Ben Murphy

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Ben Murphy
Ben Murphy 1970.jpg
Murphy in Alias Smith and Jones
Born (1942-03-06) March 6, 1942 (age 82)
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2010
SpouseJeanne Davis (1978–81)

Ben Murphy (born March 6, 1942 [1] ) is an American actor. [2] He is best known for his role as Kid Curry in the ABC television series Alias Smith and Jones .

Contents

Early life

Murphy was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to Benjamin R. Castleberry and Nadine nee Steele. His mother remarried in 1949 to Patrick Henry Murphy. Ben was raised Catholic in the Chicago suburb of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. [1] An alumnus of St. Procopius Academy in Lisle, Illinois, predecessor to today's Benet Academy, [3] he attended eight colleges before deciding to pursue acting. [1]

Personal life

Murphy has a son, Joshua Spriestersbach, from his relationship with Suzanne Bardin. [4]

Career

Murphy appeared in a supporting role in The Name of the Game , a series featuring a rotating leading cast including Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack. Murphy played a semi regular role as 'Joseph Sample' assistant to Robert Stack's leading character 'Dan Farrell' in Stack's segments of the show. From 1971–73, he starred in Alias Smith and Jones with Pete Duel (1971–72) and Roger Davis (1972–73). After Alias Smith and Jones, Murphy joined Lorne Greene in the 1973 ABC crime drama Griff .

Murphy, Patricia Stich and Lorne Greene in Griff Ben Murphy Patricia Stich Lorne Greene Griff 1973.JPG
Murphy, Patricia Stich and Lorne Greene in Griff

In the 1983–84 season, Murphy co-starred with Marshall Colt in the ABC drama series Lottery! . Murphy played Patrick Sean Flaherty, the man who informed lottery winners of their stroke of fortune, and Colt, formerly with James Arness on NBC's short-lived crime drama, McClain's Law , portrayed the Internal Revenue Service agent, Eric Rush, who made sure the winners pay the U.S. government up front. In 1985, Murphy co-starred as department store heir, Paul Berrenger, on the short-lived drama, Berrenger's . His character was at odds with his former wife, Gloria (Andrea Marcovicci) and his own father, Simon (Sam Wanamaker) due to his romance with executive, Shane Bradley (Yvette Mimieux). Murphy starred in his own series Gemini Man , in which he played a secret agent who could become invisible for 15 minutes a day through the use of a special wristwatch. The show did not run beyond a single season. Murphy has since appeared in guest-starring parts, including a murder suspect in CBS's Cold Case .

After becoming a highly ranked tournament tennis player in California in the 1980s, Murphy competed on the USTA singles and doubles circuit and in celebrity events. [5]

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1967 The Graduate Shaving StudentUncredited
1968 The Virginian Mike Bradbury2 episodes
It Takes a Thief King PineauEpisode: "A Matter of Royal Larceny"
Yours, Mine, and Ours Larry
The Outsider Patrick ForresterEpisode: "Tell It Like It Is... and You're Dead"
1968–71 The Name of the Game Joseph Sample6 episodes
1969 The Thousand Plane Raid Lt. Archer
Anatomy of a CrimePatrick ForresterTV film
1970 Medical Center Jerry LambertEpisode: "His Brother's Keeper"
The Mod Squad BobEpisode: "A Far Away Place So Near"
1971–73 Alias Smith and Jones Jed 'Kid' Curry (Thaddeus Jones)50 episodes
1973 The Letters Joe RandolphTV film
Runaway! Les ReeverTV film
Love, American Style BartSegment: "Love and the Postal Meeter"
197374 Griff Mike Murdoch12 Episodes
1974 Heatwave! Frank Taylor
This Is the West That WasWild Bill Hickok
1975 Sidecar Racers Jeff Rayburn
Marcus Welby, M.D. Alan Peterson (1Episode: "Four Plus Hot"
1976Code Name-Minus OneSam CaseyTV film
Gemini Man Sam Casey11 episodes
BridgerKit Carson
1979 $weepstake$ Episode: "Cowboy, Linda and Angie, Mark"
1979, 1983 Fantasy Island Billy Blake2 episodes - 1979 and 1983
1979–80 The Chisholms Will Chisholm13 episodes
1979–84 The Love Boat Gregory King/Paul in S2 E185 episodes
1980Secret War of Jackie's GirlsBuckTV film
1981 Riding with Death Sam CaseyTV film
1982 Trapper John, M.D. Ned TraversEpisode: "Medicine Man"
Time Walker Prof. Douglas McCadden
1983 Uncommon Valor Jim MerrittTV film
The Winds of War Warren Henry7 episodes
Matt Houston Terry NobleEpisode: "The Beverly Hills Social Club"
The Cradle Will FallDr. Richard Carroll
198384 Lottery! [2] Patrick Sean Flaherty17 episodes
1984 Finder of Lost Loves David CarsonEpisode: "Losing Touch"
Hotel Robbie Joe CarsonEpisode: "Fantasies"
1985 Berrenger's Paul Berrenger11 episodes
Gidget's Summer Reunion Ron LeveringTV film
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Alan ChamberlinEpisode: "A Lovely Little Affair"
Murder, She Wrote Scott LodgeEpisode: "Reflections of the Mind"
1986Stark: Mirror ImageSteve GravesTV film
1988 Dirty Dozen: The Series (FOX)Major Danko6 episodes
1989 The Twilight Zone Jack HainesEpisode: "Love Is Blind"
1990 Shades of L.A. Chuck YellinEpisode: "Shades of L.A."
1991 Life Goes On Jordan ParnellEpisode: "Proms and Prams"
In the Heat of the Night Tom DaltonEpisode: "The More Things Change"
1992 FBI: The Untold Stories Agt. Jack SimpsonEpisode: "Colonel Penn"
1993–95 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Ethan Cooper3 episodes
1995High Sierra Search and RescueRoger HarmonEpisode: "Past, Present"
1996 Silk Stalkings Senator Grant HemmingsEpisode: "Family Values"
Baywatch Nights Robert HoustonEpisode: "Epilogue"
1997–2004 JAG Lt. Col. John Farrow
Captain Neilsen
3 episodes
Episode: "Ghosts of Christmas Past"
1998 Air America Cornelius StrattonEpisode: "Hostage Situation"
1999 E! Mysteries and Scandals HimselfEpisode: "Peter Duel"
Pacific Blue Chief Frank SwerdlowEpisode: "Swimming in the Dead Pool"
Seven Days Col. Seth MattingerEpisode: "HAARP Attack"
2000 Hanging Up Richard(scenes deleted)
2001To Protect and ServeOfficer Friendly
The District Congressman Phillip HallettEpisode: "Lost and Found"
2003 The Drew Carey Show Reverend HendersonEpisode: "Two Girls for Every Boy"
Navy NCIS Capt. VeitchEpisode: "Sub Rosa"
2004 Judging Amy Brad VickersEpisode: "My Little Runaway"
2005FreezerburnGeneral Dwight Rourke
2006 Cold Case Travis Whitman - 2006Episode: "Debut"
The Uniform Motion of FollyVincent
2007McBride Semper FiGeneral Dwight RourkeTV film
2010 The Genesis Code Professor Campbell

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ask the Star — Your Questions Answered". The Windsor Star . March 7, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  2. 1 2 O'Connor, John J. (September 9, 1983). "TV WEEKEND; 'LOTTERY!' SERIES, TENNIS AND BOXING". The New York Times .
  3. "More Notable Alumni...". The Alumni Herald (9). Benet Academy: 11–14. November 2007.
  4. Kolker, Robert (July 26, 2022). "Why Was Joshua Held for More Than Two Years for Someone Else's Crimes?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  5. Profile, encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Accessed December 27, 2023.