Growing Up Western! Rugged 6’4” cowboy movie legend Rod Cameron moved from Canada to Hollywood in the late 1930s. He worked his way up from being an extra to a stuntman, then from a Republic serial star to a B western hero, and finally an A movie star. He starred opposite luminaries such as Yvonne De Carlo, Ruth Roman, and Joanne Dru. In the 1950s, Rod took the lead as a contemporary crime fighter in three popular TV series: CITY DETECTIVE, STATE TROOPER, and CORONADO 9.
Rod’s son, Tony Cameron, spent his childhood visiting movie sets and mingling with Western film and sports heroes. He encountered the likes of Olympic Champion Buster Crabbe, Alabama’s All-American halfback Johnny Mack Brown, the ever-charming villain Dan Duryea, and leading ladies such as Jill St. John and Audrey Dalton. When Rod made a guest appearance on BONANZA, Tony was on Paramount’s backlot meeting characters like Little Joe and Hoss. Like his father, Tony had an affinity for horses, but his true passion was sports. He was drafted twice by Major League Baseball teams: the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners.
Rod’s career spanned multiple decades. Tony reminisces about significant moments from his father’s career, including a marital twist that shook Hollywood – Rod divorced his young wife to marry her mother! Dive into these tales and more on this special edition of A WORD ON WESTERNS as Tony brings his father’s film history and a touch of humor to a conversation with Rob Word at the Autry Museum. Recorded on March 14, 2023.
