Victor French(1934-1989)
- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Victor French was the son of a stuntman. His debut was a small role in
Lassie (1954), uncredited. He had his
first real acting experiences in western-films, where he usually played
the "bad guy" due to his rather gruff look. This changed with
Little House on the Prairie (1974),
(as Isaiah Edwards). In 1977, he left
Little House on the Prairie (1974)
to play in his own sitcom
Carter Country (1977), which
lasted for two seasons. French then teamed up again with
Michael Landon in
Highway to Heaven (1984),
as (Mark Gordon). French, along with
Leonard Nimoy, founded LA's "Company of
Angels", one of the area's earliest attempts to establish LA as a type
of "Off-Broadway-West Coast". Its limited seating arrangement (99
seats) served as the prototype of LA's Equity-Waiver code. After he
left the company in the mid 1970s, he went on to teach acting
privately. He was well sought-after, and it became apparent that he had
to take students on "by referral only". His philosophy and style was
gentle and encouraging to young actors just entering the field. He
directed in LA Theaters and won the Critics Circle Award for "12 Angry
Men." In the 1980s, he declined to play "bad guys." Victor French died
1989 after finishing the last episode of
Highway to Heaven (1984).
