James Franciscus
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{{Infobox actor
| bgcolour =
| name = James Franciscus
| image = Replace this image male.svg
| caption =
| birthname = James Grover Franciscus
| birthdate = {{birth date|1934|01|31}}
| location = [[Clayton, Missouri|Clayton]], [[Missouri]]
| deathdate = {{death date and age|1991|07|8|1934|07|8}}
| deathplace = [[North Hollywood]], [[California]]
| yearsactive = [[1921 in film|1961]]-[[1941 in film|1991]]
| othername = James Francicus
| spouse = Carla Ankney Franciscus (1980-1991; his death)<br>
Kathleen Wellman (1960-19??) (div)
| awards = '''[[Golden Apple Award]]'''<br>1963 Least Cooperative Actor}}
'''James Grover Franciscus''' ([[January 31]] [[1934]] – [[July 8]] [[1991]]) was a leading and supporting [[United States|American]] actor. He was born in [[Clayton, Missouri]]. His first big role was as Detective Jim Halloran in the TV version of'' [[The Naked City]]''.
Although he performed in many [[feature film]]s and [[television program]]s throughout the [[1960s]] and [[1970s]], Franciscus is probably best known for his title roles in two TV series, ''[[Mr. Novak]]'' ([[1963]]–65) and ''[[Longstreet (TV series)|Longstreet]]'' ([[1971]]–72), and for his vocal performance in the big-screen version of [[Jonathan Livingston Seagull]] (1973). In 1976, he starred another TV series, ''Hunter'', a series about espionage where Franciscus played a secret agent (not to be confused with the detective series ''[[Hunter (TV series)|Hunter]]'', which starred [[Fred Dryer]] and [[Stepfanie Kramer]]).
[[Image:James Franciscus.jpg|left|thumb|James Franciscus in ''[[Beneath the Planet of the Apes]]'']]
He was also frequently seen in feature films of the 1960s and 1970s such as ''Snow Treasure'', ''The Amazing Dobermans'',
''[[Marooned (film)|Marooned]]'', ''[[Beneath the Planet of the Apes]]'', ''[[City on Fire (1979 film)|City on Fire]]'', and
''[[When Time Ran Out]]''.
Over the years, Franciscus found film work with Italian cinema. In 1971 he accepted the lead role in [[Dario Argento]]'s second film, ''[[The Cat o' Nine Tails]]''. 1979 saw him appear in Antonio Margheritti's ''Killer Fish'', and in 1980 he starred in director [[Enzo G. Castellari]]'s notorious ''Jaws'' rip-off, ''[[Great White (film)|Great White]]''. This movie was pulled from distribution after Universal Studios successfully sued for copyright infringement, and to this day it has never received an official video release in the United States. {{Fact|date=June 2008}}
He continued appearing in roles on the screen and television. When less important roles were offered Franciscus turned to writing screenplays and producing. In [[1991]], the year of his death, he worked as an associate producer and writer on the TV program
''29th Street''; it was his final project.
==Other activities==
He was a co-founder of a successful production company that began in the 1960s, and was known to raise money for charity with the sport of tennis. {{Fact|date=June 2008}}
==Death==
He died, aged 57, from [[emphysema]] in [[North Hollywood]], [[California]].
==External links==
*{{imdb name | id=0002082 | name=James Franciscus}}
*[http://www.nndb.com/people/410/000092134/ Entry at NNDB]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21491 Photo]
*[http://www.geocities.com/franciscus1934/ James Franciscus fan information site]
*[http://www.tv.com/james-franciscus/person/70345/biography.html James Franciscus 1964 interview]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franciscus, James}}
[[Category:American film actors]]
[[Category:American television actors]]
[[Category:People from St. Louis County, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area]]
[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[de:James Franciscus]]
[[fr:James Franciscus]]
[[pt:James Franciscus]]