Ralph Taeger
Encyclopedia
Ralph Taeger is an American
actor
who starred in three television series
during the 1960s.
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Knee injuries prompted him to switch his focus from athletics to acting, though he refers to baseball as his "first love."
A high school teacher had suggested Taeger try public speaking and acting. In the late 1950s he enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
in New York City
and also worked as a model. Within six months, however, he landed a major role in a production at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. An official at MGM was so impressed by Taeger's performance that the studio signed him to a contract.
, a half-hour Western
adventure series set in Skagway, Alaska
, during the 1897-1899 gold rush
. Taeger played Mike Halliday, a rugged prospector.
Midway through the 1960-61 season
, NBC
dropped Klondike but transferred Taeger and co-star James Coburn
to the replacement series, Acapulco
, set in the Mexican resort
. In Acapulco, Taeger played Patrick Malone, a Korean War
veteran-turned-beachcomber.
In 1967, Taeger was cast in the title role of Hondo
, ABC's
TV adaptation of the John Wayne movie
. As Hondo Lane, Taeger played a cavalry
scout in the Arizona Territory
of the 1870s. One of his Hondo guest stars was Pat Conway
(1931-1981) of the ABC and syndicated
western series Tombstone Territory
, on which Taeger twice guest starred.
In a 1967 interview Taeger told TV Guide
: "For a long time I couldn't get any work because people had hung a label on me as uncooperative. But I'm not; it's just that I say what I think, and sometimes that rubs folks the wrong way."
. Prior to landing the role of Hondo Lane, Taeger had considered partnering with his brother in a maintenance business in Walden, New York
.
In 1983, he used an inheritance to buy a house and 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of forested land near Placerville, California
. He opened a wholesale firewood business, Taeger's Firewood, and occasionally appeared in productions at the local playhouse.
. They have one son.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who starred in three television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
during the 1960s.
Biography
Born in Queens, New York, USA,from German speaking parents Fredrich and Olga Siefert. Taeger's first career choice was professional baseball, and he did play briefly on a farm teamFarm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. Knee injuries prompted him to switch his focus from athletics to acting, though he refers to baseball as his "first love."
A high school teacher had suggested Taeger try public speaking and acting. In the late 1950s he enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is a fully accredited two-year conservatory with facilities located in Manhattan, New York City – at 120 Madison Avenue, in a landmark building designed by noted architect Stanford White as the original Colony Club – and in Hollywood, California...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and also worked as a model. Within six months, however, he landed a major role in a production at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. An official at MGM was so impressed by Taeger's performance that the studio signed him to a contract.
Television career
Taeger's first TV series was KlondikeKlondike (TV series)
Klondike is a 17-episode half-hour Western television series that aired on NBC. The series premiered on October 10, 1960 and ran until February 13, 1961. It faced stiff competition from The Danny Thomas Show on CBS and the second half of the first-season detective series Surfside 6 starring Troy...
, a half-hour Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
adventure series set in Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
, during the 1897-1899 gold rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
. Taeger played Mike Halliday, a rugged prospector.
Midway through the 1960-61 season
1960-61 United States network television schedule
The 1960–61 United States network television schedule was for the period that began in September 1960 and ran through March 1961.On May 9, 1961, at the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters new FCC chairman Newton Minow delivered a scathing speech directed at the "procession...
, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
dropped Klondike but transferred Taeger and co-star James Coburn
James Coburn
James Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
to the replacement series, Acapulco
Acapulco (TV series)
Acapulco is an American half-hour adventure series that aired on NBC in 1961. It is notable for providing Telly Savalas with his first regularly recurring role in a television series.-Plot:...
, set in the Mexican resort
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
. In Acapulco, Taeger played Patrick Malone, a Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
veteran-turned-beachcomber.
In 1967, Taeger was cast in the title role of Hondo
Hondo (TV series)
Hondo is a Western television series starring Ralph Taeger, that aired in the United States on ABC during the 1967 fall season.-Overview:Hondo was based on the film of the same name starring John Wayne, which was in turn based on an early Louis L'Amour novel...
, ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV adaptation of the John Wayne movie
Hondo (film)
Hondo is a movie that was made in 1953 by 3-D Warnercolor western film starring John Wayne, directed by John Farrow. The screenplay is based on the 1952 short story "The Gift of Cochise" by Louis L'Amour...
. As Hondo Lane, Taeger played a cavalry
United States Cavalry
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, is the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The role of the U.S. Cavalry is reconnaissance, security and mounted assault. Cavalry has served as a part of the Army forces in every war in which the United States has participated...
scout in the Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
of the 1870s. One of his Hondo guest stars was Pat Conway
Pat Conway
Patrick Douglas Conway, known as Pat Conway , was an American actor best known for his role as young but tough Sheriff Clay Hollister on the ABC and then syndicated western television series Tombstone Territory . He was a maternal grandson of silent film star Francis X...
(1931-1981) of the ABC and syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
western series Tombstone Territory
Tombstone Territory
Tombstone Territory is an American Western series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The series' first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959...
, on which Taeger twice guest starred.
In a 1967 interview Taeger told TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
: "For a long time I couldn't get any work because people had hung a label on me as uncooperative. But I'm not; it's just that I say what I think, and sometimes that rubs folks the wrong way."
Post-Television
Between Acapulco and Hondo, Taeger operated a janitorial service, Bronco Maintenance Service, in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Prior to landing the role of Hondo Lane, Taeger had considered partnering with his brother in a maintenance business in Walden, New York
Walden, New York
Walden is the largest of three villages of the Town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,978 at the 2010 census. It has the ZIP Code 12586 and the 778 telephone exchange within the 845 area code...
.
In 1983, he used an inheritance to buy a house and 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of forested land near Placerville, California
Placerville, California
Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He opened a wholesale firewood business, Taeger's Firewood, and occasionally appeared in productions at the local playhouse.
Personal life
In 1967, Taeger married Linda Jarrett, a former activities director at the Newburgh, New York, YWCAYWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
. They have one son.