Jason Evers
Encyclopedia
Jason Evers was an American
actor
.
Evers was born Herb Evers in New York City
, New York
. After quitting high school
to join the United States Army
, Evers was so inspired by stars like John Wayne
(whom he would later appear with in The Green Berets
) that he decided to try acting. A stint on Broadway
led to Hollywood, where his first big break was the 1960 NBC
series western
Wrangler
. On June 30, 1960, he appeared on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
.
In 1963-1964, Evers starred as 41-year-old Professor
Howe in the 26-episode ABC
drama Channing
, based on life on a college
campus, with co-star Henry Jones
(1912–1999).
Evers' most enduring role derived from the 1959 B-movie classic The Brain That Wouldn't Die
, which was not released until 1962.
In 1966, Evers appeared on the episode "The Insider" of NBC's The Road West
starring Barry Sullivan
as the patriarch
of a family of pioneers relocated to Kansas
. In 1968, Evers co-starred in the Star Trek
episode entitled Wink of an Eye, about a race of aliens who exist in a hyperaccelerated time frame and take over the starship. From 1967-1969, he appeared sporadically as James Sonnett, the missing son sought by the Walter Brennan
character, Will Sonnett, in ABC's The Guns of Will Sonnett
. Dack Rambo
co-starred as Evers' son and Brennan's grandson, Jeff Sonnett.
Evers continued to garner parts in films and television, having guest starred with Bruce Lee
in the Green Hornet episode "Eat, Drink and be Dead" (1966), but they were of an increasingly minor nature. Evers also appeared as a race car driver and a romantic interest of Doris Martin in The Doris Day Show in 1970. His final film appearance was in 1990 in Basket Case 2
. He returned to New York in his later years. He was married to actress Shirley Ballard from 1953 until his death.
Evers died of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was also survived by a sister and a cousin.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Evers was born Herb Evers in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. After quitting high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
to join the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Evers was so inspired by stars like John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
(whom he would later appear with in The Green Berets
The Green Berets (film)
The Green Berets is a 1968 war film featuring John Wayne, George Takei, David Janssen, Jim Hutton and Aldo Ray, nominally based on the eponymous 1965 book by Robin Moore, though the screenplay has little relation to the book....
) that he decided to try acting. A stint on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
led to Hollywood, where his first big break was the 1960 NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
Wrangler
Wrangler (TV series)
Wrangler was a Western television series starring Jason Evers that aired on the NBC television network from August 4 to September 15, 1960....
. On June 30, 1960, he appeared on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
The Ford Show
The Ford Show is a half-hour comedy/variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired in color on NBC television on Thursday evenings from October 4, 1956 to June 29, 1961....
.
In 1963-1964, Evers starred as 41-year-old Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Howe in the 26-episode ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
drama Channing
Channing (TV series)
Channing is an American drama series that aired on American Broadcasting Company from September 18, 1963 to April 8, 1964...
, based on life on a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
campus, with co-star Henry Jones
Henry Jones (actor)
Henry Burk Jones was an American actor of stage, film and television.Jones was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Helen and John Francis Xavier Jones. He was the grandson of Pennsylvania Representative Henry Burk...
(1912–1999).
Evers' most enduring role derived from the 1959 B-movie classic The Brain That Wouldn't Die
The Brain That Wouldn't Die
The Brain That Wouldn't Die, also known as The Head That Wouldn't Die, is a 1962 science-fiction/horror film directed by Joseph Green and written by Green and Rex Carlton. The film was completed in 1959 under the title The Black Door, but was not released until May 3, 1962, when it was renamed...
, which was not released until 1962.
In 1966, Evers appeared on the episode "The Insider" of NBC's The Road West
The Road West
The Road West is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1966 to May 1, 1967 for twenty-nine episodes with rebroadcasts continuing until August 28. The hour-long series, sponsored by Kraft Foods, aired in the 9 p.m...
starring Barry Sullivan
Barry Sullivan (actor)
Barry Sullivan was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s.Born in New York City, Sullivan fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football...
as the patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of a family of pioneers relocated to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. In 1968, Evers co-starred in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
episode entitled Wink of an Eye, about a race of aliens who exist in a hyperaccelerated time frame and take over the starship. From 1967-1969, he appeared sporadically as James Sonnett, the missing son sought by the Walter Brennan
Walter Brennan
Walter Brennan was an American actor. Brennan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on three separate occasions, which is currently the record for most wins.-Early life:...
character, Will Sonnett, in ABC's The Guns of Will Sonnett
The Guns of Will Sonnett
The Guns of Will Sonnett is a Western television series set in the 1870s which ran on the ABC television network from 1967 to 1969. The series was the first production collaboration between Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas, who would later go on to produce one of ABC's most-memorable hits, The Mod...
. Dack Rambo
Dack Rambo
Norman Jay Rambeau , professionally known as Dack Rambo, was an American actor, most notable for appearing as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the ABC series The Guns of Will Sonnett, as Steve Jacobi in All My Children, as cousin Jack Ewing on CBS's Dallas, and as Grant Harrison on the NBC soap...
co-starred as Evers' son and Brennan's grandson, Jeff Sonnett.
Evers continued to garner parts in films and television, having guest starred with Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
in the Green Hornet episode "Eat, Drink and be Dead" (1966), but they were of an increasingly minor nature. Evers also appeared as a race car driver and a romantic interest of Doris Martin in The Doris Day Show in 1970. His final film appearance was in 1990 in Basket Case 2
Basket Case 2
Basket Case 2 is a 1990 American comedy horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter. It was released on DVD by Synapse Films on October 30, 2007.-Cast:* Kevin Van Hentenryck as Duane Bradley* Judy Grafe as News Woman...
. He returned to New York in his later years. He was married to actress Shirley Ballard from 1953 until his death.
Evers died of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was also survived by a sister and a cousin.