later said Randy Wood, head of Dot Records, "was terrific... but the kind of music he wanted me to sing was the kind of material I really didn't feel I sang that well. He was a very clean cut image guy. He didn't necessarily want a hard rocker."[16]
In 2001, the German label Hydra Records releasedBorn to Rock, acompact disc collection of Ashley's music.
Ashley was given a cameo as a singer in AIP'sHow to Make a Monster (1958) at the request of Nicholson.[17] Ashley later said "that was casting more or less against type at that point because I had been playing delinquents and heavies."[18]
AIP wanted Ashley to make a film calledHot Rod Gang (1958) akaFury Unleashed, written by Rusoff and directed byLew Landers.Gene Vincent played himself and sang several songs, as did Ashley. It was Ashley's first sympathetic lead role.
He was offered a part on the TV seriesMatinee Theatre, in an episode called "The Alleyway" withJanis Paige, and asked for the movie to be postponed so he could take it. However,Samuel Arkoff of AIP refused, and got an injunction preventing Ashley from appearing on TV. "I never really forgave him for that", said Ashley.[19] "I was very upset about it. I felt they could shift the schedule one day to allow me to do it. As it turned out, and I'm sure they had their reasons, they couldn't do it." This led to Ashley's refusing to renew his contract with AIP.[20]
After his AIP contract wound up, Ashley worked steadily on TV. He was cast in the episode "Elkton Lake Feud" of thesyndicatedwestern television seriesFrontier Doctor, starringRex Allen and directed byWilliam Witney. He also appeared in theHenry Fonda showThe Deputy ("The Wild Wind"),The Millionaire ("Susan Johnson", playing an aspiring singer) andWagon Train ("The Amos Gibben Story"). Ashley thought he was often cast in Westerns because "I was from Oklahoma, and could ride, and had a bit of an accent when I first came out here. I always seemed the youngBilly the Kid gunslinger."[21]
Ashley returned to features with the lead inHigh School Caesar (1960), playing a tyrant at high school; it was made for an even smaller budget than his AIP films and was distributed byRoger Corman'sFilmgroup. He went back to TV, guesting onDeath Valley Days ("The Holdup-Proof Sale").
Ashley later said that at this stage of his career, he had no interest in the production side of things. "I was just having fun doing it", he said.[22]
From 1961 to 1962, Ashley was cast in a co-starring role withBrian Kelly on theABC adventure seriesStraightaway, set in an automobile mechanic shop and often focusing on the sport ofdrag racing. Ashley would occasionally sing. It ran for 26 episodes.
While a cast member ofStraightaway, Ashley appeared in the 1961 episode, "The Holdup-Proof Safe" of thensyndicated westernanthology series,Death Valley Days, hosted byStanley Andrews. He played the role of Sandy, a young rodeo performer who wants to become a deputy sheriff so that he can marry his sweetheart, Katie Downs (Susan Crane). However, he is arrested for the theft of funds from the "holdup-proof" safe in the building of merchant Gus Lammerson (Regis Toomey). With Katie's aid, Sandy escapes jail to find the real thieves.
Ashley also appeared in another episode ofWagon Train ("The Abel Weatherly Story"), as well asRawhide ("Incident in the Garden of Eden"),The Beverly Hillbillies ("Elly Becomes a Secretary") andPetticoat Junction ("Spur Line to Shady Rest").[23] Ashley had a part inHud (1963), perhaps his most acclaimed film, although several of his scenes wound up being cut in the final edit.[20]
Ashley was one of the few AIP lead actors who made the transition from juvenile delinquent movies to beach party films when he was called back to the studio to play Ken,Frankie Avalon's best friend inBeach Party (1963). "The wounds had healed", said Ashley later.[20]Filmink argued the main function of Ashley's character was to "protect" Frankie Avlon's character.[24] The movie was a success and AIP signed Ashley to do two more movies.[25]
Ashley returned for the sequelsMuscle Beach Party (1964) andBikini Beach (1964), playing "Johnny" (essentially the same role as inBeach Party). He guest starred onDr Kildare in "Night of the Beast" (1964).
Ashley was not inPajama Party (1964), but did appear inSergeant Deadhead (1965), once again playing Avalon's best friend. He was inBeach Blanket Bingo (1965), this time playing Avalon's rival. BothSergeant Deadhead andBingo featuredDeborah Walley, whom Ashley had married in 1962.
Ashley later recalled shooting one of the beach party scenes with Avalon, saying, "Our backs were to the water camera and we were walking and talking and Frankie said, 'Man, can you believe us? Two 30-year-old guys out here in body make-up and red trunks.'"[26]
Beach Blanket Bingo was the only beach movie where Ashley had much to do. "That was the only one where there was really a character", he said. "Other than that, it was basically 'Frankie's buddy stands – the guy in the red bathing suit.'"[27]
Ashley was given a lead role for Azalea Films'The Eye Creatures (1965), filmed in Texas and directed byLarry Buchanan as a remake of AIP'sInvasion of the Saucer Men (1957). Ashley later estimated his fee took up more than half the budget.
ForAllied Artists, he playedBaby Face Nelson inYoung Dillinger (1965) alongsideNick Adams andRobert Conrad. He was reportedly going to doThree to Make Zero, a thriller with Conrad from a script byRichard Bakalyan but it was not made. Also announced but not made wasRunaway Skis, meant to star Ashley and Walley, from a script byJames Stacy and directed by Frank Paris.
Ashley's final beach party movie wasHow to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965), where he played "Johnny"; he sang a few songs on the soundtrack. Ashley did not appear in the final film in the series,The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966), although he was originally announced as starring in it and Walley did appear.
He guest starred on Conrad's showThe Wild Wild West, appearing in "The Night of Watery Death", and was back onThe Beverly Hillbillies in "The Cat Burglar" and "Mr. Universe Muscles In".
In 1968, Ashley received an offer to make a film in thePhilippines. As his marriage to Walley ended, he was keen to get out of the country and accepted.[28] He madeBrides of Blood (1968) for producerEddie Romero, the second movie in Romero's "Blood Island" horror film series. Ashley also had a supporting role in a war film for Romero that starredJames Shigeta titledManila, Open City (1968).
Ashley starred inHell on Wheels (1967), playing the brother ofMarty Robbins. He also had a small role in2001: A Space Odyssey playing an astronaut, a part that was cut from some editions of the film.
Ashley then returned to Oklahoma, where he ran some movie theaters. A distributor friend of Ashley's found success screeningBrides of Blood and suggested that Ashley return to the Philippines to make another film there. Ashley agreed and returned to the Philippines to star inThe Mad Doctor of Blood Island in 1969, co-directed by Romero. It did well at the box office,[29] beginning a long-running association with the Philippines and with Romero. Ashley returned to the Philippines to make a sequel toMad Doctor,Beast of Blood (1970) forHemisphere Pictures, again directed by Romero.
"It was a release for me to live in the Philippines for three months a year", said Ashley. "I bought a condo there; it was like a vacation for me".
Romero recalled Ashley as "very easy to get along with, very companionable."[30]
After finishingBeast of Blood, Romero suggested to Ashley that they finance their own movies. They formed their own company,Four Associates Ltd; its first release wasBeast of the Yellow Night (1971).[31] Ashley next appeared in a Western calledSmoke in the Wind, his first acting appearance in an American-shot film for a number of years; it was not widely seen, however, and was not released until 1975.
Additional funding forYellow Night came from Corman and hisNew World Pictures. Corman told Ashley aboutThe Big Doll House (1971), which he wanted to make inPuerto Rico; Ashley encouraged Corman to produce it in the Philippines and the director agreed. Ashley worked as executive producer, providing theabove-the-line costs.[31] The film was a huge success and initiated a cycle ofwomen in prison films.
Ashley starred in and producedThe Woman Hunt (1972), a remake ofThe Most Dangerous Game, for Romero and Corman. Ashley and Romero then madeThe Twilight People (1972), an adaptation ofThe Island of Dr Moreau, forDimension Pictures, which Ashley considered one of his favorite films.[32]
Ashley and Romero produced (but Ashley did not appear in)Black Mama White Mama (1973), a variation onThe Defiant Ones, for AIP. It was his most financially successful feature as a producer.[33]
He appeared in and producedBeyond Atlantis (1973) for Dimension, a variation onThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre starringPatrick Wayne and directed by Romero. The film was aimed at a family audience and was less violent than other Romero/Ashley films – it performed less well at the box office. Ashley later said it was the only film he had money in which "didn't make it".[32]
Ashley produced and appeared inBlack Mamba (1974), but the movie was not released until after Ashley's death in 1997.[34] He also acted in and producedSavage Sisters (1974) (akaEbony Ivory and Jade) for AIP; theLos Angeles Times said he played his role in the latter with "surprising flair".[35]
In April 1974 he was given a special award for his contribution to the Philippines film industry at the Filipino Academy of Movies Arts and Sciences; he had made 11 movies there.[36]
Ashley produced and had a support role inSudden Death (1977), directed by Romero and starring Robert Conrad.
During 1975–76, Ashley acted as Philippines liaison forApocalypse Now (1979). He said,
Fred Roos made up a list: Can you provide the following things? He used my company on a loan-out basis so he didn't have to go into the tax situation of starting a new company. One of the things we were able to provide was about a half-dozenHuey helicopters, the kind that had been used in Vietnam.[6]
Ashley spent a year working withFrancis Ford Coppola and Roos onApocalypse Now until he returned to Oklahoma to manage his theaters. "I told Francis a year was too long to be away from my theater business, and I went back to Oklahoma", he said.[6] By the late 1970s, the Philippines was becoming less attractive as a filming destination, and Ashley made no further films there.
Ashley announced he would makeCheerleaders (about three cheerleaders) andHard Time Aces (the latter starring Conrad) for New World, but never made the films.
By this stage, Ashley had about 40 screens in Oklahoma, which he ended up selling to a major theater circuit. "I couldn't compete with the big boys", he said. He took about a year off, "watched my two sons play football for about a year, and then my (third) wife said, 'What are you going to do? You'll go crazy here.' So four years ago, we moved to Los Angeles."[6]
Ashley went to work as a producer at Conrad's production company. He produced two TV movies starring Conrad,Coach of the Year (1980) andWill: G. Gordon Liddy (1982).
Ashley was hired byStephen J. Cannell to work onThe Quest (1982). During the filming of an episode in France, Ashley had a heart attack. "I was a little overweight, I had put on a few pounds, and I got some diet pills and they caused a spasm in my heart", he recalled.
Ashley recovered, and whenThe Quest was canceled due to poor ratings, Cannell offered AshleyThe A Team. He was one of three supervising producers, along withFrank Lupo, of a hit show that ran for 98 episodes (Ashley went from "producer" to "executive producer" for the last few seasons). Ashley also served as the narrator of the opening title sequence during the show's first four seasons and made a cameo during the first season.
"You can never predict a hit", Ashley later reflected, "but we were shooting the pilot... in Mexico, and a lot of crew members said, 'I got a feeling about this'. It's like catching lightning, this kind of success -- it only happens once in your life, finding someone likeMr. T and having him and the show become the phenomenon they have".[6]
Frank Lupo persuaded Ashley to play a cameo in the show's second two-hour special, as a backer for a bogus horror movie proposed by series regular Dirk Benedict, calledThe Beast of the Yellow Night. A few seconds from that episode, showing Benedict with his arm around Ashley, can be glimpsed in the series' opening credits sequence.[6]
"One of the things I like about the series is working with young actors who come in and read for us", he said in 1985. "A lot of them have their own little bits of business. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's a little sad. But I know what it's like. I've been there."[6]
Ashley then producedWerewolf (1987), created by Lupo, which ran for 28 episodes.
He producedSomething Is Out There (1988), aminiseries which led to a short-lived series.
He also worked onPolice Story: Gladiator School (1988) with Conrad,Hardball (1989), the TV movieDark Avenger (1990),The Raven (1992) and the TV movieJourney to the Center of the Earth (1993).
Ashley produced some seasons ofWalker, Texas Ranger. He did another TV series for Cannell,Marker (1995), and a series starringBrian Bosworth,Lawless (1997), which was canceled after one episode.
Ashley briefly returned to acting with a small role inInvisible Mom (1996), directed by his friendFred Olen Ray. He had previously turned down a role in the 1987 beach party parodyBack to the Beach.[21]
His last film as producer wasScar City (1998).
Ashley married actressDeborah Walley in 1962.[37] They had one son, Anthony Ashley, before they divorced in 1966.[38]
On October 3, 1997, Ashley died of aheart attack in New York City at the age of 62. He had just left the set of the movieScar City, and died in his car in the parking lot outside the studio.[39]
Born to Rock (2001, Hydra Records)
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