Jeffrey Connors 1952 – 2014. The 30-year-old was horse racing when the incident happened. [18] The show was taken off the air due to a dispute between CBS and Paramount. In his septuagenarian and octogenarian senior years, Mike Connors was essentially retired although he did make an appearance in the movie Nobody Knows Anything (2003) as Joe Mannix, and as Hugo on an episode of Two and a Half Men (2007). [8], Connors was strongly considered to play Matt Helm in The Silencers (1966), but that role had eventually gone to Dean Martin. He went from being the son of immigrant parents to UCLA basketball star (Touch Connors) to television star of Mannix after being recruited by Lucille Ball to star in the Desilu series. Jeff Connors was born in Los Angeles, California, as Jeffrey Alan Connors. Connors was born Krekor Ohanian, Jr. (Armenian: Գրիգոր Օհանեան), on August 15, 1925, in Fresno, California, to Armenian parents Krekor Ohanian, Sr. (1881–1944) and Alice (née Surabian; 1898–1978). The series only lasted one season. He was 91. He starred in the short-lived series Tightrope! The actor died surrounded by … He was also. [33], Connors died in Tarzana, California, at the age of 91 on January 26, 2017, a week after being diagnosed with leukemia. Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor.He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Despite the show's popularity, it was cancelled after only one season. [8], Connors' final appearance was in a 2007 Two and a Half Men episode, as a love interest of Evelyn Harper (Holland Taylor). [23] However, the series was not picked up. Born Kevin Joseph Connors on April 10, 1921, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mr. Connors was married and divorced three times. Connors was invited to take on a lead role in the series on an ongoing basis, but the producers had actually wanted to pressure Burr into resigning his contract with the series. This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Dort wurde er bei einem Basketballspiel vom Hollywood-Regisseur William A. Wellman entdeckt, der ihm den Eingang ins Filmgeschäft vermittelte. [26] Through his daughter Dana, he had one granddaughter. It is with deep sadness that we report the untimely passing of a good man, Jeff Connors, one of four sons born to actor Chuck Connors. Connors' acting career spanned six de… He was Chuck & Betty's youngest child. Ex-stepson of Kamala Devi and Faith Quabius. During World War II, he served as an enlisted man in the United States Army Air Forces. Mike and Mary Lou Connors’ son was a happy youngster when suddenly, at 15, he began to hallucinate and hear voices, his father said. Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series Mannix from 1967 to 1975, a role which earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1970, the first of six straight nominations, as well as four consecutive Emmy nominations from 1970 to 1973. This was notable as the first episode shot at Universal Studios, after Ball ceased producing her program at Paramount Studios. [22] The film was intended to be the pilot for a new ABC series titled Ohanian, about an Armenian-American former homicide detective who is now a charter-boat skipper. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. [14] He thought the program would lose the suspense element, "Because the whole premise was this guy, all by himself, 'on a tightrope.' Sorry bud. [8], Connors appeared in numerous television series, including the co-starring role in the 1955 episode "Tomas and the Widow" of the anthology series Frontier. Parents. Chuck Connors had four sons: Michael, Jeffrey, Steven and Kevin. Mike Connors was born in 1950 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as Michael Andrew Connors. [3] After the war, he attended the University of California at Los Angeles on both a basketball scholarship and the G.I. "[5] Connors later stated he hated the name "from day one" and considered not using his real name the only big regret of his career. He voiced the character Chipacles in the Disney animated series Hercules from 1998 to 1999. Chuck Connors 1921 – 1992. The sponsor dropped Tightrope! The character of Joe Mannix could be taken advantage of by a pretty face, he could shed a tear on an emotional level, he was very close to his father and his family, so he was more a normal personality with normal behaviour. Siblings. Brother of Jeff Connors, Kevin Connors and Steve Connors. When CBS discovered the deal, the executives quickly decided to cancel Mannix to avoid losing viewership for new episodes to the reruns. Mike Connors, Camera Department: The Nutty Professor. Kevin Patrick Connors 1956 – 2005. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. [11], In 1958, Connors appeared in the title role of the episode "Simon Pitt", the series finale of the NBC Western Jefferson Drum, starring Jeff Richards as a frontier newspaper editor. Michael was born in 1950 and is still alive, as of 2015. He was leaving a … TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. [31], Connors was a Republican. The series ran for eight seasons from 1967 to 1975. He guest-starred on the early sitcoms, Hey, Jeannie! During … All four boys came from his first marriage with Elizabeth Jane Riddell Connors, whom he married on Oct. 1, 1948. LOS ANGELES – Mike Connors, who starred as a hard-hitting private eye on the long-running television series "Mannix," has died. At school, he often got into fights due to the discrimination faced against Armenians,who were looked upon as outsiders. [20] They had two children, a son, Matthew Gunnar Ohanian (1958–2007), and a daughter, Dana Lee Connors (b. That same year, Connors was cast as Miles Borden, a corrupt US Army lieutenant bitter over his $54 monthly pay, on NBC's Wagon Train in the episode "The Dora Gray Story" with Linda Darnell in the title role. (1959–1960) and Today's FBI (1981–1982). The episode, which opened Lucy's fourth season, is titled "Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage". He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Mike is a Dolly Grip. He was an avid basketball player in high school, who was nicknamed "Touch" by his teammates. In 1966, Mike Connors starred in the western Stagecoach directed by Gordon Douglas. During the filming of the pilot episode, he broke his wrist and dislocated his shoulder. He spoke Armenian in a number of episodes and often quoted Armenian proverbs. [22], Connors had roles in the thriller films Avalanche Express (1979) and Nightkill (1980). But Not Serious (1965), Stagecoach (1966), Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966), and Too Scared to Scream (1985), which he also produced. He is buried at Reseda, Los Angles, California. Yes, Mike Connors is Chuck Connors' eldest son. Kevin was just 32 days into his 49th birthday. Jeff Connors was third son of Chuck Connors (Rifleman) and Faith Quabius, known for Soylent Green, The Police Connection and The Streets of San Francisco.. Jeff was an actor, known for his two (2) lines in The Rifleman (1958) episode "Tension." From the second season onward, Mannix opens his own detective agency and is assisted by his secretary Peggy Fair (Gail Fisher). [8], Mannix was originally produced by Desilu Productions (later absorbed by Paramount Television). Connors hosted the 1989 series Crimes of the Century. By Eileen Reslen. (1959–1960) and Today's FBI(1981–1982). Sorry to disppoint. Mike Connors was born in 1950 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as Michael Andrew Connors. [15], In 1964, Connors had a role in the Jack Lemmon comedy Good Neighbor Sam and was the leading man to Susan Hayward and Bette Davis in Where Love Has Gone. His son Matthew Connors died in 2007 from heart failure, a tragedy for Connors and his family; he’s been completely retired since then. Connors played the card shark in the remake of Stagecoach (1966). This gives Michael dual citizenship. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/03/31/archives/son-of-chuck-connors-shot.html [19], He later reprised the role of Joe Mannix in a 1997 episode of Diagnosis: Murder and in the 2003 comedy film Nobody Knows Anything!. [9], Connors had roles in several of the earliest films Roger Corman directed: Five Guns West (1955), The Day the World Ended (1955), Swamp Women (1956), and The Oklahoma Woman (1956). He had initially been rejected for an audition by producer Joseph Kaufman due to his lack of experience, but after sneaking into Republic Pictures and meeting director David Miller, Connors was given a chance to read the script and was offered the part. Steven is also alive, born in 1953. [20], He narrated J. Michael Hagopian's 1975 documentary film The Forgotten Genocide, one of the first full-length features on the Armenian Genocide. [10][24] He starred as a bureau veteran who mentors a team of agents in Today's FBI (1981–1982). [28][29][30], After his son's diagnosis, Connors became active in charitable organizations for mental-disorder patients. [7], Connors was cast in the John Wayne film, Island in the Sky in which he played a crewman on one of the search-and-rescue planes. When he gets a sidekick, it loses the threat and the danger, and the whole premise is in the toilet. Mike Connors, who starred as a brawling L.A. private eye on the long-running CBS crime drama Mannix, died today of leukemia at a hospital in Tarzana, CA.He was 91. [1], Mannix remained a hit show through its final season and was not cancelled due to low ratings. He starred in the short-lived series Tightrope! He raised $117,000 for the film. [1][34], Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, "Mike Connors, Long-Running TV Sleuth in 'Mannix,' Dies at 91", "Actor Mike Connors radio interview with Mike Connors - 2014", "Mike Connors, Principled Private Detective on 'Mannix,' Dies at 91", "Mike Connors: "I didn't want to just walk through the part of Mannix when it was so successful, "The long-running private eye series Mannix was brutal, stylish comfort food", "How Johnny Carson indirectly caused the death of 'Mannix, "Mike Connors Dies: 'Mannix' Star Was 91", "Celebrating Seniors - Mike Connors Turns 90", "Mike Connors, l'interprète de Mannix est mort à l'âge de 91 ans", "Cinq infos insolites que vous ignorez (peut-être) sur Charles Aznavour", "Charles Aznavour : des amis, beaucoup d'amour et une très grande famille", "TV's 'Mannix,' Mike Connors Was Active Republican Campaigner", "Mike Connors, 'Mannix' Star, Dies at 91", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Connors&oldid=1002760500, Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners, United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Armenian-language text, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Episode: "The Case of the Bullied Bowler", Plastic Surgeon / Airline Pilot / Henry Pringle / Himself / Federal Witness, Episode: "Lucy and Mannix Are Held Hostage", Private Eyes spoof skit with Hope as "Cannon", This page was last edited on 25 January 2021, at 22:58. Connors went to law school, where he studied to become an attorney, taking after his father. The hot dog stand, which is celebrating its 75th year this year, was started by Thomas E. Connors Sr. in 1944 so Kevin, his oldest son, could earn money for college. He is known for his work on The Nutty Professor (1996), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) and Frailty (2001). The documentary was nominated for two Emmys. happily married for 68 years. [8], When discussing the success of the series in an interview, Connors stated: "The show itself started a whole new era of detective shows, because this wasn't the usual cynical private eye à la Humphrey Bogart. Kevin Connors, son of Chuck Connors passed away on July 10, 2005. He stated this made his family more close. [9], Other syndicated series in which he appeared were The Silent Service, based on true stories of the submarine section of the United States Navy; Sheriff of Cochise, a Western series; Whirlybirds, an aviation adventure series; and Rescue 8, based on stories of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The remarkable story of Krekor Ohanian who became known as Mike Connors, the Star of the tv series Mannix, can happen only in America.. Mike Connor's real name is Krekor Ohanian. [12], Connors starred as an undercover police officer who infiltrated organized crime in Tightrope! Matthew predeceased his father, dying of heart failure in 2007. On the set of The Rifleman with Chuck & his boys along with his TV son Johnny Crawford (Mark McCain) - page 2. Mikey Connors - described as a "loyal family man" - died following a collision on Eastern Way, Thamesmead on Saturday morning. Flowers In their memory Plant Memorial Trees. [2], After Connors became an actor, his agent Henry Willson thought the name "Ohanian" was too similar to the actor George O'Hanlon and gave him the stage name "Touch Connors" based on his basketball nickname. Apr 5, 2018 Getty Images. It … [20] Connors both starred in and produced the independent horror film Too Scared to Scream (1985). Connors himself performed the stuntwork of dangling from a rope ladder attached to a helicopter flying off the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro when the local stuntman refused to do it. Connors was so called because of his basketball skills. He guest-starred in two Rod Cameron syndicated crime dramas, City Detective and the Western-themed State Trooper, and played the villain in the first episode filmed (but second one aired) of ABC's smash hit Maverick, opposite James Garner in 1957. [17], Joe Mannix was an Armenian-American, like Connors. But Not Serious (1965), in which Connors and Redford played American soldiers taken prisoner by a German villager played by Alec Guinness. LOS ANGELES, March 30 (AP) — The son of Chuck Connors, the actor, was reported in stable condition today following three and a half hours of surgery for a gunshot wound to the stomach, suffered when he tried to stop a car theft. In 1998, the UC Irvine College of Medicine's Brain Imaging Center Committee awarded Connors the Silver Ribbon Award for his contributions. Leave a Flower × Advertisement. [20], He spoke three languages: Armenian, English, and French. They married in 1920 and had three children, Dorthy M., Arpesri A. and Krekor. His mom, however, wanted him to be an attorney like his father. Both of Chuck's sons, Jeff and Kevin were created. Standing 6 feet, 2 inches, Jeff loved to share stories about his father. Mike Connors ist der Name folgender Personen: Mike Connors (Schauspieler, 1892) (Michael O’Connor; 1892–1949), australischer Schauspieler; Mike Connors (Schauspieler, 1925) (Kreker J. Ohanian; 1925–2017), US-amerikanischer Schauspieler; Dies ist eine Begriffsklärungsseite zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe. [2], Connors was an avid basketball player in high school, nicknamed "Touch" by his teammates. [32] He endorsed Ronald Reagan for President in 1980 and 1984 and endorsed George Deukmejian for Governor of California in 1982 and 1986. The police said that after Jeff Connors, 27 years old, was shot yesterday, a suspect, Alfred Humphrey Jr., 18, of Los Angeles, was booked for investigation of robbery and attempted murder. All of Chuck’s boys, Mike, Steve, Jeff & Kevin. In 1956, he played an Amalekite herder in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments. Nov 6, 2013 - Just about everybody’s sons, daughters, nieces & nephews were on the set for this episode. Chuck's son Kevin P. Connors was born June 9, 1956 and died on July 10, 2005. "[10], Connors was able to work with his boss Lucille Ball on-screen during a cross-promotion episode of her Here's Lucy series in 1971. Family Members. Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series Mannix from 1967 to 1975, a role which earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1970, the first of six straight nominations, as well as four consecutive Emmy nominations from 1970 to 1973. It was more a show about an all-round normal human being. 1960). Son of Chuck and Elizabeth Connor. Elizabeth Jane Riddell Connors 1928 – 1992. and The People's Choice. Brother of Jeff Connors, Steve Connors, Kevin Connors. His father was Krekor Ohanian (1881–1944) and his mother was Alice (1898–1978).