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Created page with "{{infobox person |person=Dean Fredericks<br> (American actor who played Steve Canyon<br> born Frederick Joseph Foote) |birth_date=January 21, 1924 |birth_place=Los Ang..."
{{infobox person
|person=Dean Fredericks<br>
(American actor who played Steve Canyon<br> born Frederick Joseph Foote)
|birth_date=January 21, 1924
|birth_place=[[Los Angeles]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]]
|death_date=June 30, 1999 (aged 75)
|death_place=Los Angeles, California
|spouse=(1) Missing<br>
(2) Myda Fredericks (married 1956-1999, his death)}}
'''Dean Fredericks''' (January 21, 1924 – June 30, 1999) was an [[United States|American]] [[actor]] best known for his portrayal of the comic strip]character [[Steve Canyon]] in a 34-episode [[television]] series of the same name which aired from 1958 to 1959 on [[NBC]].<ref name=bio/> He was born '''Frederick Joseph Foote''' in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/dean-fredericks/person/88093/summary.html|title=Dean Fredericks|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref> On October 31, 1942, he enlisted as a private in the 1st Cavalry Division of the [[United States Army]], with service during [[World War II]] and the recipient of a [[Purple Heart]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292841/bio|title=Biography for Dean Fredericks|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
==Early career==
One of Fredericks's earliest known acting roles was as a priest in the "The Lord Is Risen" segment of the 1952 film series ''The Living Bible'', with Nelson Leigh in the role of [[Jesus Christ]]. In 1954 he played an unnamed member of a lynch mob in the western film, ''Jesse James v. the Daltons,'' which again featured Nelson Leigh, this time as a priest, Father Kerrigan. That same year he played "Police Detective Curtis" in the classic [[science fiction]] film, ''Them!"<ref name=credits>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292841/|title=Dean Fredericks|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
In 1955-1956, Fredericks played Kaseem, the [[Hindu]] manservant of the lead [[Johnny Weismuller]] character in the 26-episode syndicated television series, ''Jungle Jim,'' based on a successful comic strip as well as earlier films of the same name. Martin Huston appeared in the series as Jungle Jim's teenage son, Skipper Bradford. Paul Cavanagh was cast as Commissioner Morrison in nine episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geostan.ca/jjtv.html|title=Screen Gems: ''The Jungle Jim TV Series''|publisher=geostan.ca|accessdate=February 2, 2010}}</ref>In 1957, he appeared as Jug Davis in the black-and-white western film about landgrabbers, ''Utah Blaine,'' with [[Rory Calhoun]] in the title role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051145/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_89|title=''Utah Blaine'' (1957)|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
From 1954 to 1957, Fredericks guest starred six times in different roles, usually as an Indian on the [[ABC]] western, ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.'' In 1957, he appeared in the ABC military series ''Navy Log'' in the role of DeMarco in the episode "The War of the Whale Boats" and as Chalky in the segment "Lady Luck" of the syndicated adventure series ''Whirlybirds,'' starring Kenneth Tobey. That same year, he appeared in the popular ABC western ''Maverick'' (as Mitchell in "The Jeweled Gun," the tenth episode of the long-running series) and on John Bromfield's ''Sheriff of Cochise,'' a syndicated police drama set in [[Arizona]]. He appeared three times from 1956 to 1958 on Clint Walker's ''Cheyenne'' series, including the role of the Indian Yellow Knife in a much remembered episode "Quicksand" and as Little Chief in "The Broken Pledge".<ref name=credits/> On April 6, 1957, Fredericks played Gart in the episode "The Photographer" of [[CBS]]'s ''Gunsmoke western series, with Sebastian Cabot in the title guest-starring role as Professor Jacoby.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fandango.com/gunsmoke:thephotographer_v453432/summary|title=''Gunsmoke'': "The Photographer"|publisher=fandango.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>
==As Steve Canyon==
In ''Steve Canyon,'' Fredericks was cast as flying ace and troubleshooter Stevenson B. Canyon, a [[lieutenant colonel]] stationed at the fictitious Big Thunder [[United States Air Force]] base. The episodes bear such titles as "The Korean Story," "Project UFO," "Sabotage," "Iron Curtain," "Strike Force," "Operation Crash Landing," "The Bomb," and "Operation Thunderbirds," reflecting the events of that time. Appearing with Fredericks were Jerry Paris, later of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show,'' in eleven episodes as Major Willie Williston, William Schallert three times as Major Karl Richmond, and James Drury twice as Lieutenant Richard Muller, Nelson Leigh twice as General Black, and Karl Swenson twice as Colonel Vanderhoek.<ref name=credits/> Marion Ross, later Mrs. Cunningham on the ABC comedy ''Happy Days'' appeared as Rita Bradshaw in the single episode entitled "Operation Zero Launch".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005385/|title=Marion Ross|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>Paul Free] narrated sixteen of the episodes; Don Taylo, ten segments. The series had a wide array of impressive guest stars.<ref name=credits/> The program has been available in a special edition [[DVD]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Canyon-Special-Dean-Fredericks/dp/B0010EI3JU|title=Steve Canyon|publisher=amazon.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>
Entertainment writer Bruce Eder found that Fredericks "looked exactly like" the Steve Canyon character as drawn by the cartoonist Milton Caniff (1909-1988). Eder added, "That was how Dean Fredericks became a star known to millions of baby boomers."<ref name=eder/> Steve Canyon toys and related products prolonged the popularity of the program in pop culture long after its initial television run.<ref name=eder/> The ''Steve Canyon'' series first aired at 9 p.m. Saturdays between ''The Perry Como Show'' and the western ''Cimarron City'' and opposite [[CBS]]'s ''[[Gale Storm|The Gale Storm Show]]'' and ABC's ''The Lawrence Welk Show.'' After a few months, it was moved to Thursday and then Tuesday evenings and hence did not receive the benefit of a stable time slot. The program was repeated April to September in 1960 on ABC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ctva.biz/US/Military/SteveCanyon.htm|title=''Steve Canyon''|publisher=Classic Television Archives|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref><ref>Alex McNeil, ''Total Television,'' appendix, 1958-1959 network television schedule.</ref>
The series was sponsored by Chesterfield [[cigarette]]s. The first twenty-four episodes have been released on [[DVD]] in two volumes since 2008 through the Milton Caniff estate. The remaining ten episodes will be released in a third and final DVD volume but has been released as of late July 2015 .<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com/2013/02/col-canyon-is-alive-and-well.html|title=''Steve Canyon''|publisher=stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com|accessdate=March 25, 2013}}</ref>
==Other acting roles==
In 1958 credited as Norman Fredics he appeared in ''The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold'' as the town doctor who hid his Indian ancestry. From 1959 to 1960, he guest starred in the syndicated ''Border Patrol'' television series as Inspector Al Moore in "Night Target". He was cast on the [[Henry Fonda]] series, ''The Deputy,'' as Pete Clemson in "Silent Gun," on the series ''Laramie'' as Chad Morgan in "Street of Hate", and in the [[comedy]], ''[[Ann Sothern|The Ann Sothern Show]],'' as Johnson in "Common Cents". Other 1960 roles included ''Shotgun Slade'' (as Vance in "Killer's Brand'), ''Sugarfoot'' (as Spotted Wolf in "Shadow Catcher"), ''Lawman'' (as Great Bear in "Chantay"), ''Bronco'' (as Great Wolf in "Seminole War Pipe"), and the detective series, ''Surfside 6'' (in "Girl in the Galleon").<ref name=credits/>
In 1961, Fredericks played Captain Frank Chapman in the film, ''The Phantom Planet,'' an unusual science fiction adventure involving an [[astronaut]] who becomes reduced in physical size and is isolated on a planetoid with a super-civilization. The film has endured in popularity for nearly a half-century.<ref name=eder/>
In 1962, Fredericks was cast as Jed Harvey in the episode "The Greedy Town" of CBS's ''Rawhide'' western series, starring Eric Fleming and [[Clint Eastwood]]. In 1962 to 1963, he appeared twice on Chuck Connors' ABC western, ''The Rifleman'' as Phil Carver in "Squeeze Play" and as Rance in "Requiem at Mission Springs." On May 1, 1963, he appeared in the role of Jan Wolski in the episode entitled "The Final Hour" of the NBC western ''The Virginian,'' starring James Drury and Doug McClure.<ref name=credits/> In 1963, he played a Comanche chief in the film ''Savage Sam,'' a sequel to [[Walt Disney]]'s 1957 classic ''Old Yeller.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fandango.com/savagesam_v42994/summary|title=''Savage Sam'' (synopsis)|publisher=fandango.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref> Dean had a cameo in the movie "The Girl Who Knew Too Much," starring Adam West and Nancy Kwan. When he was not acting he repaired automobiles for other actors and in 1963 built and designed his own car, which also had a cameo in said movie .
Fredericks appeared in four episodes of ABC's ''Walt Disney Presents'' as Crow Feather in three segments from 1960-1961 in the ''Daniel Boone'' series: "The Warrior's Path," "The Wilderness Road," and "The Promised Land." His last television role was on ''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' on February 7, 1965, as the criminal Zip Wyatt in "The Adventures of Gallegher, Part 3", starring Roger Mobley in the title role, with co-stars Edmond O'Brien, Harvey Korman, and Ray Teal.<ref name=credits/>
After a failed first marriage (c. 1948-1952), the 6'3" Fredericks was married in Los Angeles on November 19, 1956, to his second wife, Myda Fredericks (1922–2006). The ceremony was performed by Judge Julian Beck, a family friend who formerly served in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Fredericks succumbed to [[cancer]] in Los Angeles at the age of seventy-five.<ref name=bio/><ref>The author is unable to account for Fredericks's activities between the last Disney role in 1965 and his death.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fredericks, Dean}}
[[Category:California]]
[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:World War II]]
|person=Dean Fredericks<br>
(American actor who played Steve Canyon<br> born Frederick Joseph Foote)
|birth_date=January 21, 1924
|birth_place=[[Los Angeles]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]]
|death_date=June 30, 1999 (aged 75)
|death_place=Los Angeles, California
|spouse=(1) Missing<br>
(2) Myda Fredericks (married 1956-1999, his death)}}
'''Dean Fredericks''' (January 21, 1924 – June 30, 1999) was an [[United States|American]] [[actor]] best known for his portrayal of the comic strip]character [[Steve Canyon]] in a 34-episode [[television]] series of the same name which aired from 1958 to 1959 on [[NBC]].<ref name=bio/> He was born '''Frederick Joseph Foote''' in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/dean-fredericks/person/88093/summary.html|title=Dean Fredericks|publisher=tv.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref> On October 31, 1942, he enlisted as a private in the 1st Cavalry Division of the [[United States Army]], with service during [[World War II]] and the recipient of a [[Purple Heart]].<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292841/bio|title=Biography for Dean Fredericks|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
==Early career==
One of Fredericks's earliest known acting roles was as a priest in the "The Lord Is Risen" segment of the 1952 film series ''The Living Bible'', with Nelson Leigh in the role of [[Jesus Christ]]. In 1954 he played an unnamed member of a lynch mob in the western film, ''Jesse James v. the Daltons,'' which again featured Nelson Leigh, this time as a priest, Father Kerrigan. That same year he played "Police Detective Curtis" in the classic [[science fiction]] film, ''Them!"<ref name=credits>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0292841/|title=Dean Fredericks|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
In 1955-1956, Fredericks played Kaseem, the [[Hindu]] manservant of the lead [[Johnny Weismuller]] character in the 26-episode syndicated television series, ''Jungle Jim,'' based on a successful comic strip as well as earlier films of the same name. Martin Huston appeared in the series as Jungle Jim's teenage son, Skipper Bradford. Paul Cavanagh was cast as Commissioner Morrison in nine episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geostan.ca/jjtv.html|title=Screen Gems: ''The Jungle Jim TV Series''|publisher=geostan.ca|accessdate=February 2, 2010}}</ref>In 1957, he appeared as Jug Davis in the black-and-white western film about landgrabbers, ''Utah Blaine,'' with [[Rory Calhoun]] in the title role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051145/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_89|title=''Utah Blaine'' (1957)|publisher=Internet Movie Data Base|accessdate=March 9, 2020}}</ref>
From 1954 to 1957, Fredericks guest starred six times in different roles, usually as an Indian on the [[ABC]] western, ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.'' In 1957, he appeared in the ABC military series ''Navy Log'' in the role of DeMarco in the episode "The War of the Whale Boats" and as Chalky in the segment "Lady Luck" of the syndicated adventure series ''Whirlybirds,'' starring Kenneth Tobey. That same year, he appeared in the popular ABC western ''Maverick'' (as Mitchell in "The Jeweled Gun," the tenth episode of the long-running series) and on John Bromfield's ''Sheriff of Cochise,'' a syndicated police drama set in [[Arizona]]. He appeared three times from 1956 to 1958 on Clint Walker's ''Cheyenne'' series, including the role of the Indian Yellow Knife in a much remembered episode "Quicksand" and as Little Chief in "The Broken Pledge".<ref name=credits/> On April 6, 1957, Fredericks played Gart in the episode "The Photographer" of [[CBS]]'s ''Gunsmoke western series, with Sebastian Cabot in the title guest-starring role as Professor Jacoby.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fandango.com/gunsmoke:thephotographer_v453432/summary|title=''Gunsmoke'': "The Photographer"|publisher=fandango.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>
==As Steve Canyon==
In ''Steve Canyon,'' Fredericks was cast as flying ace and troubleshooter Stevenson B. Canyon, a [[lieutenant colonel]] stationed at the fictitious Big Thunder [[United States Air Force]] base. The episodes bear such titles as "The Korean Story," "Project UFO," "Sabotage," "Iron Curtain," "Strike Force," "Operation Crash Landing," "The Bomb," and "Operation Thunderbirds," reflecting the events of that time. Appearing with Fredericks were Jerry Paris, later of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show,'' in eleven episodes as Major Willie Williston, William Schallert three times as Major Karl Richmond, and James Drury twice as Lieutenant Richard Muller, Nelson Leigh twice as General Black, and Karl Swenson twice as Colonel Vanderhoek.<ref name=credits/> Marion Ross, later Mrs. Cunningham on the ABC comedy ''Happy Days'' appeared as Rita Bradshaw in the single episode entitled "Operation Zero Launch".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005385/|title=Marion Ross|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>Paul Free] narrated sixteen of the episodes; Don Taylo, ten segments. The series had a wide array of impressive guest stars.<ref name=credits/> The program has been available in a special edition [[DVD]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Canyon-Special-Dean-Fredericks/dp/B0010EI3JU|title=Steve Canyon|publisher=amazon.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref>
Entertainment writer Bruce Eder found that Fredericks "looked exactly like" the Steve Canyon character as drawn by the cartoonist Milton Caniff (1909-1988). Eder added, "That was how Dean Fredericks became a star known to millions of baby boomers."<ref name=eder/> Steve Canyon toys and related products prolonged the popularity of the program in pop culture long after its initial television run.<ref name=eder/> The ''Steve Canyon'' series first aired at 9 p.m. Saturdays between ''The Perry Como Show'' and the western ''Cimarron City'' and opposite [[CBS]]'s ''[[Gale Storm|The Gale Storm Show]]'' and ABC's ''The Lawrence Welk Show.'' After a few months, it was moved to Thursday and then Tuesday evenings and hence did not receive the benefit of a stable time slot. The program was repeated April to September in 1960 on ABC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ctva.biz/US/Military/SteveCanyon.htm|title=''Steve Canyon''|publisher=Classic Television Archives|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref><ref>Alex McNeil, ''Total Television,'' appendix, 1958-1959 network television schedule.</ref>
The series was sponsored by Chesterfield [[cigarette]]s. The first twenty-four episodes have been released on [[DVD]] in two volumes since 2008 through the Milton Caniff estate. The remaining ten episodes will be released in a third and final DVD volume but has been released as of late July 2015 .<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com/2013/02/col-canyon-is-alive-and-well.html|title=''Steve Canyon''|publisher=stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com|accessdate=March 25, 2013}}</ref>
==Other acting roles==
In 1958 credited as Norman Fredics he appeared in ''The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold'' as the town doctor who hid his Indian ancestry. From 1959 to 1960, he guest starred in the syndicated ''Border Patrol'' television series as Inspector Al Moore in "Night Target". He was cast on the [[Henry Fonda]] series, ''The Deputy,'' as Pete Clemson in "Silent Gun," on the series ''Laramie'' as Chad Morgan in "Street of Hate", and in the [[comedy]], ''[[Ann Sothern|The Ann Sothern Show]],'' as Johnson in "Common Cents". Other 1960 roles included ''Shotgun Slade'' (as Vance in "Killer's Brand'), ''Sugarfoot'' (as Spotted Wolf in "Shadow Catcher"), ''Lawman'' (as Great Bear in "Chantay"), ''Bronco'' (as Great Wolf in "Seminole War Pipe"), and the detective series, ''Surfside 6'' (in "Girl in the Galleon").<ref name=credits/>
In 1961, Fredericks played Captain Frank Chapman in the film, ''The Phantom Planet,'' an unusual science fiction adventure involving an [[astronaut]] who becomes reduced in physical size and is isolated on a planetoid with a super-civilization. The film has endured in popularity for nearly a half-century.<ref name=eder/>
In 1962, Fredericks was cast as Jed Harvey in the episode "The Greedy Town" of CBS's ''Rawhide'' western series, starring Eric Fleming and [[Clint Eastwood]]. In 1962 to 1963, he appeared twice on Chuck Connors' ABC western, ''The Rifleman'' as Phil Carver in "Squeeze Play" and as Rance in "Requiem at Mission Springs." On May 1, 1963, he appeared in the role of Jan Wolski in the episode entitled "The Final Hour" of the NBC western ''The Virginian,'' starring James Drury and Doug McClure.<ref name=credits/> In 1963, he played a Comanche chief in the film ''Savage Sam,'' a sequel to [[Walt Disney]]'s 1957 classic ''Old Yeller.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fandango.com/savagesam_v42994/summary|title=''Savage Sam'' (synopsis)|publisher=fandango.com|accessdate=February 13, 2010}}</ref> Dean had a cameo in the movie "The Girl Who Knew Too Much," starring Adam West and Nancy Kwan. When he was not acting he repaired automobiles for other actors and in 1963 built and designed his own car, which also had a cameo in said movie .
Fredericks appeared in four episodes of ABC's ''Walt Disney Presents'' as Crow Feather in three segments from 1960-1961 in the ''Daniel Boone'' series: "The Warrior's Path," "The Wilderness Road," and "The Promised Land." His last television role was on ''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' on February 7, 1965, as the criminal Zip Wyatt in "The Adventures of Gallegher, Part 3", starring Roger Mobley in the title role, with co-stars Edmond O'Brien, Harvey Korman, and Ray Teal.<ref name=credits/>
After a failed first marriage (c. 1948-1952), the 6'3" Fredericks was married in Los Angeles on November 19, 1956, to his second wife, Myda Fredericks (1922–2006). The ceremony was performed by Judge Julian Beck, a family friend who formerly served in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Fredericks succumbed to [[cancer]] in Los Angeles at the age of seventy-five.<ref name=bio/><ref>The author is unable to account for Fredericks's activities between the last Disney role in 1965 and his death.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fredericks, Dean}}
[[Category:California]]
[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:World War II]]