Victor French was an American actor and director best known for his portrayals of Isaiah Edwards in the NBC series ‘Little House on the Prairie’ (1974–1983) and Mark Gordon in the CBS series ‘Highway to Heaven’ (1984–1989).
Born in Santa Barbara, California on December 4, 1934, to a Hollywood stuntman father, French began his career in the 1950s as a stunt performer and in uncredited acting roles, including an early appearance in ‘Lassie’. He gained prominence through recurring roles in Western television programs such as ‘Gunsmoke’, where he appeared in over 20 episodes and later directed five. French also featured in other notable shows like ‘Get Smart’ as the bumbling Agent 44 and ‘Carter Country’ as Chief Roy Mobey, while making film appearances in “Charro!” (1969) opposite Elvis Presley and “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982). In addition to acting, he directed episodes of his signature series and earned the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for directing a 1971 production of “12 Angry Men”. A lifelong boxing enthusiast who supported the Ten Goose Boxing Club, French was a close collaborator with producer Michael Landon on their family dramas and passed away from lung cancer at age 54 in Sherman Oaks, California on June 15, 1989.
FRENCH, Victor (Victor Edwin
French) [12/4/1934, Santa
Barbara, California, U.S.A. – 6/15/1989, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. (lung
cancer)] – director, film, TV actor, son of stuntman, actor Ted French (Victor Trenwith French) [1899-1978], married to Judith K.
Schenz [1939- ] (1959-1975) father
Victor A. French Jr. [1960- ], twins
Kelly French [1962- ], producer,
actress Tracy French [1962- ], married
to director, writer, actress, singer Julie Cobb (Julie Frances Cobb)
[1947- ] (1976-1978), inducted into
the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western
Heritage Museum [1998].
Chato’s Land – 1971 (Martin Hall)
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