Facts About Stuart Whitman

Why wasn't he an even bigger star?

Stuart WhitmanPhoto byCreative Commons: Eduardo Montes-Bradley

When I hear Stuart Whitman’s name, two of his projects came to mind. First, The Comancheros, one of John Wayne’s better westerns, and least in my opinion. Then, there was a TV series, Cimmaron Strip. Cimaron Strip was a good, though not great TV western. Which is a shame, because it had some elements that could have made it great, including Whitman himself.

It seems like Whitman should have had an even bigger career. Of course, I didn’t know a lot about Whitman’s career beyond the projects I’ve mentioned. So, after doing some research, here are some things you might not have known about Stuart Whitman.

1: He was nominated for an Acadamy Award for his work in 1961’s “The Mark.”

He actually played a child molester in that movie. I would have thought that would have been a career killer, especially at that time. The role was originally earmarked for Richard Burton. Burton reported had something else going at the time, though it would have seemed like it would have been for Burton to tell Whitman, “No, you go ahead and play that role.

2: 1961 was a very busy year for Whitman. He also starred in “The Comancheros” with John Wayne. He played gambler, Paul Regret. Stuart was a match for Wayne’s on-screen presence.

I’m sure Stuart had no Regrets about taking the role.

3: Whitman was a boxer in the army, winning 31 of 32 fights.

Whitman made the transition from boxing to acting, which, as Mickey Rourke proved, is going from acting to boxing.

4: Whitman’s father was a lawyer and at one point, Stuart was going to follow in his father's footsteps.

But after studying law for a year, he came to this conclusion: “that law was a real bore.” I came to that conclusion after watching a few episodes of Perry Mason.

5: Stuart good guys on many occasions, but still would sometimes play a bad guy. A case in point is,” Guyana: Cult of the Damned.”

In that movie Whitman played a Jim Jones like religious leader. Between his role in, The Mark, and this movie, Whitman proved he really wasn’t afraid to play a bad guy.

6: He was slotted to star in 1974’s The Land That Time Forgot.

But he was replaced by Doug McClure. I believe the movie is now known as, The Movie Moviegoers Forgot.

7: When Stuart decided to be an actor instead of a lawyer, his father cut him off financially, but did sell him a bulldozer.

Stuart used to rent himself and the bulldozer out to support himself in college. At the time Stuart could make up to $100 a day. I should clarify Stuart rented himself out to operate the bulldozer.

8: Stuart and his father partnered on some real estate development deals which proved quite lucrative. It also made Stuart’s acting career easier.

Whitman said this about it: “I’ve never taken an acting job, in movies or TV, which paid less than $250 a week.” The idea land development as opposed to lawyer worked out pretty well. Bulldozing paid better than just bull.

9: Whitman has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard.

I’m not sure if the Bulldozing Walk of Fame has awarded him a star.

10: Broderick Crawford was a good friend to him.

The first time Whitman was a guest star on Highway patrol, he hit it off with Broderick Crawford. Thereafter, when Whitman didn’t have bulldozing money, he would call Crawford and get another gig on Highway Patrol. I believe in law enforcement that’s called recidivism.