Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jim Davis (born Marlin Davis, August 26, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American actor, best known for his role as Jock Ewing in the CBS prime-time soap opera, Dallas, a role which continued until he was too ill from a terminal illness to perform. He was known as Jim Davis by the time of his first major screen role, which was opposite Bette Davis in the 1948 melodrama Winter Meeting,[3] a lavish failure for which he was lambasted in the press as being too inexperienced to play the part properly. His subsequent film career consisted of mostly B movies, many of them westerns, although he made an impression as a U.S. senator in the Warren Beatty conspiracy thriller The Parallax View. Davis performed in numerous television series episodes in the 1950s-1970s. After years of relatively low-profile roles, Davis was cast as family patriarch Jock Ewing on Dallas, which debuted in 1978. During season four, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma but continued to film the show as long as he could. In many scenes as the season progressed he was shown seated, and his voice became softer and more obviously affected by his illness. He wore a hairpiece to cover the hair he'd lost from chemotherapy. A season four storyline regarding the Takapa development and Jock's separation from Miss Ellie was ended abruptly at the end of season four. The writers depicted the couple suddenly leaving to go on an extended second honeymoon when it became obvious that Davis could no longer continue to work. Their departure in a limousine in the episode "New Beginnings" was Davis' only scene in that episode, and his condition was so poor that close watching reveals (based on his unsynchronized lip movement) that he overdubbed his one last line of dialogue. It was his final appearance on the show. He died of complications from his illness while season four was being aired.
Acted in 139
1980s
- 1981
Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige
Mr. Wilkenson
- 1980
1970s
- 1978
Killing Stone
Sen. Barry Tyler
Trail of Danger
Pop Apling
- 1977
The Choirboys
Drobeck
Just a Little Inconvenience
Dave Erickson
Enigma
Colonel Valentine
Hunter
TV
- 1976
The Quest
TV
Law of the Land
Sheriff Pat Lambrose
- 1975
The Runaway Barge
Capt. Buckshot Bates
- 1974
Inferno in Paradise
Rocky Stratton
- 1973
Deliver Us from Evil
Dixie
- 1972
Kung Fu
Sheriff Grogan · 2 episodes
Bad Company
Marshal
The Honkers
Sheriff Potter
- 1971
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
Five Bloody Graves
Clay Bates
The Ice House
Jake
- 1968
The Road Hustlers
Noah Reedy
They Ran for Their Lives
Vince Ballard
- 1967
Hondo and the Apaches
Krantz
Fort Utah
Scarecrow
- 1966
- 1965
Zebra in the Kitchen
Adam Carlyle
- 1964
Iron Angel
Sgt. Walsh
- 1962
- 1961
The Gambler Wore a Gun
Case Silverthorne
Gunslinger
Jeb Crane · 1 episode
Frontier Uprising
Jim Stockton
- 1960
Coronado 9
TV
Noose for a Gunman
Case Britton
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
A Lust to Kill
Marshal Matt Gordon
Flaming Frontier
Col. Hugh Carver
Wolf Dog
Jim Hughes
The Toughest Gun in Tombstone
Johnny Ringo
- 1957
Guns Don't Argue
Police Captain Stewart / Narrator
The Quiet Gun
Ralph Carpenter
Last Stagecoach West
Bill Cameron
Apache Warrior
Ben Ziegler
Four Women in Black
Sheriff
The Badge of Marshal Brennan
Jeff Harlan
Duel at Apache Wells
Dean Cannary
- 1956
Frontier Gambler
Tony Burton
The Maverick Queen
The Stranger
Blonde Bait
Nick Randall
The Wild Dakotas
Aaron Baring
The Bottom of the Bottle
George Cady
- 1955
The Vanishing American
Glendon
Last of the Desperados
Chief Deputy John Poe
Timberjack
Poole
- 1954
Hell's Outpost
Sam Horne
The Outlaw's Daughter
Marshal Dan Porter
The Outcast
Major Linton Cosgrave
The Big Chase
Brad Bellows
Jubilee Trail
Silky
- 1953
Woman They Almost Lynched
Cole Younger
General Electric Theater
Cole Treuitt · 1 episode
- 1952
Ride the Man Down
Red Courteen
Death Valley Days
Ezra Meeker · 1 episode
Woman of the North Country
Steve Powell
Rose of Cimarron
Willie Whitewater
- 1951
The Sea Hornet
Tony Sullivan
Silver Canyon
Wade McQuarrie
Cavalry Scout
Lt. Spaulding
- 1950
The Showdown
Cochran
1940s
- 1949
Yes Sir, That's My Baby
Joe Tascarelli
Hellfire
Gyp Stoner
Red Stallion In The Rockies
Dave Ryder
- 1948
Winter Meeting
Slick Novak
- 1947
Merton of the Movies
Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)
- 1946
Gallant Bess
Harry
Up Goes Maisie
Matthews (Uncredited)
- 1943
Swing Shift Maisie
Investigator / Airport Announcer (Uncredited)
Pilot #5
Military Policeman
- 1942
Stand by for Action
Talker (uncredited)
White Cargo
Seaplane Pilot (uncredited)
Tennessee Johnson
Reporter (uncredited)
Keep 'Em Sailing
Joseph Cummins
Northwest Rangers
Mountie with Warrant
