Anecdotes

Served in the Navy in the South Pacific in World War II, and lost all of his own teeth in an explosion aboard his aircraft carrier during battle. The fact he had false teeth was used in Bastogne (1949), with his character Pvt. Kippton sometimes clicking his false teeth after speaking for effect and later "losing" them temporarily in an attempt to get off the front line.

Replaced by Myron Healey as Doc Holliday in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955) for several episodes in 1958 and 1959. He had begun shooting A Gift for Heidi (1958) in West Germany in the off-season of the series but filming there went on longer than expected.

Father of Kim Fowley.

Interred at Laurel Cemetery in Murrieta, Riverside County, CA.

First husband of Shelby Payne.