Two More Stars Depart Our Ranks
by Fred T. Beeman

Gary Gray

Gary Dickson Gray, a former child star (since the age of 3) was born December 18, 1936 in Los Angeles and passed away April 4th of this year in Brush Prairie, Washington, succumbing to prostate cancer at age 69.

A modest, humble and unassuming man, most of his acquaintances and friends were unaware that the swimming pool maintenance company owner had once acted opposite the likes of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis (before they married each other), James Whitmore, Joan Crawford, “and of course…Lassie.” He didn’t deny his acting past, but didn’t want others to think of him as some sort of “braggart” or “showoff,” so he commented on it, only when asked. In the movie, “The Next Voice You Hear” (1950), Gary played the son of James Whitmore and Nancy Davis, but, in reality, was only 15 years younger than Whitmore. That movie focused on an Indiana community, reacting to hearing the voice of God on their radios.

In the 1950s, future actress/model Connie Stevens was so much a fan of his, that the Brooklyn-based teenager started (and was the self-appointed president of) The Gary Gray Fan Club.

Our deepest condolences go out to his wife, Jean, his four daughters, his 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Frankie Thomas

The one-time “Tom Corbett, Space Cadet” actor and former kid star Frank M. Thomas Jr. passed away on May 11th, 2006, of respiratory failure, in Los Angeles, at age 85. Surprisingly, both of his parents, also actors, had each lived to celebrate their 100th birthdays; his mother passing away in 2000.

Best remembered for the space cadet character (filmed before the Russians launched Sputnik in 1957), Frankie’s movie career began at age 13, appearing with his mom and dad in the 1934 picture, “Wednesday’s Child.” He worked steadily thereafter, and, in 1950, landed the Tom Corbett role, which would last 5 years and have the almost singular distinction of having aired at one time, on all four TV networks back then (ABC, CBS, NBC & Dumont). Each program was (originally) less than 15 minutes long (once the commercials were factored out), but before its cancellation, it was expanded to a half-hour format. And, it needs to be noted that the term, “blast off” was added to the American lexicon as a direct result of that show, even though NASA officially uses “lift off” to describe one of their launches.

We remember him with fondness, and extend our sympathies to his family, fans and many friends. (At his and his surviving family’s request, he was buried wearing his famous space cadet uniform, which is shown below.)