John Wilder (producer)
John Wilder | |
---|---|
Born | John Keith McGovern May 28, 1936 Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
Other names | Johnny McGovern |
Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, director, producer |
Years active | 1943–present |
Spouse | Carolyn Cunningham (divorced) |
Children | 3 |
John Wilder (born John Keith McGovern; May 28, 1936) is an American television producer, writer, and former actor. He received two
As an actor, he appeared in films including Tumbleweed Trail (1946), When I Grow Up (1951), Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Pride of St. Louis (1952), Peter Pan (1953), Hold Back the Night (1956), and Five Guns to Tombstone (1960).
Life and career
Wilder was born in Tacoma, Washington, on May 28, 1936.[1][2] He began performing as a tap dancer by the time he was four years old. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1943, and, under his birth name, Johnny McGovern, he began a career as a child actor.[2] For four years, he starred on the Red Ryder radio series as Little Beaver,[3] and performed over 2500 broadcasts during the 1940s and early 1950s.[2]
Wilder's first stage role was a Geller Theatre Workshop production in Los Angeles
In the early 1960s, Wilder decided to abandon acting, believing it to be unfulfilling and feeling he had no future in the profession. He began attending
Wilder and his ex-wife, Carolyn Cunningham, have three children. He has worked as a professor at Westmont College since 2019.[2]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1943 | Watch on the Rhine | Boy (uncredited) |
1946 | Tumbleweed Trail | Freckles Ryan |
1949 | Night Unto Night | Willie Shawn |
1950 | Tea for Two | Richard Smith |
1951 | When I Grow Up | Duckface |
1952 | The Pride of St. Louis | Batboy |
Room for One More | Patrol Leader | |
Singin' in the Rain | Boy | |
1953 | Peter Pan | Raccoon Twins |
1956 | The First Texan | Soldier |
Hold Back the Night | Tinker | |
Rock, Pretty Baby | 'Fingers' Porter | |
The Unguarded Moment | Sandy Krupp | |
1957 | Until They Sail | Tommy |
1958 | Imitation General | Lieutenant Jeff Clayton |
Summer Love | Mike Howard | |
1960 | Five Guns to Tombstone | Ted Wade |
Television
As actor
Year | Series | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1951–1953 | Big Town | Alan Donovan | Episodes: "Success Story", "On Their Own" |
1953–1961 | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | Various | 8 episodes |
1954 | Death Valley Days | Bill Spencer | Episode: "The Rainbow Chaser" |
1955 | The Stu Erwin Show | Teenager | Episode: "One of the Boys" |
The Loretta Young Show | Pete Preston | Episode: "The Refinement of 'Ab'" | |
1956 | Crossroads | Smiley | Episode: "St. George and the Dragon" |
Studio 57 | Don Baxter | Episode: "The Baxter Boy" | |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Don | Season 2 Episode 10: "Jonathan" | |
1956–1957 | The West Point Story | Cadet Jacoby Cadet Wilson |
Episode: "Officer's Wife" Episode: "Backfire" |
1956–1958 | Navy Log | Steve Polachek Lover |
Episode: "The Plebe" Episode: "The Soapbox Kid" |
1957 | Circus Boy | Anthony Gambino | Episode: "The Great Gambini's Son" |
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin |
Pete Benton | Episode: "Stagecoach Sally" | |
Telephone Time | Dabney | Episode: "Pit-a-Pit and the Dragon" | |
The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Dan Jeffers | Episode: "House Divided" | |
1958 | Jane Wyman Presents |
Jay Dee | Episode: "My Sister Susan" |
Broken Arrow | Ben Swallow | Episode: "The Duel" | |
Wanted Dead or Alive | Joe Sands | Episode: "Die By the Gun" | |
Rescue 8 | Stan Smith | Episode: "Danger! 20,000 Volts" | |
Hey, Jeannie! | Tom | Episode: "The Landlord" | |
1959 | The Millionaire | Joe McGrath | Episode: "Millionaire Father Gillooly" |
The David Niven Show | Jerry | Episode: "Maggie Malone" | |
Wagon Train | Stanley Blower | Episode: "The Elizabeth McQueeny Story" | |
1960 | The Tom Ewell Show | Arthur Banning | Episode: "Salesmanship Lesson" |
1961 | The Barbara Stanwyck Show | Joe | Episode: "Call Me Annie" |
Perry Mason | Dick Wilson | Episode: "The Case of the Brazen Request" | |
1962 | The Real McCoys | Soldier | Episode: "Money from Heaven" |
1963 | Petticoat Junction | Arthur Gilroy | Episode: "The Little Train Robbery" |
As producer or writer
- The Rifleman
- Branded
- Peyton Place
- Paris 7000
- The Young Rebels
- Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law
- Marcus Welby, M.D.
- The Partridge Family
- Cade's County
- The Streets of San Francisco
- Most Wanted
- The Bastard
- Centennial
- The Devlin Connection
- The Mississippi
- The Yellow Rose
- Spenser: For Hire
- Return to Lonesome Dove
References
- ISBN 9780824090890 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stenzel, Wesley. "Inside John Wilder: screenwriting professor reflects on eight decades in the entertainment industry". The Horizon. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "John Wilder". True West Magazine. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "Johnny McGovern". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ISBN 9780786486946.
- ^ "Name change, 1958". University of Southern California Digital Library. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "John Wilder". emmys.org. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
External links
- John Wilder at IMDb