| Eric Fleming | |
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Eric Fleming as Gil Favor in Rawhide |
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| Born | Edward Heddy, Jr. July 4, 1925 Santa Paula, California, USA |
| Died | September 28, 1966 (aged 41) Tingo Maria, Peru |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1944-1966 |
| Spouse | unmarried, no children |
| Partner | Lynne Garber |
Eric Fleming (July 4, 1925 – September 28, 1966) was an American actor, known primarily for his role as Gil Favor in the long running CBS television series Rawhide.
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Fleming was born in Santa Paula, California, as Edward Heddy, Jr. He was an only child and had an unhappy childhood. After being severely beaten by his father he ran away from home, and lived rough. Although later reunited with his mother, during the years of the depression he dropped out of school and worked at various jobs until he joined the United States Navy during World War II. He served as a SeaBee in a naval construction battalion. He received severe facial injuries in an accident at work and underwent extensive plastic surgery.
Following his discharge, Fleming became interested in acting and took acting lessons. He appeared on stage in Chicago and in a number of successful Broadway plays including the musical Plain and Fancy. He began acting in television shows about the same time. Fleming then moved to Hollywood and starred in several low-budget films, including Fright, Curse of the Undead and the cult classic Queen of Outer Space, with costar Zsa Zsa Gabor.
In 1958, the 6 foot 3 Fleming landed the starring role as trail boss Gil Favor in Rawhide (exactly the same height as his co-star Clint Eastwood). Set in the 1860s, Rawhide portrayed the challenges faced by the men of the cattle drive from San Antonio, Texas, to Sedalia, Missouri. Producer Charles Marquis Warren called on the diary written in 1866 by trail boss George C. Duffield[1] to shape the character of Favor: a savvy, strong and fair leader who persevered and got the job done. The top rated western, with costars Clint Eastwood, Sheb Wooley, and Paul Brinegar, ran from 1959 to 1966.[2] Fleming and Eastwood more or less rotated in playing the lead from week to week in the episodes but Fleming was always billed over Eastwood.
When Rawhide ended, Fleming took part in a Doris Day vehicle The Glass Bottom Boat where he played a suave spy, and then was signed to star in High Jungle, an MGM adventure film shot in Peru. During the final stages of shooting, Fleming's dugout canoe overturned in the Huallaga River. Actor Nico Minardos managed to swim to safety, but Fleming was swept away by the current and drowned on September 28, 1966.[3] Fleming was 41 when he died. He had planned to marry Lynn Garber when the film was completed and become a teacher.[4] His will left money to his mother, his cousin and a friend but specifically excluded his father from any bequest. He was buried on the grounds of the University of Peru in Lima, Peru