Gil Peterson

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Gil Peterson is an American former actor and singer best known for such films and television series as The Cool Ones and The F.B.I. .

Contents

Early life and education

Peterson was born to H. W. and Mable Peterson in Winona, Mississippi. His older brother, Donald, would later become a NASA astronaut. [1] Peterson played football at both Winona High School and Mississippi State in the position of halfback and left-footed punter, graduating from the university in 1958 as a physical education major. [2] [3] During college vacations, Peterson sang in night clubs in the south, and had a screen test in his senior year. [4] He served for several months with the United States Air Force Reserve. [5]

Career

Peterson moved to Los Angeles, and worked in the physical education department of the school system while pursuing a performing career. [6] Peterson began as a singer with the DownBeats. In 1962, he recorded a single, "Baby, Baby All the Time" with "Nobody's Fool on the B-side, released by the Karle Company, and recorded an album with Bobby Troup, about which Peterson joked, "It sold seven copies. My folks bought six and I bought one." He recorded two other albums which were also not successes. [5] [3]

He performed in summer stock theater and studied acting with James Best. After making a number of commercials, his first television role was on Combat! . [5] Peterson appeared in Never Too Young , Paradise Bay , Run for Your Life , and The Young Marrieds . [4]

In 1966, Peterson was cast as the lead in The Cool Ones . [4] Turner Classic Movies notes that The Cool Ones was not favorably reviewed on its release, but quotes a modern reviewer: "Some bad movies are more entertaining than their much better cousins, and The Cool Ones falls squarely into that category." [7] After The Cool Ones, Peterson was offered a five-year, five-film deal by Jack L. Warner. [8]

Peterson appeared on Death Valley Days in 1967. [9] Other roles included 12 O'Clock High , The FBI , and Valley of the Dolls . [5] In 1974, Peterson appeared on Emergency! . [10]

Peterson established JaXon Productions, a film corporation in Mississippi, in 1969, intending to change his career from acting and singing to producing. [11]

By 1989, Peterson had retired from acting and moved to Winchester, Oregon. [1]

Personal life

After first moving to California, Peterson married a model from Sacramento, who died of cancer. [4] Peterson is a licensed flight instructor and owned an aviation business in California. [11]

Partial filmography

References

  1. 1 2 Cearnal, Sidney (November 23, 1989). "H. W. "Pete" Peterson, Army veteran". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 2B.
  2. ↑ "Local Boy Makes Good". The Greenwood Commonwealth. December 12, 1969. p. 1, 10.
  3. 1 2 ""Singing Halfback" Has New Recording". The Greenwood Commonwealth. August 7, 1962. p. 2.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jennings, Robert (August 21, 1966). "Former Bulldog is Among 'The Cool Ones'". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. p. 3.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Don and Gil Peterson are grateful for home support". The Winona Times. August 24, 1967. pp. 1, 7.
  6. ↑ "Gil Peterson Is TV Star Safeguarded By Education". Asheville Citizen-Times. August 21, 1966. p. 54.
  7. ↑ Stafford, Jeff (July 10, 2023). "The Cool Ones". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  8. ↑ Muir, Florabel (September 2, 1966). "Looking at Hollywood". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. 15.
  9. ↑ "In The Spotlight". The Charlotte Observer. July 1, 1967. p. 16.
  10. ↑ "Gil Peterson on "Emergency"". The Winona Times. February 14, 1974. p. 14.
  11. 1 2 "Winona plans for Mississippi movies". The Conservative. Carrollton, Mississippi. December 4, 1969. pp. 1, 3.
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