Rick Vallin

Rick Vallin
Born Eric Efron
(1919-09-24)September 24, 1919
Russia
Died August 31, 1977(1977-08-31) (aged 57)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in Mission Hills, California
Years active 1938-1966

Rick Vallin (born Eric Efron, September 24, 1919 – August 31, 1977) was an actor who appeared in more than 150 films between 1938 and 1966.

Early years

Born in Russia, Vallin came to America while still young with his South American mother, Mrs. Nardine Thomes, on the S/S Muskegon, which arrived at the Port of Boston on May 6, 1922.

Career

In 1940, Vallin (billed as Eric Efron) acted on stage with the Hollytown Theater.[1]

Vallin started his Hollywood career with an uncredited part in the film Freshman Year.[2] He later joined the Pasadena Playhouse in 1942, and the same year received his first co-star billing in the film The Panther's Claw together with Sidney Blackmer,[3] and showed promising leading man material in Secrets of a Co-Ed with Otto Kruger.[4] But what was seeming to be a career pointed to stardom, turned later into secondary roles in several B-movies and cliffhanger serials. For the most part, Vallin interpreted the hero's dullish sidekick, a secondary villain, or a prominent ethnic figure. In the minds of studio filmmakers, he had a tight B-movie image and found any advance to the "A" ranks almost impossible.

By the mid-1940s, Vallin had moved considerably down the credits list, until he became a mainstay in the Columbia Pictures serials and appeared in a few of the Bowery Boys 1940s capers. His successful union with Columbia also kept him active in minor roles in three Johnny Weissmuller's Jungle Jim movies, playing both sinister villains and savage natives.

Occasionally he showed up in such television series as Brave Eagle, Sheriff of Cochise, Bat Masterson, Jefferson Drum, The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, The Lone Ranger and Wyatt Earp. He was also cast on The Adventures of Superman, as well in both The Gene Autry Show and The Roy Rogers Show. His last appearance was a guest role on Daniel Boone in 1966.

Death

Vallin died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 57. He is interred at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills, California.

Selected filmography

Films

Serials

Television shows

References

  1. ↑ Von Blon, Katherine (December 2, 1940). "Family Life Well Shown". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. p. 15. Retrieved August 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Freshman Year at IMDb.com
  3. ↑ The Panther's Claw at IMDb.com
  4. ↑ Secrets of a Co-Ed at IMDb.com
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