Fletcher Markle

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Fletcher Markle (b. March 27, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba - d. May 23, 1991) was part of a pool of talent which contributed to the early development of television in both Canada and the United States. In a career that spanned three decades, he played various roles as a writer, actor, director and producer for radio, cinema and television.

He began in the early forties in Vancouver, British Columbia doing radio dramas with a group whose members included John Drainie, Lister Sinclair, Bernie Braden and Alan Young on such local stations as CJOR and the CBC network. During World War II, the group moved to Toronto and Markle had a role as an actor in Journey Together (1946).

Markle then moved to New York City and although not listed in the credits, wrote for Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai. During his time in New York, he contributed to the CBS radio anthology, Studio One, which later became a television series. He produced, wrote for and played a cameo role in the movie Jigsaw (1949). For Night into Morning (1951), he directed Nancy Davis (Reagan), Ray Milland and John Hodiak.

During the fifties and early sixties, he was a director, producer and host for a number of television series such as Front Row Center and Boris Karloff's Thriller, Father of the Bride and Telescope. He directed the movie The Incredible Journey (1963) for Walt Disney.

Markle is given credit for signing up Lorne Greene to play Ben Cartwright in Bonanza [1].

While working for Orson Welles, Markle met and later married Mercedes McCambridge.