DICK FORAN
Information from IMDb
Date of Birth
18 June 1910,
Flemington, New Jersey, USA
Date of Death
10 August 1979,
Panorama City, California, USA
Birth Name
John Nicholas Foran
Height
6' 2¼" (1.89 m)
Spouse
Susanne Rosser (1951 - 10 August 1979) (his death) 4 children
Carole Gallagher (1 January 1943 - 18 May 1945) (divorced) 1 child
Ruth Piper Hollingsworth (6 June 1937 - 19 December 1940) (divorced) 2 children
Trivia
His divorce trial from his first wife in 1940 received considerable publicity and was the source of much gossip.
Distinctive red hair.
Buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, California.
Shot a pilot for a proposed CBS series in 1966 called "Off We Go". It didn't sell.
Four sons by his third wife; Thomas, Patrick, Michael, Sean.
In the last decade of his life he worked almost exclusively in television commercials.
His father was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey.
Was originally cast as the doomed Larry Talbot in The Wolf Man (1941), but was replaced by Lon Chaney Jr. before filming began.
Mini Biography-1
Dick Foran was the matinee idol of the B movies. He started as a band singer and then sang on the radio. He was hired by Warner Brothers as a supporting actor who could croon a tune when called upon. His good looks and good natured personality made him a natural choice for the supporting cast. His first starring role was in the western Treachery Rides the Range (1936) which was Warner Brothers answer to Gene Autry. In the westerns that followed, he would sing the tune while riding the horse or romancing the gal. Whether it was Song of the Saddle (1936) or California Mail (1936), his character name may be different, but 'The Singing Cowboy' tag was always the same. While at Warner's he also played straight dramatic roles, supporting the star. In 1940, Dick headed for Universal where he was, again, in the supporting case. He worked in serials, Rangers of Fortune (1940); horror, The Mummy's Hand (1940); to comedy, Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942). His signature theme "I'll Remember April" was introduced in Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942). After that, roles were sporadic. He made a half dozen films in the late fifties and did some Television. His last film role was in Donovan's Reef (1963) with his longtime friend John Wayne.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana
Mini Biography-2
American light leading man of musical Westerns and supporting player dramatic films. The son of New Jersey senator Arthur Foran, he attended the Hunn School and Princeton University, where he pursued a degree in geology. He was a splendid athlete and singer and while at Princeton developed an interest in the theatre. After college, he worked aboard freighter, then as a special investigator for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He abruptly quit that job and made his way to Hollywood, where he got work as a band vocalist. This led to small singing roles in films beginning in 1934. After several pictures in which he was billed as Nick Foran, he was signed by Warner Bros. His name was changed to Dick Foran and he began a series of musical Westerns. His strong, pleasant voice and friendly demeanor made him reasonably popular, and he began branching out into (mainly) supporting roles in non-Westerns. He was a very familiar presence in films, particularly at Warners, throughout the 1930s and '40s. In the 1950s, he played frequently on television and continued to make occasional film appearances into the 1960s. He died in 1979.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Jim Beaver
Filmography
Actor
1969 Mayberry R.F.D. (TV series)– Palm Springs Cowboy (1969) … King Beaumont
1966-1969 Daniel Boone (TV series)
Jeremiah / Simon Doggett
– The Allies (1969) … Simon Doggett
– Dan'l Boone Shot a B'ar (1966) … Jeremiah
1968 Adam-12 (TV series)– Log 122: Christmas - The Yellow Dump Truck (1968) … Fred Haines
1964-1968 The Virginian (TV series)
Adam Burnside / Duggan / Frank Devereaux / …
– Big Tiny (1968) … Adam Burnside
– The Reckoning (1967) … Frank Devereaux
– Requiem for a Country Doctor (1967) … Mayor
– A Man Called Kane (1964) … Duggan
1968 Bonanza (TV series)– Mark of Guilt (1968) … Ed Geltner
1967 Brighty of the Grand Canyon...Old Timer, the Prospector
1966 Off We Go (TV movie)...Lieutenant Casey Slade
1966 Vacation Playhouse (TV series)– Off We Go! (1966) … Lieutenant Casey Slade
1965-1966 O.K. Crackerby! (TV series)
– Operation Susan (1966) … Slim
– 3+1=1 (1965) … Slim
– Smile and the World... (1965) … Slim
– Bitter Ravioli (1965) … Slim
– Crackerby and the Cuckoo Game (1965) … Slim
1965 Rawhide (TV series)– The Testing Post (1965) … Major Taggert
1962-1965 Death Valley Days (TV series)
Bill Franklin / Ferguson / Will Melville
– Kate Melville and the Law (1965) … Will Melville
– The Holy Terror (1963) … Bill Franklin
– Pioneer Doctor (1963)
– The Breaking Point (1962) … Ferguson
1964 Taggart...Adam Stark
1961-1964 Lassie (TV series)
– Horse Thief (1964) … Fire Chief Ed Washburne
– Lassie's Gift of Love: Part 2 (1963) … Fire Chief Ed Washburne
– Three Alarm (1963) … Fire Chief Ed Washburne
– Lassie's Fish Story (1963) … Fire Chief Ed Washburne
– Howling Hero (1962) … Fire Chief Ed Washburne
1963 Lassie: A Christmas Tail...Ed Washburne
1963 The Great Adventure (TV series)– The Great Diamond Mountain (1963) … Colton
1963 Donovan's Reef...Australian Navy Officer Sean O'Brien
1963 Gun Law (TV series)– With a Smile (1963) … Sheriff
1963 The Dakotas (TV series)– Requiem at Dancer's Hill (1963) … Matt Kendrick
1962 Cheyenne (TV series)– Wanted for the Murder of Cheyenne Bodie (1962) … Sheriff Bigelow
1960-1962 Laramie (TV series)
Billy Jacobs / Joe Farley / Milt Lane / …
– Double Eagles (1962) … Joe Farley
– The Killer Legend (1961) … Milt Lane
– Bitter Glory (1961) … Billy Jacobs
– A Sound of Bells (1960) … Tom
1962 77 Sunset Strip (TV series)– The Gang's All Here (1962) … Lieutenant Ellison
1956-1962 The Red Skelton Show (TV series)
Convention Delegate / Gambler / Harold - Freddie's Brother-in-Law / …
– Best Man Blues (1962) … Howard Snyder
– Nothing But the Tooth (1962) … Mr. Crankie
– Freddie in Las Vegas (1960) … Gambler
– Episode #8.26 (1959) … Harold - Freddie's Brother-in-Law
– Dance Marathon (1956) … Convention Delegate
1958-1962 Lawman (TV series)
Ed Kelly / Frank Jesse
– The Wanted Man (1962) … Frank Jesse
– The Outcast (1958) … Ed Kelly
1961 Dr. Kildare (TV series)– Hit and Run (1961) … Paul Adams
1959-1961 Perry Mason (TV series)
Dr. David Craig / Harlan Merrill / Steve Benton
– The Case of the Renegade Refugee (1961) … Harlan Merrill
– The Case of the Garrulous Gambler (1959) … Steve Benton
– The Case of the Bedeviled Doctor (1959) … Dr. David Craig
1961 Dante (TV series)– Aces and Eights (1961) … Vance Mitchell
1961 The Deputy (TV series)– The Dream (1961) … Clint Hammer
1961 Five's a Family (TV series)...Bill Hewitt
1961 Westinghouse Preview Theatre (TV series)– Five's a Family (1961) … Bill Hewitt
1959-1960 Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV series)
Frank Koster / Sheriff D. Wilkes
– The Choice (1960) … Frank Koster
– The Spurs (1959) … Sheriff D. Wilkes
1960 Studs Lonigan....Patrick Lonigan
1960 The Untouchables (TV series)– The Frank Nitti Story (1960) … Jerry Dockstone
1960 The Big Night...Ed
1959-1960 Disneyland (TV series)
– The Swamp Fox: Tory Vengeance (1960) … Gabriel Marion
– The Swamp Fox: Brother Against Brother (1959)
– The Swamp Fox: The Birth of the Swamp Fox (1959) … Gabriel Marion
1959 Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV series)– The Adjuster (1959) … David Steele
1959 The Atomic Submarine...Cmdr. Dan Wendover
1959 Playhouse 90 (TV series)– The Sounds of Eden (1959) … Brady
1959 The Dennis O'Keefe Show (TV series)– Moon Man (1959) … Major
1957-1959 State Trooper (TV series)
Gabe Beiler / George Larkin
– While Jerome Burned (1959) … Gabe Beiler
– Fury on Fremont Street (1957) … George Larkin
1959 Yancy Derringer (TV series)– Two of a Kind (1959) … Mr. Halligan
1958 Have Gun - Will Travel (TV series)– Young Gun (1958) … Roy Calvert
1958 The Fearmakers...Jim McGinnis
1958 Thundering Jets...Lt. Col. Henry Spalding
1958 Violent Road...Frank 'Sarge' Miller
1958 Maverick (TV series)– The Third Rider (1958) … Sheriff Edwards
1957 Circus Boy (TV series)– The Return of Buffalo Bill (1957) … Buffalo Bill Cody
1957 The Millionaire (TV series)– The Hugh Waring Story (1957) … Hugh Waring
1957 Colt .45 (TV series)– Final Payment (1957) … Tuck Degan
1957 Matinee Theatre (TV series)– Molly Morgan (1957)
1957 Chicago Confidential...Arthur 'Artie' Blaine
1956-1957 Crossroads (TV series)
Father James Lorgan / Father Joseph F. Brophy / Reverend John Evans
– Coney Island Wedding (1957) … Father Joseph F. Brophy
– Boom Town Padre (1957) … Father James Lorgan
– The Singing Preacher (1956) … Reverend John Evans
1957 On Trial (TV series)– A Case of Sudden Death (1957) … Newcombe
1957 Sierra Stranger...Bert Gaines
1955-1957 The Ford Television Theatre (TV series)
Glenn B. Cochrane / Scoop Donnelly / William 'Bill' Trent
– Broken Barrier (1957)
– Sweet Charlie (1957) … Scoop Donnelly
– The Lady in His Life (1956) … Glenn B. Cochrane
– Cardboard Casanova (1955) … William 'Bill' Trent
1957 Father Knows Best (TV series)– Carnival (1957) … Burt
1957 Sheriff of Cochise (TV series)– The Kidnapper (1957) … Buck
1956 Science Fiction Theatre (TV series)
Dr. Don Stewart / Dr. Samuel Willard / Dr. Vincent Milhurst / …
– The Miracle Hour (1956) … Jim Wells
– Death at My Fingertips (1956) … Dr. Don Stewart
– The Missing Waveband (1956) … Dr. Vincent Milhurst
– The Long Sleep (1956) … Dr. Samuel Willard
1956 Cavalcade of America (TV series)– A Bed of Roses (1956)
1956 Please Murder Me...Joe Leeds
1956 The Bob Hope Show (TV series)– The Awful Truth (1956)
1955-1956 Damon Runyon Theater (TV series)
– The Pigeon Gets Plucked (1956) … Ace
– Small Town Caper (1955)
1955-1956 Climax! (TV series)
Luke Bradshaw / Robert Maxwell
– The Secret of River Lane (1956) … Luke Bradshaw
– Night of Execution (1955) … Robert Maxwell
1956 The Forest Ranger (TV movie)...Will Roberts
1955 TV Reader's Digest (TV series)– When the Wise Men Appeared (1955) … John Turner
1955 The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV series)
– The Miracle on 34th Street (1955) … Thomas Mara
1955 My Favorite Husband (TV series)– The Tea Room (1955)
1954-1955 Four Star Theatre (TV series)
Brit Murdock / Esau Hepburn / Will Foster
– The Face of Danger (1955) … Will Foster
– A Kiss for Mr. Lincoln (1955) … Brit Murdock
– Detective's Holiday (1954) … Esau Hepburn
1955 Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (TV series)– Old Cowboys Never Die (1955) … Matt Clements
1955 Stage 7 (TV series)
Archie Peters / Bill Cole
– The Hayfield (1955) … Bill Cole
– Billy and the Bride (1955) … Archie Peters
1955 Shower of Stars (TV series)
– All-Star Line-Up (1955)
– Burlesque (1955) … Harvey Howell
1955 The Public Defender (TV series)
– Operation Cleat (1955) … Ed McGrath
– Condemned (1955) … Ed McGrath
1955 Treasure of Ruby Hills...Alan Doran
1955 Waterfront (TV series)– The Rivals (1955) … Bill Borden
1954 The Best of Broadway (TV series)– The Philadelphia Story (1954) … George Kittredge
1954 Justice (TV series)
– Belmont Prison Break (1954)
– Murder at Red Oaks (1954)
1951-1954 Kraft Television Theatre (TV series)
– Kidnapped (1954)
– The Peaceful Warrior (1952)
– The Fair Haired Boy (1951)
– Irish Eyes (1951)
1950-1954 Studio One (TV series)
Jeff Clark / Larry / Russ Adams
– The Magic Monday (1954) … Larry
– The Kill (1952) … Jeff Clark
– Tremolo (1951)
– Screwball (1951) … Russ Adams
– The Old Foolishness (1951)
1953 Letter to Loretta (TV series)– Thanksgiving in Beaver Run (1953) … Phil
1951 Lux Video Theatre (TV series)
Bob / Matt
– The Twinkle in Her Eye (1951) … Matt
– The Treasure Trove (1951) … Bob
1951 Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV series)– Over the Fence (1951)
1951 Al Jennings of Oklahoma...Frank Jennings
1950 The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (TV series)
– The Great Emptiness (1950)
– Hart to Heart (1950)
1950 Suspense (TV series)– The Ledge (1950)
1949 Deputy Marshal...Joel Benton/Jed Northey
1949 El Paso...Sheriff La Farge
1948 Fort Apache...Sgt. Quincannon
1947 Easy Come, Easy Go...Dale Whipple
1945 Guest Wife...Christopher Price (as Richard Foran)
1943 He's My Guy...Van Moore
1943 Hi, Buddy...Dave O'Connor
1942 Behind the Eight Ball...Bill Edwards
1942 Keeping Fit (short)...Dick
1942 The Mummy's Tomb...Stephen Banning (also archive footage)
1942 Private Buckaroo...Lon Prentice
1942 Butch Minds the Baby...Dennis Devlin
1942 Ride 'Em Cowboy...Bronco Bob Mitchell
1941 Road Agent...Duke Masters
1941 Keep 'Em Flying...Jinx Roberts
1941 Mob Town...Sgt. Frank Conroy
1941 The Kid from Kansas...Kansas
1941 Unfinished Business...Frank
1941 Riders of Death Valley...Jim Benton
1941 In the Navy...Dynamite Dugan
1941 Horror Island..Bill Martin
1941 Four Mothers...Ernest Talbot
1940 The Mummy's Hand...Steve Banning
1940 Rangers of Fortune...Johnny Cash
1940 Winners of the West...Jeff Ramsay
1940 The House of the Seven Gables...Matthew Maule
1940 My Little Chickadee...Wayne Carter
1940 The Fighting 69th...Lt. 'Long John' Wynn
1939 Four Wives...Ernest Talbot
1939 Private Detective...Jim Rickey
1939 Hero for a Day...Brainy Thornton
1939 I Stole a Million...Atty. Paul Carver
1939 Daughters Courageous...Eddie Moore
1939 Inside Information...Danny Blake
1938 Heart of the North...Sergeant Alan Baker
1938 Secrets of a Nurse...Killer Lee Burke
1938 The Sisters...Tom Knivel
1938 Boy Meets Girl...Larry Toms
1938 Four Daughters...Ernest
1938 Romance and Rhythm...Sam Thorne
1938 Over the Wall...Jerry Davis
1938 Love, Honor and Behave...Pete Martin
1937 She Loved a Fireman...James 'Red' Tyler
1937 The Perfect Specimen...Jink Carter
1937 Prairie Thunder...Rod Farrell (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1937 The Devil's Saddle Legion...Tal Holladay (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1937 Empty Holsters...Clay Brent (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1937 Blazing Sixes...Red Barton
1937 Strange Laws...Dick Hudson
1937 Land Beyond the Law...Charles 'Chip' Douglas (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1937 Black Legion...Ed Jackson
1937 Guns of the Pecos...Steve Ainslee
1936 California Mail...Bill Harkins (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1936 The Sunday Round-Up (short)...Parson Ted Burke
1936 On Secret Service...Lieutenant Red Colton
1936 A Natural Born Salesman...Emmet McManus
1936 Public Enemy's Wife...Thomas Duncan McKay
1936 The Big Noise...Don Andrews
1936 The Golden Arrow...Tommy Blake
1936 Treachery Rides the Range...Captain Red Taylor
1936 Song of the Saddle...Frank Wilson, Jr., aka The Singing Kid
1936 The Petrified Forest...Boze Hertzlinger
1935 Dangerous...Teddy
1935 Moonlight on the Prairie...Ace Andrews (as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy)
1935 Shipmates Forever...Gifford
1935 Ladies Love Danger...Sergeant Bender (as Nick Foran)
1935 Accent on Youth...Butch (as Nick Foran)
1935 The Farmer Takes a Wife...Walt Lansing (uncredited)
1935 It's a Small World...Cop
1935 One More Spring...Park Policeman (as Nick Foran)
1935 The Lottery Lover...Cadet (as Nick Foran)
1934 Gentlemen Are Born...Smudge Casey (as Nick Foran)
1934 Student Tour...Assistant Manager (uncredited)
1934 Change of Heart...Nick - a Singer (as Nick Foran)
Soundtrack
1949 Western Melodies (short) (performer: "Give Me My Saddle", "I'll Remember April", "Trigger Trail")
1948 Fort Apache (performer: "Sweet Genevieve" - uncredited)
1947 Let's Sing a Song of the West (short) (performer: "My Little Buckaroo" - uncredited)
1947 Hollywood Wonderland (short) (performer: "The Open Road" - uncredited)
1944 Songs of the Range (short) (performer: "Song of the Circle Bar" - uncredited, "Song of the Plains" - uncredited)
1943 He's My Guy (performer: "He's My Guy", "On the Old Assembly Line")
1942 Private Buckaroo (performer: "Private Buckaroo" - uncredited, "We're in the Army Now" - uncredited, "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" - uncredited, "We've Got a Job to Do" - uncredited)
1942 Ride 'Em Cowboy (performer: "Give Me My Saddle" - uncredited, "I'll Remember April" - uncredited, "Ride 'em Cowboy" - uncredited)
1941 In the Navy (performer: "A Sailor's Life for Me" 1941)
1941 Keep 'Em Flying (performer: "Let's Keep 'Em Flying" 1941)
1941 Road Agent (performer: "Cielito Lindo", "Ridin' Home")
1941 The Kid from Kansas (performer: "Red River Valley" - uncredited, "La Golondrina" - uncredited)
1941 Riders of Death Valley (performer: "Ride Along")
1938 Over the Wall (performer: "Have You Met My Lulu?" 1938, "Little White House on the Hill" 1938, "Ave Maria" 1859, "One More Tomorrow" 1938 / "Have You Met My Lulu?" 1938, "One More Tomorrow" 1938)
1938 Heart of the North (performer: "Song of the Mounted Police" - uncredited)
1938 Romance and Rhythm (performer: "Home on the Range")
1937 Blazing Sixes (performer: "The Prairie Is My Home" 1937, "Ridin' on to Monterey" 1937, "In a Little Prairie Town" 1937)
1937 Prairie Thunder (performer: "Over the Trail Again" 1937 - uncredited, "Give Me a Song" 1937 - uncredited, "Sunset on the Rainbow Trail" 1937 - uncredited, "The Prairie Is My Home" 1937 - uncredited)
1937 She Loved a Fireman (performer: "He Wants to Be a Fireman" - uncredited)
1937 The Devil's Saddle Legion (performer: "My Texas Home" - uncredited, "When Moonlight Is Riding the Range" - uncredited, "God's Country" - uncredited / "When Moonlight Is Riding the Range" - uncredited)
1937 Empty Holsters (performer: "I Gotta Get Back to My Gal" - uncredited, "Old Corral" - uncredited, "The Prairie Is My Home" - uncredited)
1937 Strange Laws (performer: "Down the Cottonwood Trail" - uncredited, "My Little Buckaroo" - uncredited, "Along the Old Frontier" - uncredited)
1937 Land Beyond the Law (performer: "The Prairie Is My Home" - uncredited, "Whisper While You're Waltzing" - uncredited / "The Prairie Is My Home" - uncredited)
1937 Guns of the Pecos (performer: "When a Cowboy Takes a Wife" - uncredited, "The Prairie Is My Home" - uncredited)
1936 California Mail (performer: "Ridin' the Mail" 1936, "Love Begins at Evening" 1936 / "Love Begins at Evening" 1936)
1936 Song of the Saddle (performer: "Underneath a Western Sky" 1936 - uncredited, "Vengeance" 1936 - uncredited)
1936 On Secret Service (performer: "Drums of Glory" 1936, "Moonlight Valley" 1936)
1936 Treachery Rides the Range (performer: "Leather and Steel" 1936 - uncredited, "Ridin' Home" 1936 - uncredited)
1936 The Sunday Round-Up (short) (performer: "The Open Road" - uncredited)
1935 Moonlight on the Prairie (performer: "Moonlight on the Prairie", "Covered Wagon Days" - uncredited)
1934 Change of Heart (performer: "So What?" 1934 - uncredited)
1934 Stand Up and Cheer! (performer: "I'm Laughin'" 1934 - uncredited, "She's 'Way Up Thar" 1934 - uncredited, "We're Out of the Red" 1934 - uncredited)
