Joel Dee McCrea, known as Jody McCrea, was an American film and television actor. He was the oldest of the three sons of veteran film actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee.
Biography
Early life
McCrea went to school in Santa Rosa, California, and at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. He studied drama at UCLA and served in the United States ArmySpecial Services. McCrea had small roles in his father's film, Wichita. He was also in Lucy Gallant. While still at UCLA he had the lead role in Johnny Moccasin, a half hour film made for television by Laslo Benedek as a white boy raised by Indians after a massacre. McCrea followed this with a good supporting role in a feature starring his father, The First Texan. McCrea studied under Sanford Meisner for two years in New York City. He appeared on television in Chevron Hall of Stars, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Conflict, Studio One in Hollywood, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, and Kraft Theatre. He had a supporting role in Naked Gun, and The Monster That Challenged the World. He made Trooper Hook and Gunsight Ridge with his father and was one of several young names in Lafayette Escadrille and The Restless Years. He later briefly hosted Country Style, USA, an Army-produced recruiting television program filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, featuring various country music entertainers.
''Wichita Town''
In 1959, McCrea costarred with his father in the short-lived NBC western Wichita Town, set in Wichita, Kansas. Joel McCrea appeared as MarshalMike Dunbar. Jody McCrea did not portray the role of Joel's son on the program but as the deputy marshal, Ben Matheson.
1960s roles
McCrea had a small role in All Hands on Deck and could be seen in the episode, "The Wrestler" on the ABCsituation comedy, Guestward Ho!, starring Joanne Dru. He toured the country with The Tiger a production from Moral Rearmament. He did The Moon is Blue and Look Homeward Angel in stock. McCrea was cast as Lieutenant John J. Pershing in the 1962 episode, "To Walk with Greatness", on the syndicated television anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. In the story line, three outlaws endanger an Indian treaty, as Pershing sets forth to find the men. Frank Ferguson was cast in the episode as Colonel Carr. In the early 1960s, McCrea guest starred on the CBS game program, I've Got a Secret with Garry Moore. His appearance was part of a group of entertainers related to famous Hollywood personalities. McCrea had support parts in Force of Impulse and The Broken Land. He made Young Guns of Texas with Alana Ladd, daughter of Alan Ladd, and James Mitchum, son of Robert.
McCrea had a support role in Operation Bikini at American International Pictures starring Tab Hunter and Frankie Avalon. He impressed the studio enough for them to cast him in a comedic role as dumb-minded "Deadhead" in Beach Party starring Avalon and Annette Funicello. When cast in the beach pictures, he realized his comedic potential. When first offered the role of "Deadhead", for example, he was quoted at the time as saying that he "wasn't sure what the character would become". McCrea felt that the audience enjoyed Deadhead as they felt superior to him. McCrea was an avid body builder, and the only actor appearing in the American International Pictures beach movies who could actually surf. The film was a big hit and after appearing in Law of the Lawless and The Greatest Show on Earth, McCrea reprised his performance as Deadhead in Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach. He recorded a 45 rpm single in 1964 for Canjo Records to coincide with the film Bikini Beach. He also wrote a script Stage to Nowhere which appears not to have been made. McCrea played the "Big Lurch" in the 1964 film, Pajama Party, with Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello in the lead parts. McCrea had a small part in Young Fury and played Lieutenant Brannin, a cocky cavalry officer based loosely on George Armstrong Custer, in Sam Peckinpah's Major Dundee, but his scene was deleted from the final cut. He also appeared in Wagon Train, before returning to AIP beach movies with Beach Blanket Bingo. McCrea played "Bonehead", again the same character – but it was his biggest role in the series, having a romance with a mermaid. McCrea was back as Bonehead in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, the last Beach Party movie in which he appeared. He was replaced by Aaron Kincaid for Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.
Later films
McCrea guest starred on Vacation Playhouse and Pistols 'n' Petticoats. He had a lead role as a biker in The Glory Stompers, and starred in Sam for Larry Buchanan. He was a judge on Dream Girl of '67. McCrea had a supporting role in Scream Free! and the lead inThe Girls from Thunder Strip. McCrea starred in a Western Cry Blood, Apache which he also produced. He retired after November Children.
Later career and death
McCrea became a rancher in Roswell, New Mexico. He came out of retirement to appear in 1981 in Lady Street Fighter. He died in 2009 of a heart attack at the age of 74. He was married to the former Dusty Ironwing from 1976 until her death in 1996. He is survived by Dusty's children, who he raised as his own, David Ironwing and Jaquet Ironwing.
