Todd Armstrong

Todd Armstrong
File:Todd Armstrong (actor).jpg In Jason and the Argonauts, 1963
Born	John Harris Armstrong (1937-07-25)July 25, 1937 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	Butte, California, U.S.
Cause of death	suicide
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1961–1982

Todd Armstrong (July 25, 1937 – November 17, 1992), was an American actor in ten films and several television series.

He is probably best known for playing the titular role of Jason in the film Jason and the Argonauts (1963). He had also starred, during 1961, in the later segments of the syndicated crime drama Manhunt.

Early life and education

He was born John Harris Armstrong in St. Louis, Missouri, son of Harris Armstrong, a well-known architect and Louise McClelland Armstrong. In 1956, Armstrong graduated from Ladue High School, where one of his classmates was Auggie Busch, a great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch brewing magnate Adolphus Busch. He moved to California and studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, where his classmates included Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.

Career

His entry into films came when he was working as landscape gardener for actress Gloria Henry, who played the mother on the Dennis the Menace television series. Henry learned of her gardener's acting aspirations and successfully arranged for Armstrong to get a screen test at Columbia.

Armstrong appeared in 13 episodes of the series Manhunt and had supporting roles in the 1962 films Walk On The Wild Side (where he was credited as Todd Anderson) and Five Finger Exercise. Jason And The Argonauts was his first starring role, although his voice was redubbed by an uncredited British actor, Tim Turner.

He had only one additional leading role, in the World War II film King Rat (1965),directed by Bryan Forbes; his later work consisted of supporting parts in films and guest work on television work.

Death

In 1992, Armstrong contracted AIDS. Out of depression he suffered, he committed suicide by gunshot on 17 November. He was 55.

Filmography

Armstrong appeared in the following film and television roles:

• Shackleton (1982) (TV) as Raymond Shackleton
  aka Icebound in the Antarctic (USA)
• The Greatest American Hero as Ted McSherry (1 TV episode, 1982)
• Hawaii Five-O as Curt Anderson (1 TV episode, 1975)
  aka McGarrett (USA: rerun title)

- "Target? the Lady" (1975) television episode (as Curt Anderson)

• Nakia (1 television episode, 1974)
• Gunsmoke as John Wing / John August (2 TV episodes, 1968)
  aka Gun Law (UK), aka Marshal Dillon (USA: rerun title)

- "9:12 to Dodge" (1968) television episode (as Johnny August)

- "The First People" (1968) television episode (as John Eagle Wing)

• A Time for Killing (1967) as Lt. 'Pru' Prudessing
  aka The Long Ride Home (UK)
• de (1966) as Tom
  aka Thunder at the Border (UK), aka Winnetou: Thunder at the Border (USA)
• Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) as Alfred Morgan
• Scalplock (1966) (television) as Dave Tarrant. When the film became the television series The Iron Horse, Armstrong's original role was played by Gary Collins
• The Silencers (1966) (uncredited) as a Guard
• King Rat (1965) as Tex: The American Hut
• Jason and the Argonauts (1963) as Jason
  aka Jason and the Golden Fleece
• Five Finger Exercise (1962) as Tony Blake
• Walk on the Wild Side (1962) as Lt. Omar Stroud (credited as Todd Anderson)
• Manhunt as Detective Carl Spencer (13 TV episodes, 1961)

External links

• Todd Armstrong at AllMovie
• Todd Armstrong at the Internet Movie Database