Jody McCrea

Joel Dee "Jody" McCrea (September 6, 1934 – April 4, 2009) was an American actor. He was the son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. Early life McCrea was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. He was the oldest of three sons. McCrea went to school in Santa Rosa, California, and at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. He studied drama at UCLA and served in the United States Army Special Services. Career McCrea had small roles in his father's film, Wichita (1955). He was also in Lucy Gallant (1955). While still at UCLA he had the lead role in Johnny Moccasin (1956), a half hour film made for television by Laslo Benedek as a white boy raised by Indians after a massacre. McCrea followed this with a good supporting role in a feature starring his father, The First Texan (1956). McCrea studied under Sanford Meisner for two years in New York City. He appeared on television in Chevron Hall of Stars ("Flowers for Charlie McDaniels"), The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ("Return to California", "George's Gray Suit", "Fighting for Happiness"), Conflict ("No Man's Road" with Gig Young and Dennis Hopper), Studio One in Hollywood ("Babe in the Woods" – The New York Times said that "his playing was not too resourceful"), Sergeant Preston of the Yukon ("The Criminal Collie"), and Kraft Theatre ("The Last of the Belles").