Gary Lockwood (real name John Gary Yurosek) is an American theater, film and television actor. He began his film career in the late 1950s as a stuntman and understudy for the famous performer Anthony Perkins in those years.
The actor gained wide popularity after the release of films with his participation "Star Trek" and "2001: A Space Odyssey". In the creative biography of Lockwood, there are more than 80 roles in television and film projects. He has also appeared in popular American entertainment shows and TV series, including Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, Three Cinemas, and Trekki.
Biography facts
Gary was born in the United States in the winter of 1937. He spent all his childhood in the Newhall community of Santa Clarita, California. His father was a successful farmer with his own ranch and was mainly involved in growing carrots.
His paternal ancestors were from Poland and bore the surname Yusolfski. Arriving in America, they changed it to Yurosek. When Gary started working in films, he decided to take a creative pseudonym and began to call himself Gary Lockwood, choosing as the last name the middle name of the famous director Joshua Lockwood Logan.
The boy was actively involved in sports from an early age. During his school years he attended a sports club and played for the youth football team. Gary showed great promise and received a personal sports scholarship to continue his studies at the university.
After completing his secondary education, the young man entered the University of California (UCLA) in Los Angeles, where he continued to play football for the university team as a defender.
Three years later, Lockwood was offered a job in the cinema. He left the university and became a successful stuntman and stunt double for the famous performer of those years E. Perkins, who starred in many popular adventure films.
Later in his interviews, Gary said more than once that he was very lucky in life. He played football, received a good education, did stunt work and met many famous people who helped him build an excellent career in cinema.
Film career
Gary made his film debut in 1958. For several years he worked as a stuntman and stunt stage director. In one of the first films he starred with the famous Jane Fonda. Later, he several times performed with her on Broadway in the play "There Was a Little Girl".
During those years he met and became friends with the director D. Logan. It was thanks to him that Gary chose the pseudonym Lockwood. According to many colleagues, the name Yurosek was difficult to pronounce. Then Logan invited the young performer to take his middle name Lockwood as a pseudonym, to which Gary agreed.
The performer has worked in popular adventure films and TV series: Days in Death Valley, The Sheriff, Trunk Smoke, Mary Mason, Bronco.
In 1961, he appeared on the screen in Philip Dunn's musical "Loner", where the legendary Elvis Presley played the main role.
Then Lockwood got a small role in the Splendor in the Grass melodrama directed by E. Kazan.
The film is set in Kansas in the 1920s. Young people who have not yet graduated from school fall in love with each other. But in the town where they live, puritanical customs reign and there can be no talk of any love relationship between a young man and a girl. The boy's family wants to see him educated and successful, therefore they are preparing for admission to the university. His girlfriend cannot go against the will of her parents, who forbid her to enter into relationships with men. Upon learning that a friend is dating another girl, she tries to commit suicide and ends up in a psychiatric hospital.
The film won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and several Golden Globe nominations, as well as a British Academy Award.
In the film It Happened at the World's Fair directed by Norman Thorog, Lockwood once again appeared on the set with the king of rock and roll Elvis Presley.
Gary played the following roles in the films: "The Magic Sword", "In Battle", "The Lieutenant", "Theater of the Creators of Suspension", "Vertical Takeoff", "The Legend of Jesse James", "Long Hot Summer", "FBI".
The actor became widely known after playing the role of Captain Gary Mitchell in the Star Trek project. The series was released in 1966. It tells the story of a spaceship's exploration mission commanded by Captain Kirk. The film received two Emmy nominations for Best Drama Series.
In the fantastic film "2001: A Space Odyssey" by S. Kubrick, Lockwood played Dr. Frank Poole. The film won an Oscar for Best Special Effects, received 3 awards from the British Academy and was nominated for the Golden Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival.
In his career as an actor, more than 80 roles in film and television. He played in such famous projects as: "Atelier of Models", "Night Gallery", "Revolution in a Minute", "Streets of San Francisco", "Police Story", "Starsky and Hutch", "Charlie's Angels", "Spouses Hart "," Stuntmen "," Hotel "," Murder, She Wrote "," Secret Agent MacGyver "," Superboy "," Scarecrow Night "," Dark Skies ".
Personal life
Gary has been married three times. Nadezhda Kharsen became the first wife in her youth. This marriage lasted only a few months and fell apart.
The second wife was actress and producer Stephanie Powers. The wedding took place on August 27, 1966. In 1972, Stephanie became interested in actor William Holden. For a while, the couple still lived together, but in the end, Powers' relationship with Holden led to a divorce. The couple officially divorced in August 1974.
Actress Denise Dubarry became Gary's third wife in May 1982. This marriage was also short-lived and ended in divorce in 1988. In this union, Lockwood's only daughter, Samantha, was born. The girl followed in the footsteps of her parents and also became an actress.
