Saturday, March 5, 2011

Happy 85th Birthday Craig Hill

Craighill Fowler was born on March 5, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. As Craig Hill He spent the first have of the decade of the 1950s as a contract player for 20th Century Fox Studios. Craig was seen in minor roles in such films as “All About Eve” and “Cheaper by the Dozen” both in 1950. “What Price Glory” (1952). He was loaned out to Paramount where he appeared in “Detective Story” (1951) as a prison-bound first time offender. He then appeared at P.T. Cooper along with co-star Kenneth Toby in the TV series “Whirlybirds” from 1957-1963. After the series ended he took off to Spain to appear in “Hands of a Gunman” (1965). He would continue to make films in Europe and the U.S. such as “The Swinger” (1966) with Ann-Margaret for the next year or two but by the late 1960s he had taken up residence in Spain and has never left. Craig appeared in 16 Euro-westerns from the previously mentioned “Hands of a Gunman” (1965) until “Court Martial” (1977). He starred in such films as “The Taste of Killing” (1966), “Bury Them Deep” (1967), “15 Scaffolds for a Killer” and “I Want Him Dead” (1968), “Drummer of Vengeance” (1971), “Return of the Holy Ghost” and “Stay Away from Trinity... When He Comes to El Dorado” both in 1972 and “My Horse, My Gun, Your Widow” (1975). In 1990 he married actress Teresa Gimpera [1936- ] and the couple moved to Barcelona. Craig continued to appear in films and television productions. His last film appearance was in “Platillos volantes” in 2003. Today we celebrate the 85th birthday of Craig Hill.

6 comments:

  1. It is great to see Craig Hill as I knew him in Whirlybirds and other 1950's-1960;s tv shows still going strong at 85. I realised he had moved to Spain and stayed there, and had married Teresa Gimpera. His co-star in Whirlybirds, Mr Kenneth Tobey, unfortunately passed away several years back, not long after attending a helicopter convention organised by fans of the old Whirlybirds series in the USA, in California. Mr Tobey was very old, frail, and he was on a walker frame at that time. The boys took him for a helicopter ride in one of the old Bell 47's that was similar to one of the choppers he had been involved with in the hit tv show. It was due to these two guys in that show that I later became a helicopter pilot. Thank you both, to Mr Craig Hill, and the late Mr Kenneth Tobey. They were "part" of my life, as a young boy who loved their excellent Whirybirds tv show in Sydney, NSW, Australia.

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  2. Thank you for this information about my favorite actor Craig Hill. I have looked for personal information about his current life.
    So happy he is still with us loved his smile and wit he made the show for me.

    Happy Birthday

    One dear fan of the fifties, as a young girl I had the biggest crush on him. Thanks for the update.

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  3. He was so handsome what a pity that God lets us once beautiful people get old ugly sick. It heartbreaking as I too was beautiful,now at 75 old ugly and rotting away. hope to take my life soon as i dare,and if i am sure after death it is final.

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  4. Happy 85th Birthday Craig! Wishing you the best always! In addition to being extremely handsome and an actor... some may not know he was also a real life pilot and flight instructor. How do I know? He was my flight instructor and soloed me

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  5. "Was also a real life pilot" ... heli or fixed wing?

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  6. Lucky you who met him personally. What a handsome man!!

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