Jody McCrea

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Jody McCrea (born September 6, 1934 in Los Angeles, California) born Joel Dee McCrea, is the son of Frances Dee and Joel McCrea, both famous Hollywood actors. He is the oldest of three children, and has 2 brothers, David and Peter.

Jody began acting in the short-lived 1959 TV series Wichita Town with his father. Since then, he has starred in films (mainly westerns) such as Lafayette Escadrille, The Broken Land (with Jack Nicholson), Law of the Lawless, and Cry, Blood Apache (also which he produced).

However, he is most notable for his comedic role as dumb-minded "Deadhead" ("Bonehead") in the 1960's Beach Party films made by American International Pictures. Some beach movies he's appeared in are Beach Party, Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach, and Beach Blanket Bingo, among others. He was also in an AIP biker movie The Glory Stompers (1968).

He has made several television appearances over the years as well. He has appeared on Wagon Train, Vacation Playhouse, and The Greatest Show on Earth. He had been cast in a small part as Lieutenant Brannin, a cocky, Custer-esque cavalry officer, in Sam Peckinpah's Western Major Dundee (1965), but his scene was excised in the final cut.

McCrea may have found it very hard to follow in the footsteps of his father Joel, especially as an actor of the "strong and silent-type". But when cast in the beach pictures, it is clear that McCrea finally realized his comedic potential. When first offered the role of "Deadhead", for example, he has been quoted at the time as saying that he "wasn't sure what the character would become." However, when he realized how much he made people laugh, he began to really enjoy the character. Though he occasionally did some roles in community theater over the years, McCrea retired from acting altogether in 1970 to become a rancher in New Mexico.

[edit] Trivia

Was/is an avid body builder.
Height measures 6'3" as of 1963.
Was the only actor appearing in the American International Pictures beach movies that could actually surf.
Recorded a 45rpm single in 1964 for Canjo Records to coincide with the film Bikini Beach. (SIDE A: "Chicken Surfer"/SIDE B: "Looney Gooney Bird")