Don Megowan

Don Megowan

1922-05-24 – 1981-06-26 (age 59) Inglewood, California, USA
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Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don Megowan (May 24, 1922 – June 26, 1981) was an American actor. He played the Gill-man on land in The Creature Walks Among Us, the final part of the Creature from the Black Lagoon trilogy.

Don Megowan was born in Inglewood, California to Robert and Leila (née Dale) Megowan. His mother Leila worked as a negative cutter for Pathé. At 6'7" Megowan was very active in sports, playing baseball, football, and throwing discus. He went to the University of Southern California on a football scholarship before serving in the United States Army during World War II.

Megowan starred in the science fiction films The Werewolf in the role of Sheriff Jack Haines, in The Creation of the Humanoids (1962) as a captain in the anti-robot Order of Flesh and Blood, who must stop the Humanoids, and in The Creature Walks Among Us as the Gill-man.

Megowan also appeared in westerns: Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955), The Great Locomotive Chase (1956), Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966), The Devil's Brigade (1968), and Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles (1974).

In 1962, he starred with Cameron Mitchell in the television series, The Beachcomber. He guest starred in various programs, including the westerns: Gunsmoke, Wagon Train (twice), The Californians, The Tall Man, Maverick, Cimarron City, Have Gun–Will Travel, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Rifleman, Lawman, Cheyenne, Colt .45, Bonanza, The Americans, Rawhide, and Daniel Boone. He was also cast in episodes of such series as Angel, U.S. Marshal, Get Smart, and Fantasy Island.

Megowan, a smoker from age 12 to 48, died of throat cancer at age 59. His weight had dwindled from nearly 300 pounds to barely 150. CLR

Description above from the Wikipedia article Don Megowan,licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles

1974

as Gum Chewer

Truck Turner
Truck Turner

1974

as Garrity

The Devil's Brigade
The Devil's Brigade

1968

as Luke Phelan

The Jayhawkers!
The Jayhawkers!

1959

as China

The Great Locomotive Chase
The Great Locomotive Chase

1956

as Marion A. Ross

Captain Fathom
Captain Fathom

1955

as Captain Fathom

A Lawless Street
A Lawless Street

1955

as Dooley Brion

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier

1955

as Col. William Travis

The Creature Walks Among Us
The Creature Walks Among Us

1956

as The Gill Man (on land)(uncredited)

The Werewolf
The Werewolf

1956

as Sheriff Jack Haines

Snowfire
Snowfire

1958

as Mike McGowan

Mrs. R's Daughter
Mrs. R's Daughter

1979

as Police Sergeant Larsen

Gun the Man Down
Gun the Man Down

1956

as Ralph Farley

Sangaree
Sangaree

1953

as River Pirate (uncredited)

Tales of Frankenstein
Tales of Frankenstein

1958

as The Monster

The Kansas City Massacre
The Kansas City Massacre

1975

as Boss Stinger

The Story of Mankind
The Story of Mankind

1957

as Early Man

The Kid from Amarillo
Money, Women and Guns
Money, Women and Guns

1958

as John Briggs

The Creation of the Humanoids
The Creation of the Humanoids

1962

as Capt. Kenneth Cragis