Lonny Chapman

1920–2007 · American actor best known for his numerous guest appearances on television drama series

Biography

Lon Leonard Chapman (October 1, 1920 – October 12, 2007) was an American actor whose career unfolded largely on television, where he built a long run of supporting roles and guest appearances in drama series. Although he was rarely a headline name, his steady work in film and on screen made him a familiar face to many viewers.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Joplin, Missouri, Chapman served in the Marine Corps in the South Pacific during the Second World War. Afterwards he studied at the University of Oklahoma, where he formed a lifelong friendship with Dennis Weaver. In 1947 the two hitchhiked to New York, and Chapman soon landed a role in Come Back, Little Sheba. His first television part came in 1951. On film he made his debut in 1955 with Young at Heart, and he appeared in East of Eden, Baby Doll and Hitchcock's The Birds. On television he headlined The Investigator and For the People, and he guest-starred in a wide range of series, from westerns to police procedurals.

Chapman was also an active figure in theatre. He taught acting in New York, ran the Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood for years and wrote several plays. His legacy rests on that stage work and on a long career built on steady professional craft. He died in 2007, aged 87, at a care facility in North Hollywood.

Key films

Young at Heart (1955)
East of Eden (1955)
The Birds (1963)
Norma Rae (1979)
The Cowboys (1972)

Trivia

A university friendship

Chapman and Dennis Weaver met at the University of Oklahoma and remained close friends for decades. Weaver later starred in McCloud, in which Chapman made three guest appearances between 1972 and 1975.