James Franciscus

In the mid 1980s, he became dissatisfied with the roles offered to him and turned his attention to screen writing.

Twice portrayed President John F. Kennedy, or a character directly based on him: The Greek Tycoon (1978) and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (1981).

An avid tennis player, he founded the James Franciscus Celebrity Tennis Tournament in the mid 1970s to raise money for multiple sclerosis research and victims (his mother suffered from this disease). He also enjoyed sky diving and scuba diving. He married Kathleen 'Kitty' Wellman, daughter of director William A.

He played an astronaut in both Marooned (1969) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970).

As co-founder of Omnibus Productions, he produced many classic films, such as Heidi (1968), Jane Eyre (1970), David Copperfield (1970), Kidnapped (1971), and The Red Pony (1973).

Novak (1963) and Longstreet (1971). He also made numerous guest appearances in other popular television programs, starred in numerous television movies, and appeared in numerous feature films.

Was the first choice to play Dr. Kildare in the 1961 TV series, but he was committed to another series (that never materialized) so the producers went with Richard Chamberlain.

Wellman, on March 28, 1960, and fathered four daughters (Jamie, Kellie, Corie and Jolie). A devoted family man, his contracts often stipulated that he not be required to work past 6:00 pm.

In 1959 Norman Lear produced a pilot for a situation comedy called "Band of Gold" in which James and Suzanne Pleshette played a different couple each week. The program was considered too "experimental" and was never broadcast.

Franciscus is best known for his work in television, including Naked City (1958), The Investigators (1961), Mr.

James Grover Franciscus graduated magna cum laude from Yale University in 1957 with a B. A. in English and theater. His father, John Allen Franciscus, was a pilot killed in action during WWII. His mother was named Loraine (nee Grover) and he had one sibling, a brother named John. Mr.

On May 24, 1942 his father Capt. John Allen Franciscus was on a United Army Air Force Lockheed C40-D (Ser. No. 42-22249) taking him and other pilots from Bolling Field, District of Columbia, to Houlton Air Force Base, Maine. The pilots were to ferry bombers across the Atlantic. However, the Lockheed commuter plane crashed 5 miles northeast of Howe Brook, Maine, killing all on board.