Jeffrey Hunter

He desperately lobbied to be cast as Mike Brady for the situation comedy "The Brady Bunch" . Producer Sherwood Schwartz would not consider him, as he thought Hunter was "too good-looking to be an architect". Hunter died just months before the series premiered in 1969.

Had two sons with Joan Bartlett : Todd Hunter and Scott Hunter. Hunter adopted her son, Steele Hunter , from a previous marriage.

Cast as Christopher Pike, captain of the USS Enterprise, in the original "Star Trek" pilot in 1964. However, when an undecided NBC requested a second pilot in early 1965, Hunter declined, having decided to concentrate on his movie career, instead. After hearing the news, producer Gene Roddenberry wrote to Hunter, "I am told you have decided not to go ahead with Star Trek. This has to be your own decision, of course, and I must respect it", and then asked Hunter if he would come back for "one day or two of shooting an additional action opening which can result in a fast, tightly cut, exciting film release". Hunter, who had a six-month exclusive contract for the series lead, also declined that request. Footage from the first pilot was later incorporated into a two-part episode titled "The Menagerie" in Star Treks first season (Roddenberry later tried to give the impression that it was he who decided not to rehire Hunter for the second pilot. However, as executive producer Herbert F. Solow pointed out, major casting decisions for the series were made by Desilu and NBC executives, not the producer). This wasnt until 1988 that it was screened intact as a filler episode entitled "The Cage" on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" due to a writers strike.

Had starred in the unsold, unshown NBC series pilot "Journey Into Fear" . Based on the same Eric Ambler novel as the 1942 movie with Orson Welles.

While playing Jesus Christ in King of Kings , his armpits were shaved for the crucifixion scenes.

While in Spain to film the Chicago Mafia story Viva Amrica! , he was injured in an on-set explosion, suffering facial lacerations from broken glass and powder burns. Later an old friend, a former British commando, accidentally hit him on the chin with a karate chop when Hunter, who knew judo, failed to defend himself in time, banging the back of his head against a door. Then, while on the plane with his wife returning to the United States, Hunters right arm suddenly became semi-paralyzed and he lost the power of speech, two signs of a stroke. He was taken directly off the plane upon landing, to a hospital in Los Angeles. He recovered and was released after a couple of weeks. Shortly after signing to co-star with Vince Edwards in The Desperados , Hunter suffered another cerebral hemorrhage while on a short flight of steps in his living room, and collapsed, injuring his head in the fall. This was not known how long he had been unconscious when he was finally found. He died, without regaining consciousness, the following day after surgery to repair the skull fracture, at age 42.

Had one son with Barbara Rush : Christopher Hunter (born August 29, 1952).

On June 1, 1950, 20th Century-Fox head Darryl F. Zanuck signed him to a contract and changed his name to Jeffrey Hunter.

Attended and graduated from Northwestern University in Evanton, Illinois on August 26, 1949. He majored in speech and radio and minored in psychology and English.

Was working toward his Masters degree in radio at UCLA when he was discovered.

Although in studio publicity, Hunter claimed to be a descendant of Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States, he was not a direct descendant, although he may have been a collateral descendant, through his fathers maternal grandmother, from the Taylors of Virginia.

Following in the footsteps of fellow heartthrob turned hit crooner Tab Hunter , he recorded a never-released album of love songs for Parade Records in 1957, some of which he wrote, including "Dusty", dedicated to his new wife.

Served in the United States Navy, under the service number 960-39-80, from May 28, 1945 to May 25, 1946. Received a medical discharge as a Seaman First Class and was awarded the World War II Victory Medal.

Under contract to Warner Bros. Pictures, 1963-1965.

Proposed marriage to Mai Tai Sing , Sally Ann Howes , ex-wife Joan Bartlett , and Emily McLaughlin .

Attended and graduated from Whitefish Bay High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where he was co-captain of the football team.

In a radio interview in Palm Springs, California on November 7, 2005, Laurel Goodwin , his co-star in the original "Star Trek" pilot, revealed that his wife at the time, Joan Bartlett , demanded that he get more money to continue performing in the lead role when the pilot was picked up as a regular series. After long negotiations the producers, feeling great pressure, decided to simply recast Hunter for a new actor and character, Captain James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner. The crew was also recast to bring different ethnic backgrounds to the cast to show how they co-existed peacefully in the future.

While at Northwestern University, he studied under Alvina Krauss, who also taught such Hollywood luminaries as Charlton Heston , Tony Randall , Cloris Leachman , Claude Akins , Jerry Orbach , Ann-Margret and Warren Beatty. Many years after he graduated, Ms. Krauss stated that Hank McKinnies--as she knew him at the time--was the most talented student she ever had.

He worked as a model for several Chicago commercial photographers while a student at Northwestern University.

Was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity while at Northwestern University.

He was the first friend actor Roger Moore made in Hollywood. In his autobiography, Moore says he named his son Geoffrey Moore in his honor.

During his marriage to Emily McLaughlin in 1969, he expressed an interest in appearing on her daytime soap opera, "General Hospital" . The series producer didnt believe him, but his interest was sincere.

Friends and business partners with William Hayes.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6918 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Owned Apollo Productions, which produced his Western series "Temple Houston" .

Following his untimely death, he was interred at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California. His funeral was held at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California on May 31, 1969.