Scott Brady

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Scott Brady bigraphy, stories - American actor

Scott Brady : biography

September 13, 1924 – April 16, 1985

Scott Brady (September 13, 1924 – April 16, 1985) was an American film and television actor originally from New York City.

Acting career

Brady specialized in tough-guy roles in films like He Walked by Night, Canon City, and Johnny Guitar, as the "Dancin’ Kid".

From 1953 to 1956, Brady appeared four times in different roles on the anthology series, Lux Video Theatre. In 1955, he portrayed Ted Slater in "Man in the Ring" of NBC’s anthology series, The Loretta Young Show. From 1953 to 1956, he appeared five times on the NBC antholgy series, The Ford Television Theatre. In 1955 and 1957, Brady was twice cast on another anthology program, Studio 57. Early in 1957, he was cast in "The Barbed Wire Preacher" of the religion anthology series, Crossroads.

On December 26, 1957, he played the frontier figure William Bent in the episode "Lone Woman" of CBS’s anthology, Playhouse 90, with Raymond Burr cast as William Bent’s brother, Charles Bent. In the 1830s, the Bent brothers established Bent’s Old Fort on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado. Kathryn Grayson played the "Lone Woman", a Cheyenne Indian.

From 1955 to 1959, Brady appeared five times on still another anthology series, CBS’s Schlitz Playhouse, with the roles of Reno Cromwell in "Night of the Big Swamp" and Calvin Penny in "Papa Said No." It was the Schlitz Playhouse episode "The Salted Mine" that became the pilot for Brady’s own western television series, Shotgun Slade, which aired seventy-eight episodes in syndication from 1959 to 1961.

In addition to Shotgun Slade, Brady appeared in several other television westerns, including Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theater, The High Chaparral, Lancer, Dirty Sally, The Virginian (twice), and Gunsmoke (three times). In 1958, he played the lead role of Sergeant Matt Blake to Clint Eastwood’s third billing as Keith Williams in Ambush at Cimarron Pass, a film which Eastwood is quoted as having called "probably the lousiest western ever made."

In 1961, he played the roles of John Keller in "We’re Holding Your Son" on Ronald W. Reagan’s anthology series, General Electric Theater and Ernie Taggart in "Voyage into Fear" of the CBS detective series, Checkmate. In 1962, Brady was cast in the lead guest role as reporter/commentator Floyd Gibbons in "The Floyd Gibbons Story" of ABC’s The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack. The next year, he portrayed Bill Floyd in the episode "Run for Doom" of CBS’s The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In 1967, Brady guest starred on Carl Betz’s ABC legal drama, Judd, for the Defense. In 1969, he portrayed Budd Blake in the episode "Panic" of the NBC drama Bracken’s World. In 1973, he was cast as Davey Collier in "No Stone Unturned" of NBC’s Banacek. From 1975 to 1977, Brady had the recurring role of "Vinnie" in sixteen episodes of NBC’s Police Story crime drama.

On February 15, 1977, he appeared as Shirley Feeney’s father, Jack Feeney, in the episode "Buddy, Can You Spare a Father?" on ABC’s Laverne & Shirley situation comedy. Though he had turned down the role of Archie Bunker, which instead went to Carroll O’Connor, Brady nevertheless appeared as Joe Foley on four episodes in 1976 of CBS’s long-running All in the Family. He appeared five times on the James Garner NBC series, The Rockford Files. In 1977, he portrayed Lou Caruso in "Caruso’s Way" of ABC’s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.

In 1983, Brady portrayed Alex Kidd in "Shadow of Sam Penny" on the CBS detective series Simon and Simon. Brady’s last acting role was as Sheriff Frank in the 1984 film, Gremlins.

Personal life

Brady did not marry until he was forty-three and had been involved earlier with Gwen Verdon and Dorothy Malone. He and his wife, the former Mary Lizabeth Tirony, had two sons, Timothy and Terence Brady. A staunch supporter of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Brady hosted the team with a party at his residence in the Hollywood Hills whenever the Irish came to play the University of Southern California.