Biography for
Hugh O'Brian More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

19 April 1923, Rochester, New York, USA

Birth Name

Hugh Charles Krampe

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Biography

Born in Rochester, New York, actor Hugh O'Brian had 50s "beefcake" written all over him, but chose to avoid the obvious typecast when setting up his career. Hugh moved from place to place growing up while showing off his athletic prowess quite early. By the time he graduated from high school, he had lettered in football, basketball, wrestling and track. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 18, then ended up in Los Angeles upon his discharge. He joined a little theater group and a Santa Barbara stock company where he developed his acting chops and slowly built up his résumé. He was discovered for TV by director/actress Ida Lupino which opened the door to his signing with Universal Studios for films. Hugh's lean, rugged physique and exceptionally photographic mug had the modest, brown-eyed, curly-haired looker all over the movie magazines, but he rebelled against the image for the most part. As a result, his years with Universal were not as fruitful as they could have been. For the duration, he was pretty much confined as a secondary player to mediocre action pictures such as Red Ball Express (1952), Son of Ali Baba (1952) and Seminole (1953). It was Rock Hudson who earned all the Universal glamour guy roles and the out-and-out stardom that could have been Hugh's. In 1954, Hugh left Universal to freelance but did not fare any better until offered the starring role in "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955) on TV, a year later. It became a mainstay hit and Hugh an "overnight" star. During his six-year run on the western classic, he managed to show off his singing talents on variety shows and appeared on Broadway. The handsome bachelor remained a durable talent throughout the 60s and 70s with plentiful work on the summer stock stage and on TV, including the series "Search" (1972), but never got the one role to earn the critical attention he merited. A sports enthusiast, his hobbies have included sailing, tennis, swimming and long-distance bicycling and his many philanthropic efforts have not gone unrecognized.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

Spouse

Virginia Barber

(25 June 2006 - present)

Trivia

Founder of HOBY (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership), seeks out and helps recognize leadership potential in highschool sophomores.

Brother of Don Krampe

According to an article on TV westerns in Time Magazine (March 30, 1959), O'Brian stood 6 feet tall, weighed 170 lbs, and had chest-waist-hips measurements of 44-32-36

Attended Kemper Military School & College in Boonville, Missouri.

Was the youngest Drill Instructor in Marine Corps history - Age 17.

Was once a soda-jerk at Schwab's drug store on Sunset Boulevard

One of the first celebrities to frontline tours of Vietnam at the request of the State Department, Hugh once staged and directed a company of "Guys and Dolls" which toured Vietnam, Thailand and Japan for the troops.

The Hugh O'Brian Acting Awards Competition was developed in 1964 at UCLA with cash awards going to acting talents.

Was awarded one of the space community's highest honors with the 1972 Freedom Award for his variety of space-orientated projects, including the Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation seminars at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Once recorded an album of popular songs and sang on the Ed Sullivan, Dinah Shore and Jackie Gleason variety shows.

Hugh's vast investments over the years have been wise and fruitful with dividends paying well in stocks and bonds, real estate, bowling alleys, a building equipment firm, a theatre-in-the-round, an oil syndicate and his own TV production company.

Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1992.

Hugh O'Brian and teacher Virginia Barber had dated for 18 years before their marriage on June 25, 2006, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif. It was his first marriage; her second. She was 54; he was 83. The Rev. Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, officiated, and the couple was serenaded by close friend Debbie Reynolds. Dubbed "A Wedding to Die For", the ceremony concluded with a cocktail reception.

Alumnus of New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois, 1941.

Was the last person killed on screen by John Wayne, in The Shootist (1976).

Elected Freshman Class president at Los Angeles City College.

Personal Quotes

"I believe every person is created as the steward of his or her own destiny with great power for a specific purpose: To share with others, through service, a reverence for life in a spirit of love."

Where Are They Now

(1997-) Spends most of his time working for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY)

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