Stuart Maxwell Whitman (February 1, 1928 – March 16, 2020) was an American actor, known for his lengthy career in film and television. Whitman was born in San Francisco and raised in New York until the age of 12, when his family relocated toLos Angeles. In 1948, Whitman was discharged from the Corps of Engineers in theU.S. Army and started to study acting and appear in plays. From 1951 to 1957, Whitman had a streak working in mostly bit parts in films, includingWhen Worlds Collide (1951),The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951),Barbed Wire (1952) andThe Man from the Alamo (1952). On television, Whitman guest-starred in series such asDr. Christian,The Roy Rogers Show, andDeath Valley Days, and also had a recurring role onHighway Patrol. Whitman's first lead role was inJohn H. Auer'sJohnny Trouble (1957).

Stuart Whitman
Whitman inThe Longest Day (1962)
Born	Stuart Maxwell Whitman (1928-02-01)February 1, 1928 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	March 16, 2020(2020-03-16) (aged 92) Montecito, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1940–2000
Spouses	Patricia LaLonde ​ ​ (m. 1952;div. 1966)​ Caroline Boubis ​ ​ (m. 1966;div. 1974)​ Julia Paradiz ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	5

In the late 1950s,20th Century Fox was on a drive to develop new talent, hence Whitman was signed to the star-building program. Whitman, now in the lead cast, acted inDarby's Rangers (1958),China Doll (1958),Ten North Frederick (1958),The Decks Ran Red (1958),Hound-Dog Man (1959),These Thousand Hills (1959),The Story of Ruth (1960),Murder, Inc. (1960),The Comancheros (1961), andThe Mark (1961), the latter of which he was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Actor.

Some of Whitman's subsequent roles includedThe Longest Day (1962),The Day and the Hour (1962),Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965),Cimarron Strip (1967), andNight of the Lepus (1972). Whitman also acted regularly on television, with credits includingHave Gun – Will Travel,The Streets of San Francisco,Love, American Style,Quincy, M.E.,The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries,The Pirate,Condominium,Knight Rider,Matt Houston,A-Team,S.W.A.T.,Fantasy Island,Murder, She Wrote,Once Upon a Texas Train,Knots Landing,The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. andWalker, Texas Ranger. From 1988 to 1992, he acted asJonathan Kent on the TV seriesSuperboy. He was seen in projects until 2000, after which he was reported to be retired, and died in 2020.

Stuart Maxwell Whitman was born on February 1, 1928, inSan Francisco, California, the elder of two sons of Cecilia (née Gold) and Joseph Whitman. His family was Jewish. His mother was a Russian Jewish immigrant, while his paternal grandparents were Polish Jews.^[1][2] However, in the 1950s, Whitman described himself toHedda Hopper as "a real American – have a little bit of English, Irish, Scotch, and Russian – so I get along with everyone."^[3]

Whitman was interested in acting from the age of five. His father at the time was working as a ticket collector atTammany Hall, and he would sometimes be allowed to watch plays.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} His parents had married in their teens and traveled frequently during his childhood – his father became a lawyer who moved into property development. Whitman started his education in New York, in Manhattan and Poughkeepsie.^[9][10] "I went to so many schools—26 in all!—that I was always an outsider," he later recalled. "It wasn't until high school that I couldreally read ... I always sat in the back of the room."^[11] Whitman's early love for acting came through when he did threesummer stock plays in New York when he was 12, but "nobody took that seriously," he said.^[3]

His uncle thought he had potential as a boxer, and secretly trained him.^[12] WhenWorld War II broke out, Joseph Whitman moved to Los Angeles to run oil-cracking plants for the government. His family settled in Los Angeles, and Whitman graduated fromHollywood High School in 1945.^[13]

After school, he enlisted in theU.S. Army and served in theCorps of Engineers for three years atFort Lewis, Washington. During this time, he occasionally boxed, winning 31 of his 32 bouts.^[14] Whitman was a lightweight boxer for the Army during his tenure.^[11] The boxing match for which he was most known was one where he had a difficult time against U.S. Army boxer Denny Dennison (né Archibald Dennison Scott III), against whom he had boxed at Hollywood High School. Denny, who had entered active duty in January 1944, after five months of the delayed-entry program, had defeated his third opponent, considered his toughest matchup. Whitman was honorably discharged from the Army in 1948, while his close friend, Scott, completed officer candidate school the following year, ending his service with the rank of colonel.^[3]

Whitman originally intended to follow his father into law and used theG.I. Bill to enroll inLos Angeles City College. He minored in drama. During his first year, he "figured that law was a real bore",^[9] and began to develop ambitions to be an actor.

"I reached a point where I said, 'What are you going to do with your life? You got to get something going'", he said. "I decided I wanted to spend most of my time on me. So I decided to develop me and educate me."^[4] "My father wanted me to join his law firm and dabble in real estate on the side," recalled Whitman. "There was a family row about boxing, but nothing like the battle when I told my father I was going to be an actor. He said, 'If that's the case, you're on your own.' No money from him. And he kept his word."^[3]

His father did sell Whitman a bulldozer, which his son used to support himself in college. Whitman would hire it (and himself) out to others to clear lots, uproot trees, and level off rugged terrain.^[3] This work earned him up to $100 a day. He and his father later went into real estate development together, purchasing various lots in and around Los Angeles.^[12]

Whitman joined theMichael Chekhov Stage Society, and studied with them at night for four years. He was considering a career in professional football, but injured his leg at college. He joined theBen Bard Drama School in Hollywood, and debuted in the school's production ofHere Comes Mr Jordan, which ran for six months.^[15]

Whitman was spotted by a talent scout while at City College. He made his screen debut, credited as Kip Whitman, in a bit part inRudolph Maté'sWhen Worlds Collide, which was released in November 1951.^[16] He followed this with another small part, using the same pseudonym, inRobert Wise'sThe Day the Earth Stood Still, released in September of that same year.^[17]

In 1952, Whitman continued playing small roles, starting withGeorge Archainbaud'sBarbed Wire, released in July,^[18] andTay Garnett'sOne Minute to Zero, released in August.^[19] In December 1952, he signed a contract with Universal, which put him inDouglas Sirk'sAll I Desire, released in July 1953, andJesse Hibbs'sThe All American, released in October.^[20][21][22]

Whitman was still cast in small parts in features premiering in 1953. This began withBudd Boetticher'sThe Man from the Alamo, released in August.^[23] Following this wasJacques Tourneur'sAppointment in Honduras, which premiered on October 16.^[24] The next wasGeorge Sherman'sThe Veils of Bagdad, in November.^[25] Finally,Lloyd Bacon'sWalking My Baby Back Home started its theatrical run in December.^[26]

In 1954, Whitman continued to be seen in minor film roles. First wasCharles Vidor'sRhapsody atMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), on April 16.^[27] On May 14, it wasAndrew Marton'sPrisoner of War,^[28] followed in June byAllan Dwan'sSilver Lode.^[29] On July 25, it wasLesley Selander'sReturn from the Sea.^[30] Premiering on October 6 wasPassion.^[31] He then appeared inBrigadoon on October 22.^[32] He starred on stage inChristopher Fry'sVenus Observed at the Coast Theatre in 1954.^[33] On television, Whitman acted in episodes ofDr. Christian,The Roy Rogers Show, andDeath Valley Days.^[34][35][36]

On July 1, 1955, Whitman appeared as a man on the beach inCurtis Bernhardt'sInterrupted Melody. Also that year, Whitman had a minor role in the serialKing of the Carnival.^[37]

In 1956, Whitman continued with the same types of roles, starting withAllan Dwan'sHold Back the Night on July 29,^[38] followed byBudd Boetticher'sSeven Men from Now on August 4.^[39] Another acting credit was theRepublic Pictures filmDiane.^{[citation needed]}

Starting that year, he began a recurring role as Sgt. Walters on the television seriesHighway Patrol, appearing in a total of sixteen episodes. Whitman explained that, at the time, he was working part-time in a slaughterhouse, and when he got the role, he and its starBroderick Crawford got along immediately and became friends. From that point on, whenever Whitman was low on cash, he would call Crawford who would gladly invite him to appear in another episode, on the premise that he could drink while Whitman handled most of the dialogue.^[5][6][7][8]

In 1957, Whitman's film roles gradually grew in size with the following films:Gerd Oswald'sCrime of Passion, which opened in February,^[40] andReginald Le Borg'sWar Drums, in April.^[41] On September 21, Whitman had his first leading role inJohn H. Auer'sJohnny Trouble, produced by John Carroll, who had Whitman under contract for one film a year for seven years; theLos Angeles Times said he "reminds of bothRobert Ryan andJames Dean."^[42][43] In October, he appeared in two releases:Hell Bound andHoward W. Koch'sThe Girl in Black Stockings.^[44][45] On November 30, it wasGordon Douglas'Bombers B-52.^[46]

Early prominent roles in 1957 were in thesyndicated military dramasHarbor Command, about theUnited States Coast Guard, andThe Silent Service, based on true stories of thesubmarine service of theUnited States Navy.^{[citation needed]} Around that time, Whitman acted in "Until the Man Dies", episode 16 of the first season ofZane Grey Theater.^[47]

By this time, Whitman's side career as a real estate developer was thriving. He developed hundreds of acres in such places asAnaheim,Benedict Canyon, andPanorama City, often in partnership with his father. "Because of it, I've never worked as an extra," he said in 1958. "I've never accepted a part that I wouldn't have thought advanced my career. I've never taken an acting job, in movies or TV, which paid less than $250 a week."^[3]

In the late 1950s,20th Century Fox was on a drive to develop new talent. Head of productionBuddy Adler said, "We must bring young people back into film theatres and the best way is to develop young stars as a magnet. While stories have become more important than ever, we must seek our fresh, youthful talent to perform in them."^[48] Whitman was one of a number of new names signed to Fox by Adler as part of a $3–4 million star-building program.^[48][49] Whitman's contract was for seven years.^[50]

In January 1958,William A. Wellman'sDarby's Rangers premiered.^[51] During the film's production, roles fluctuated: the lead,Charlton Heston, left the film andJames Garner was given the lead, while Whitman wound up with Garner's original role,^[52] which dominated the first half of the picture then barely appeared in the second half. Whitman was one of several actors who tested for the role of Bart Maverick^[53] In March 1958, the contract with FOX became exclusive.^[54] In June, production ofRichard Fleischer'sThese Thousand Hills^[55] began. In May,Ten North Frederick began its theatrical run.^[56] Whitman later said he did this to get a choice small part and "many good things came from that".^[50] In August, Whitman appeared inChina Doll.^[57]

In October,MGM's production ofAndrew L. Stone'sThe Decks Ran Red, in which he was cast, was released. According to Whitman, he helped with the signing of his friend Broderick Crawford, promising the studio that Crawford would stay sober throughout the shoot. Crawford was hired and maintained his promise.^[5][6][7][8]

At that time, directorAndrew L. Stone wanted Whitman to appear inThe Last Voyage (1960),^[58] but the role went toRobert Stack instead. Fox granted him another role when he replacedRobert Wagner inThe Sound and the Fury (1959).^[59] Also in 1959, Whitman acted in "The Last Laugh", the 20th episode of the first season ofHave Gun – Will Travel.^{[60][additional citation(s) needed]} Another TV credit came withThe Court of Last Resort, in an episode called "The Westover Case".^{[61][additional citation(s) needed]}

In 1958,Hedda Hopper wrote a piece on Whitman which said he could be the "newClark Gable":

This is a fresh personality with tremendous impact. He's tall and lean with shock of unruly black hair and dark hazel eyes which harden to slate grey when he plays a bad man or turns on the heat in a love scene. When he comes into camera range, the audience sits up and says: "Who dat?"^[3]

In 1959, Whitman acted in several features. In February,Richard Fleischer'sWesternThese Thousand Hills^[55] premiered. In March,The Sound and the Fury was released.^[62] At Fox, Whitman graduated to leading-man parts. In November,Don Siegel'sHound-Dog Man premiered.^[63] Whitman had an excellent role co-starring withFabian Forte playing his "fourth heel in a row... I had a ball because the character was a real louse, everything hanging off him and no inhibitions. I like those kind of guys, I suppose because I can't be that way myself."^[64]

In May 1960, theLos Angeles Times did a profile on Whitman, calling him "an actor of growing importance in a business that needs stalwarts to follow in the steps of the Clark Gables, Gary Coopers, and John Waynes... Whitman is like a finely trained athletic champion – a modest but self-assured chap who seems to know where he is going."^[12]

The premiere ofHenry Koster's Biblical dramaThe Story of Ruth, in which Whitman had replacedStephen Boyd asBoaz, was in June 1960.^[65] Whitman's next release was in July, with the gangster taleMurder, Inc..^[66] "I've done lots of different parts since I left Hollywood High School and City College", said Whitman in a 1960 interview, "so the sudden switch didn't bother me too much. I hope 20th Century Fox will keep the roles varied and interesting."^[12] Whitman said the production ofMurder, Inc. was troubled. First, when he was reading the script, he was under the impression that he was going to play the role for whichPeter Falk was already cast, but he was actually cast as the romantic lead. Additionally, directorStuart Rosenberg was fired by the studio because they felt he was taking too much time setting up shots. Once fired, an actor'ssitdown strike began, and it was announced that a full strike was going to happen. This put the studio under pressure to finish the project, hence producerBurt Balaban, who shares the directorial credit with Rosenberg, stepped in and finished the film in a week, and on the exact day when the strike started.^[5][6][7][8]

In January 1961,Guy Green'sThe Mark had its London premiere.^[67] The role came about when Whitman was frustrated with the sort of roles he was getting. "I had been knocking around and not getting anything to test my ability", he said. WhenRichard Burton turned down the role of achild molester inThe Mark to doCamelot on stage, Whitman said that he was asked by his agent to fly to Ireland to act in the film, without his agent telling him what it was about. Whitman didn't know the controversial nature of the role until he read the script on location. Impressed and frightful of the content, Whitman had doubts and asked himself if he was in the right business, but came to the conclusion that he could pull it off. Whitman's performance earned him rave reviews and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He said the film "doubled my rating as an actor".^[50] However, he later said, "I had a tough time breaking my image in that movie... it blocked my image as a gutsy outdoorsman."^[68]

On April 11, 1961, Whitman appeared inThe Fiercest Heart, which was shot inSouth Africa and debuted inSan Francisco.^[69] On July 12, Whitman appeared inMichael Curtiz'sreligiousepicFrancis of Assisi.^[70] According to Whitman, while on the set, Curtiz told him that he would like him for a role in his next film, theWesternThe Comancheros, an adaptation of a novel byPaul Wellman. Whitman loved the idea, but was booked by the studio elsewhere. The only way to rectify this was for Whitman to talk with the film's starJohn Wayne, as only Wayne could ask the studio heads to arrange for Whitman to play the part. Whitman went and introduced himself to Wayne and convinced him to do this.^[5][6][7][8] On November 1,The Comancheros premiered. In it, Whitman played Paul Regret, who flees the law to avoiddeath but is eventually captured byTexas Ranger Captain Jake Cutter (Wayne).^[71]

Around the same time,Jerry Wald cast Whitman inThe Hell Raisers, about theBoxer Rebellion, but it was never filmed.^[72] Whitman also lobbied unsuccessfully to play the lead inSanctuary (1961).^[12] Later in 1961, he announced he would form his own production company to makeMandrake Route by Frederick Wakeman. He also stated that his bulldozer had "developed into quite a sideline. I'm sure I still wouldn't be in the picture business without it."^[4]

In an interview later that year, Whitman said, "I've had to battle and say what is an actor? It's a fellow who plays someone else. But now I realize it's the image that makes a star. John Wayne is a great example of a super actor.Gary Cooper is another one. My image? I think it's being free and easy and all man. I say to myself I want to become an actor, I want to lose myself in each role. But that's not the way to become an actor."^[4]

On June 15, 1962,Millard Kaufman'sConvicts 4 premiered, in which Whitman appeared.^[73] On October 11, Whitman appeared in the all-star World War II epicThe Longest Day. It was directed by several major directors, and opened inLos Angeles on that day.^[74] Whitman was cast in the role after being asked to deliver a box of cigars to producerDarryl F. Zanuck at the time of shooting. Zanuck asked him to be part of it and Whitman agreed. Zanuck directed Whitman's segments.^[5][6][7][8] Also that year, Whitman announced that he might doMandrake Root,The Victors (1963), or a film with eitherMarilyn Monroe orLewis Milestone.^[75]

However, in 1963, instead of choosing any of these roles, Whitman played an American pilot in the French filmThe Day and the Hour, directed byRené Clément, shot inParis and set during World War II. As described by Whitman, he got the part throughAlain Delon, who he bumped into in an elevator atthe Beverly Hills Hotel. Delon invited him to meet the director, and eventually worked out a way to loan him out from his studio contract. During the production of the film, Whitman disagreed with Clément on the direction of a torture scene and swore to Clément that he himself could handle it. After coincidentally sitting on a plane next toSidney Buchman, who co-wroteThe Mark, they re-wrote the scene together. Whitman directed the scene but did not direct again. He described Clément as one of the finest French directors.^[5][6][7][8] He enjoyed the experience, saying, "I busted through at last and can now get an honest emotion, project it and make it real. You become egocentric when you involve yourself to such an extent in your role; your next problem is in learning how to turn it off and come home and live with society. It took a lot of time and energy to break through, so I could honestly feel and I'm reluctant to turn it off. Now I know why so many actors go to psychiatrists."^[50]

Also that year, Whitman acted in the second episode of the first season ofBob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, called "Killing at Sundial". In it, Whitman plays aNative American who became wealthy throughout life and is now seeking to avenge the death of his father, who was lynched years prior.^{[76][additional citation(s) needed]} Also at that time, Whitman was announced as the lead inCardinal (1963), and he lobbied to playJimmy Hoffa in an adaptation ofThe Enemy Within byRobert F. Kennedy;^[50] however, the first role was lost toTom Tryon and the second film was never made. He then adjusted his contract with Fox to stipulate one film a year for five years.^[77] After several months off, Whitman announced plans to produce his own film,My Brother's Keeper, based on a novel about theCollyer brothers. However, he moved on to do other projects.^[78]

On February 19, 1964, Whitman acted inShock Treatment, which opened in Los Angeles.^[79] On November 12,Gordon Douglas' WesternRio Conchos opened, with Whitman cast as one of its three leads. The other two wereRichard Boone andAnthony Franciosa.^[80] Whitman said that he didn't like the script, but producer Darryl F. Zanuck told him that if he would do it, he would then be cast as a lead inKen Annakin's upcoming film,Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), in a role the studio had initially intended to giveDick Van Dyke. Whitman went on to have a meeting with actor Boone and director Douglas. He thought highly of them and accepted. Annakin had to accept the studio's wishes, and despite Whitman not being his first choice, Annakin was very happy with Whitman's performance.^[5][6][7][8]

On February 10, 1965,George Englund'sSignpost to Murder premiered, which starred Whitman.^[81] On May 3, Whitman was confirmed as the main actor forCy Endfield'sSands of the Kalahari. Whitman became the lead after the production company courted many actors such asRichard Burton,Robert Mitchum,Albert Finney,Marlon Brando andWarren Beatty. Eventually,George Peppard was cast as the lead but abandoned it early into the production, and whileAlan Bates was considered, Whitman was confirmed. Whitman said that he won the role after reading inVariety about the departure of Peppard; he went to the Beverly Hills Hotel and bumped into the producer, to whom he jokingly suggested himself for the role. The producers called him that same evening to fly to Africa to star in it. Whitman found the shoot difficult, due to the hot weather and the fact that thebaboons, with whom he had fight scenes, were not properly trained and lived in decrepit conditions, as well as having no animal control.^[5][6][7][8] The film premiered on November 10.^[82]

June 16, 1965, saw the release of Annakin'sThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. In thisBritishperiodcomedy film, Whitman is featured amongst an internationalensemble cast, includingSarah Miles,Robert Morley,Terry-Thomas,James Fox,Red Skelton,Benny Hill,Jean-Pierre Cassel,Gert Fröbe andAlberto Sordi. The film, revolving around the craze of early aviation circa 1910, is about a pompous newspaper magnate (Morley) who is convinced by his daughter (Miles) and fiancée (Fox), a young army officer, to organize an air race from London to Paris. A large sum of money is offered to the winner and it hence attracts a variety of characters who participate. Whitman appears as the American entrant, one of its top participants. The film received positive reviews, in which they said the film was funny, colorful, clever and captured the early enthusiasm for aviation.^[83][84][85] It was treated as a major production, one of only three full-length70 mmTodd-AO Fox releases in 1965, with an intermission and musical interlude being part of the original screenings.^[86] Because of the Todd-AO process, the film was an exclusive roadshow feature initially shown in deluxeCinerama venues, where customers needed reserved seats purchased ahead of time.^[87] The film grossed $31.1 million theatrically and made $29.9 million in home video sales.^[88][89] Audiences, both then and now, have been nearly unanimous in assessing the film as one of the "classic" aviation films.^[90]

In 1966, Whitman appeared inRobert Gist'sAn American Dream, based on a novel byNorman Mailer.^{[91][additional citation(s) needed]} Around this time, Whitman returned toBob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre in the episode "The Highest Fall of All", in which he played a suicidal stuntman who is willing to do an extremely dangerous fall for a director.^{[92][93][additional citation(s) needed]}

Whitman had turned down a number of offers to star on television series over the years, includingMannix andJudd for the Defense. "I wanted more diversity in acting," he said. "I felt I would limit myself."^[68] However, on September 7, 1967, the TV showCimarron Strip premiered, starring Whitman.^[94][95] "A lot of big people told me I was the number one man the networks wanted," said Whitman.^[96] The show was expensive, costing $350,000–$400,000 per episode with each having a broadcast time of 90 minutes, and was the most expensive drama series made up to that time.^[97] The series was produced by Whitman's own company. "I always wanted to play a cop with a heart, a guy who would use every possible means not to kill a man," he said. "TV has needed a superhero... and I think Crown can be the guy."^[98] While Whitman received good reviews for his performance, many criticized the show for having thin plots, and it was met with disappointing ratings.^[99][100] Its time slot had major competition:Daniel Boone came out on top, and whileThe Flying Nun remained,Batman was pushed to another time slot andCimarron Strip was cancelled.^[101]

In 1969, Whitman acted inSweet Hunters.^[102] According toJohn Gregory Dunne's bookThe Studio (1969), Whitman was suggested for the title role inThe Boston Strangler (1968) by John Bottomly, the Massachusetts assistant attorney general who prosecutedAlbert DeSalvo. Instead, the role went toTony Curtis.^{[citation needed]}

In 1967, Whitman admitted, "I'm the type who must work constantly."^[103] In the early 1970s, he worked increasingly in Europe. "I left Hollywood because it was getting to be a mad mess!" he said. "There are only about two really good scripts going around and they always go to the industry's two top stars. I thought that in Europe, something better might come my way—and it did! I've made mistakes in the past, but I kept bouncing back. I always thought that an actor is destined to act, but I now realize that if you do one role well, you get stuck with it!"^{[citation needed]}

On September 25, 1970, Whitman was seen in theBracken's World episode "Murder Off-Camera".^[104] Also that year, Whitman appeared in the filmsThe Last Escape^[105] andThe Invincible Six.^[106] He was also in an episode ofThe F.B.I., and appeared in several more.^{[citation needed]}

On October 26, 1971, Whitman acted inCaptain Apache,^[107]The City Beneath the Sea,^[108] and the television filmRevenge!^[109]

On January 12, 1972, "Lindemann's Catch", an episode ofRod Serling'sNight Gallery, aired, written by Rod Serling and directed byJeff Corey. The story is about a cold hearted sea captain (Whitman) who captures a mermaid.^[110]

In July, Whitman acted inWilliam F. Claxton's newly released horror filmNight of the Lepus. In it, Whitman andJanet Leigh play a couple of zoologists who are looking for ways to reduce the rabbit population that has infested a nearby ranch. They test a serum on some rabbit specimens that would cause them birth defects, and hence reduce the population. One of them escapes, and soon after the area is infested and under attack by giant rabbits.^[111] The production was troubled and the film was critically lambasted upon release.^{[112][113][114][115]} Whitman said that he ended up with the role because at the time he was working withLee Remick on a film calledThe Candy Man, which was cancelled. When he requested his salary and was turned down, he was told he would be compensated only if he took the lead inNight of the Lepus, the screenplay of which he found to be ridiculous right from the start. He went on to say that the film damaged his reputation and wasn't bankable.^[5][6][7][8] Despite its poor reputation, the film developed acult status, but was retrospectively described by critics as ridiculous and unintentionally funny.^{[116][117][118][119][120][121][122]}

October 18 was the premiere ofDisney'sRun, Cougar, Run, directed byJerome Courtland and starring Whitman.^[123] On December 2, Whitman appeared in the "Carnival/The Vaudevillians" episode ofFantasy Island.^[124] That same month, on the 10th, Whitman made a second appearance onNight Gallery in an episode titledFright Night.^[125] Another TV show in which he appeared wasGhost Story.^[126] Whitman also appeared inThe Woman Hunter that year.^[127]

On January 25, 1973, Whitman guest starred in an episode ofThe Streets of San Francisco titled "The Set Up".^[128] On April 13, the made-for-television filmThe Man Who Died Twice premiered, with Whitman in the lead role.^[129] On September 21, Whitman appeared in the "Love and the Lifter; The Comedienne; The Lie; The Suspicious Husband" episode ofLove, American Style.^[130] On November 23, Whitman acted in theHec Ramsey episode "A Hard Road to Vengeance".^[131]

In 1974, Whitman acted in the horror movieWelcome to Arrow Beach.^[132]

During the week of October 20, 1975,Call Him Mr Shatter premiered, in which Whitman had the lead role.^[133] On October 29, Whitman guest starred in the "Man in the Middle" episode ofCannon.^[134] On November 27,Fred Williamson'sMean Johnny Barrows premiered, in which Whitman played a supporting role.^[135] Also that year, Whitman acted inJonathan Demme'sCrazy Mama.^[136]

On January 24, 1976, Whitman appeared in part one of the two-part episode "The Running Man" of the showS.W.A.T..^[137][138] On March 9, Whitman was the leading man in theItalian action filmStrange Shadows in an Empty Room, premiering in Italy before going worldwide. It was shot in Canada, both inOttawa andMontreal. According to directorAlberto de Martino, Whitman agreed to the project in order to work outside of Hollywood.^[139] On the 23rd of that month,Las Vegas Lady was released, in which Whitman took part.^[140] Also that year, the filmThe Treasure Seekers wrapped, where Whitman played a role. It was written by and starredRod Taylor, and co-starredElke Sommer. Due to problems while shooting and in post production, the film only achieved a limited release a number of years later.^[141] Finally he acted inHarry O, andEllery Queen.^{[citation needed]}

On the second of January 1977, the episode "Hot Ice Cold Hearts" of the TV showQuincy, M.E. aired, with Whitman as a guest star.^[142] On February 19, he guest starred inMost Wanted, in the episode "Tunnel Killer".^[143] In early June, Whitman appeared inRuby, which opened theatrically.^[144] On October 5, Whitman appeared inJ. Lee Thompson'sThe White Buffalo, starringCharles Bronson.^[145] On October 16, Whitman appeared inThe Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries episode "The Mystery of the African Safari".^[146] As early as October 19, Whitman appeared in the newly releasedManiac!^[147] On November 30,Tobe Hooper'sEaten Alive premiered, with Whitman in a supporting role.^[148] That year, he also acted inMircea Drăgan'sOil – The Billion Dollar Fire. Whitman said that he found shooting a Romanian film problematic because extras would talk during rehearsals and takes. When Whitman complained to the assistant director, who then reported the issue to the director, he returned telling him to continue or they would shoot him. From that point on, Whitman accepted the work conditions.^[5][6][7][8]

In 1978, Whitman acted in atelevision miniseries directed by Ken Annakin calledThe Pirate.^[149][150] Also that year, he appeared in theHenry Levin filmRun for the Roses.^[151]

On February 8, 1979, the three-part mini-seriesWomen in White first aired, and Whitman shared the lead withSusan Flannery.^[152] On November 14 and 15, 1979, the four-hour, two-part mini-seriesThe Seekers aired, in which Whitman played a supporting role.^[153] That year, Whitman also acted in the filmDelta Fox.^[154]

In 1980, Whitman acted inRené Cardona Jr.'sGuyana: Cult of the Damned,^[155] andLos Traficantes De Panico, also known asUnder Siege.^[156] On November 29, Whitman guest starred inCondominium, which first aired on WPIX. Thetelefilm is a two-part episode of the four-hour long adaptation of theJohn D. MacDonald novel.^[157] Whitman also acted inCuba Crossing,^[158] andThe Monster Club.^[159]

On April 19, 1981, Whitman appeared in theTales of the Unexpected episode "The Boy Who Talked with Animals".^[160] Whitman also appeared in the season 5 episode ofFantasy Island called "The Lady and the Monster; The Last Cowboy".^[161] In films, Whitman appeared inDemonoid,^[162]When I Am King,^[163] andHorror Safari.^[164]

In 1982, he appeared inMatt Cimber's filmButterfly.^[165] On October 16, Whitman appeared in the "Curse of the Moreaus; My Man Friday" episode ofFantasy Island.^[166] On November 18, Whitman appeared in theSimon & Simon episode called "The Rough Rider Rides Again".^[167]

On April 5, 1983, Whitman appeared in the season one episode ofThe A-Team titled "West-Coast Turnaround".^[168]

On April 30, 1984, Whitman hosted the documentaryHollywood Roughcuts.^[169] On May 27, Whitman appeared in the "Big Iron" episode ofKnight Rider.^[170] On November 25, Whitman appeared in "Hit, Run, and Homicide", an episode ofMurder, She Wrote.^[171] On December 7, Whitman played a killer in the showMatt Houston.^[172] On the 8th of that month, Whitman also appeared in the "Midnight Highway" episode of the showCover Up.^[173] Also that year, he appeared in episodes ofHotel.^{[citation needed]} In films, Whitman appeared inFirst Strike.^[174]

In 1985, Whitman appeared inDeadly Intruder^{[175][additional citation(s) needed]} and René Cardona Jr.'sThe Treasure of the Amazon.^[176] On television, Whitman appeared in the seriesFinder of Lost Loves,^{[citation needed]} an episode ofTales from the Darkside,^{[citation needed]}, theHunter episode "The Biggest Man in Town",^[177] andThe A-Team episode "Blood, Sweat and Cheers".^[178] That year,CBS aired the television filmBeverly Hills Cowgirl Blues, starringJames Brolin andLisa Hartman with a supporting turn from Whitman.^{[179][additional citation(s) needed]}

In 1986, the filmVultures aired on TV, starring Whitman andMeredith MacRae.^[180] It also had a home video release.^[181] On January 22, 1986, Whitman was a guest star onBlacke's Magic.^[182] On February 17, Whitman was also the guest on TV-showHardcastle and McCormick.^[183] On October 9, Whitman appeared in the episode "Phil After All These Years" of the showSimon & Simon.^[184]

On February 10, 1987, CBS first aired the television-film adaptation ofMary Higgins Clark's novelStillwatch, where Whitman played a supporting role.^[185][186] On May 27, Whitman appeared in the season finale ofHotel.^[187] In November, he appeared in the "Trouble in Eden" episode ofMurder, She Wrote.^[188] Also that year, Whitman appeared in one episode ofJack and Mike.^[189]

In 1988, Whitman appeared in the television-filmOnce Upon a Texas Train^[190] and an episode ofJ.J. Starbuck.^[191] On May 2, the first episode ofErnest Hemingway'sbiographyminiseries calledHemingway premiered, in which Whitman played the subject's father.^[192] The first season of the seriesSuperboy began that year, which focused onSuperman/Clark Kent during his college years; Whitman playedJonathan Kent.^[193]

During his tenure onSuperboy, Whitman appeared in other projects. In 1989, Whitman acted inDeadly Reactor^[194] andGypsy.^[195]

In 1990, Whitman started to play a recurring character onKnots Landing.^[196] Also that year, Whitman played supporting roles inMoving Target,^[197]Omega Cop,^[198] andMob Boss.^[199]

In 1991, Whitman provided the narration for theJapanese filmHeaven & Earth^[200] and acted inThe Color of Evening.^[201] On stage, Whitman acted inThe Country Girl.^[202] In a 1991 interview with theLos Angeles Times, Whitman said, "I was bankable for a while, then I did a couple of shows that didn't make any money. Then I wasn’t bankable... As an actor, you've got to keep working. You've got to do something to feed the family, put the kids through school."^[203]

In 1992, Whitman appeared in an episode ofMurder, She Wrote.^[204] That year, Whitman had supporting roles in the filmsSmooth Talker^[205] andSandman.^[206][207]

In 1993, Whitman appeared in an episode of the TV showTime Trax.^[208] In films, Whitman appeared inLightning in a Bottle^[209] andPrivate Wars.^[210] Whitman also guest starred in the two-hour special debut of the TV seriesThe Adventures of Brisco County, Jr..^[211]

In 1994, Whitman was a guest on the television showWalker, Texas Ranger.^[212] In films, Whitman appeared inImproper Conduct andTrial by Jury.^[213][214]

In 1995, Whitman appeared in the television filmWounded Heart^[215] and an episode of the TV seriesCourthouse.^{[citation needed]}

In 1996, Whitman appeared in the filmLand of Milk & Honey^[216] and the short filmTwo Weeks from Sunday.^{[citation needed]} Also that year, Whitman appeared in the television filmShaughnessy: The Iron Marshal, an adaptation of theLouis L'Amour novelShaughnessy.^[217]

In 1997, Whitman voiced a character in the children'sanimated seriesAaahh!!! Real Monsters.^{[citation needed]}

On February 1, 1998, Whitman was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.^[218] Also that year, Whitman appeared in the filmSecond Chances.^[219]

In 2000, Whitman appeared in the television filmThe President's Man.^[220]

Afterwards, Whitman was reported to be retired.^[221] He became financially independent through a combination of property developments and his acting income.^[11] "I didn't need to act to make a living, but had a real passion for it – I just loved to act," said Whitman.^[222]

Whitman's first marriage was to Patricia LaLonde (October 13, 1952 – 1966). They had four children—Tony (born 1953), Michael (born 1954), Linda (born 1956), and Scott (born 1958)—before getting divorced.^{[citation needed]}

Stuart remarried in 1966, toFrench-born Caroline Boubis. They had one son together, Justin, before divorcing in 1974. In 2006, he wed Julia Paradiz, aRussian woman he met at a friend's wedding inSt. Petersburg, Russia in 1971.^[222][223]

In an interview, Whitman said that he andBroderick Crawford clicked upon meeting on the set ofHighway Patrol. Whenever Whitman was low on cash, he would tell Crawford, who continued to re-invite him. Both would hang-out outside of the workplace. Later, Whitman helped Crawford to be cast inThe Decks Ran Red.

AnotherThe Decks Ran Red co-star Whitman commented on wasDorothy Dandridge, who was going through a divorce and had to institutionalize her mentally ill daughter. Whitman was impressed with her strength and described her as a goddess.^{[citation needed]}

Whitman said that when he first metPeter Falk on the set ofMurder, Inc., they had their differences but eventually became friends. Whitman foundThe Mark directorGuy Green difficult to work with, finding him demanding and too strict, but they became good friends afterwards. On the set ofSands of the Kalahari, Whitman said he became best friends with fellow cast membersStanley Baker andTheodore Bikel. While he didn't click withJim Brown at first, they too became friends.

In the same piece, Whitman said thatTerry-Thomas was one of his best friends. After their collaboration onThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, both would meet for drinks, visit one another, and swim in the ocean while on Whitman's beachfront home inMalibu.^[5][6][7][8]

Whitman died on March 16, 2020, from skin cancer at hisMontecito, California home.^[224]Survivors included his wife, Julia; four children from his first marriage, Linda Whitman van Hook and Anthony, Michael and Scott Whitman; a son from his second marriage, Justin Whitman; a brother, actor Kipp Whitman; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.^[225]

• Nominated for Best ActorAcademy Award –The Mark (1961)
• Winner (cast member)Western Heritage Awards –The Comancheros (1961)
• Included on theHollywood Walk of Fame (1998)

• Petkovich, Anthony (2013). "Interview with Stuart Whitman".Shock Cinema. No. 44.

• Stuart Whitman at theBritish Film Institute^{[better source needed]}
• Stuart Whitman atIMDb
• Stuart Whitman at theTCM Movie Database 
• Interview with Whitman, filmnoirfoundation.org