Dack Rambo
Norman Jay Rambo (November 13, 1941 – March 21, 1994), professionally known as Dack Rambo, was an American actor, most notable for appearing as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the series The Guns of Will Sonnett, as Steve Jacobi in the soap opera All My Children, as cousin Jack Ewing on Dallas, and as Grant Harrison on the soap opera Another World.
Dack Rambo | |
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Dack Rambo in Dirty Sally (1974) | |
Born | Norman Jay Rambo November 13, 1941 Earlimart, California, U.S. |
Died | March 21, 1994 52) Delano, California, U.S. | (aged
Resting place | North Kern Cemetery |
Other names | Dack Rambeau Norman "Dack" Rambo Norman Rambo |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1962–1993 |
Early life
Norman Jay Rambo (aka Dack Rambo) was born in Earlimart, California to William Lester (1904–1985) and Beatrice A. Rambo (nėe Rossi 1910–2002). Dack was a middle child in a family of four. Siblings: William Donald Rambo (1933–2011); identical twin Orman Ray “Dirk” Rambo (1941-1967); and sister Beverly Jean Rambo (b. 1944). Beatrice Rambo outlived two of her three sons.[1][2]
Career
After moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s, the 20-year-old twins were discovered by actress Loretta Young in 1962 and cast in her CBS series The New Loretta Young Show.[3] On February 5, 1967, Dirk Rambo was killed in a road accident at the age of 25.[4]
Later that same year, Dack Rambo landed the role of Jeff Sonnett on The Guns of Will Sonnett and co-starred in the short-lived Gunsmoke spin-off Dirty Sally, with Jeanette Nolan. During the 1970s and 1980s, he made guest appearances on Marcus Welby, M.D., House Calls, Wonder Woman, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Hotel and Murder, She Wrote. He played Steve Jacobi on All My Children in the early 1980s. He also acted the lead role in Sword of Justice, which lasted for 10 installments in 1978-79. Rambo may be best remembered on television for playing Jack Ewing in 51 episodes of the soap opera Dallas from 1985 to 1987. Rambo also played Wesley Harper on the 1984 short-lived TV series soap opera Paper Dolls.
While working on Another World, Rambo learned that he was infected with HIV in August 1991. He quit the series shortly thereafter and retired from acting. Rambo then made his HIV infection and his bisexuality public, revealing that he had been in relationships with both men and women since his 20s.[3]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1962–1963 | The Loretta Young Show | Peter Massey | 26 episodes |
1965 | Never Too Young | Tim | 16 episodes |
1967 | Iron Horse | Lieutenant Shelby | Episode: "Sister Death" Credited as Norman Rambo |
1967–1969 | The Guns of Will Sonnett | Jeff Sonnett | 50 episodes |
1970 | Which Way to the Front? | Terry Love | |
1970–1971 | Gunsmoke | Cyrus Pike | 3 episodes |
1971 | The Man and the City | Holland Jr. | Episode: "Disaster on Turner Street" |
1971 | Cannon | Bryan Gibson | Episode: "Stone, Cold Dead" |
1973 | Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Don | Episode: "Sweet Harvest" |
1974 | Dirty Sally | Cyrus Pike | 13 episodes |
1974 | Nightmare Honeymoon | David Webb | |
1974 | Hit Lady | Doug Reynolds | TV movie |
1975 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Episodes: "Dark Fury" (Parts 1 & 2) | |
1975 | The Rookies | Tommy Locke | Episode: "Angel" |
1977 | Good Against Evil | Andy Stuart | TV movie |
1977 | Wonder Woman | Andros | Episodes: " Mind Stealers from Outer Space" (Parts 1 & 2) |
1977 | Tabitha | Ted | Episode: "Tabitha's Triangle" |
1978 | A Double Life | Jack Cole | TV movie |
1978–1979 | Sword of Justice | Jack Cole | 10 episodes |
1978–1986 | Fantasy Island | Captain Timothy Black / Carl Wagner / Mike O'Brien / Captain Rawlins / Prince Peter d'Anatoli | 6 episodes |
1979–1986 | The Love Boat | Boyd Hughes / Alan Marciano / Peter Welch | 3 episodes |
1980 | Waikiki | Ronnie | Television movie |
1980 | Charlie's Angels | Steve | Episode: "Angel in Hiding" |
1981 | House Calls | Episode: "All About Adam" | |
1981 | Rich and Famous | Kent | Uncredited |
1982–1983 | All My Children | Steve Jacobi | 7 episodes |
1983–1987 | Hotel | Various | 3 episodes |
1984 | The Mississippi | Episode: "Wheels of Justice" | |
1984 | No Man's Land | Connell | TV movie |
1984 | Paper Dolls | Wesley Harper | 13 episodes |
1984–1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Various | 3 episodes |
1985–1987 | Dallas | Jack Ewing | 51 episodes |
1987 | Shades of Love: Lilac Dream | Matt | Direct-to-video release |
1988 | Lonely Knights | Brad Moore | TV movie |
1988 | Hunter | Deputy D.A. Jason Leffler | Episode: "Presumed Guilty" |
1989 | The Spring | Andy | |
1989 | Highway to Heaven | Larry Nichols | Episode: "The Source" |
1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Arnold | Alternative title: "Fixer Upper" |
1990 | Ultra Warrior | Kenner | Alternative title: Welcome to Oblivion |
1990 | River of Diamonds | John Tregard | |
1990–1991 | Another World | Grant Harrison | 14 episodes, (final appearance) |
References
- According to California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at ancestry.com
- Profile, FamilyTreeLegends.com; accessed May 16, 2016.
- Lipton, Michael A. (1992-05-11). "Dack Rambo's Brave New World". People. 37 (18).
- "Dack Rambo dead". Variety. March 22, 1994. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
- "A Bold Last Act". People. 41 (12). April 4, 1994.
External links
- Dack Rambo on IMDb
- Dack Rambo at AllMovie
- Dack Rambo at Find a Grave