Dan White (actor)

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Dan White (March 25, 1908 — July 7, 1980) was an American actor.

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[edit] Biography

Dan White was born to George and Orpha White in Falmouth, Florida, one of twelve siblings. The Whites moved to Lakeland during World War I. By the age of fourteen, White was in show business. He left home to travel thousands of miles throughout the South in tent, minstrel, vaudeville, and theater shows. His brother Willard joined him for nine years in a show in Tampa's Rialto Theater. Frances Langford worked with White during the time, and he convinced her to go to Hollywood. During this period, he met Tilda Spivey and proposed marriage on February 25, 1933. She had a 2-year-old child, Arthur Gifford, before her wedding. Dan left show business for financial reasons to work with the Civilian Conservation Corps. He still longed for a career in entertainment and took a cruise to Los Angeles. He and his family made extra stops at cities all over the country to earn money to continue the tour.

In January 1937, he stopped at Texarkana, Arkansas, where Tilda awaited the birth of their child. Her sister, Mary, who was in Texarkana, invited the Whites to stay there for a few months. The baby, June Larue White, was finally born, and the Whites continued toward California.

[edit] In Hollywood

They had arrived 16 days after, and rented a house for 23 years, even film scripts were written in their own living room. Dan had a hard time finding a job and was in Panama working on the Pan American Highway. Although upon return in 1938, he had got work with the Republic Pictures Corporation with 6 films made in his first year. His first film was Prairie Moon with Gene Autry. Dan made a $55/week working on it. Over his years in Hollywood, he claimed to have made about 300 films, and 150 television cameos. Around 70 percent were Western. Among some well-known films were The Yearling, Distant Drums, Red River, To Kill a Mockingbird, Giant, Duel in the Sun, Four Faces West, Jailhouse Rock, and Touch of Evil. During the time, they had a third child, Donald Curtis White, born November 9, 1941. Dan's films that made him famous were his numerous appearances in B-Western movies, where he portrayed the antagonist. During the 1950s and 1960s, he started turning to television. He was offered as the role of Sam the Bartender in Gunsmoke, but he didn't commit to the idea. He asked Glenn Strange to apply for the job.

[edit] Post-Acting

Dan loved California for almost 40 years, but his true love was his old town in Florida. Upon retirement, he returned to Tampa and made appearances in Western Film Round-Ups and talk shows. He was often visited by his family until his death on July 7, 1980 in Tampa.

[edit] Filmography

An asterisk (*) means that Dan White had an uncredited role; two asterisks means that he was credited as either Daniel White or Daniel M. White. Note that not all films are listed.

[edit] External links