The acting world is saddened by the news of the death of beloved stage and screen actor Andrew Prine.
The actor, best known for westerns like Chisum, Wide Country and The Town That Dreaded Sundown, died of natural causes on Monday while vacationing in Paris with his wife, actress Heather Lowe, via THR.
“He was the sweetest prince,” Lowe, who married Prine in 1986, said in a brief statement following her husband’s death.
RIP: The acting world is saddened by the news of the death of beloved stage and screen actor Andrew Prine
Best known: The actor – best known for western films like Chisum, Wide Country and The Town That Dreaded Sundown – died of natural causes on Monday while vacationing in Paris with his wife, actress Heather Lowe, via THR
Prine was born on February 14, 1936 in Jennings, Florida and attended high school in Miami before attending the University of Miami.
While studying at the U of Miami on an acting scholarship, he eventually dropped out and moved to New York City to pursue acting.
He made his professional acting debut in a 1957 episode of The United States Steel Hour and made his feature film debut in 1959’s Kiss Her Goodbye.
Early: Prine was born on February 14, 1936 in Jennings, Florida and attended high school in Miami before attending the University of Miami
He made his Broadway debut in Thomas Wolfe’s 1958 look Homeward, Angel, reprising the role of Anthony Perkins.
He revealed in a backstage interview that he really “learned how to act” during his two years with Look Homeward, Angel.
“Luckily, I did Look Homeward for two years, and while starring and getting paid, I learned how to act,” he said.
Broadway: In 1958 he made his Broadway debut in Thomas Wolfe’s look Homeward, Angel, in which he took on the role of Anthony Perkins
“The stage manager came backstage every night with copious notes and it was his job to keep me on track. I really learned to act on Broadway,” he added.
The role prompted Universal scouts to recruit him for a western series, which he originally thought was a passing gig.
“So I said I’m just going out [to California] and TU [that] and I’ll be right back to Broadway,” Prine said on a 2013 episode of A Word on Westerns.
Western: “So I said I’m just going out [to California] and TU [that] and I’ll be right back to Broadway,” Prine said on a 2013 episode of A Word on Westerns
Scouts: The role led Scouts from Universal to recruit him to star in a western series, which he originally thought was a passing gig
“Then I found out how much money they would give me just to sit on a horse and I said, ‘So long, Broadway,'” he added.
He appeared in a number of western shows throughout the 1960s including Tombstone Territory, Playhouse 90, Have Gun Will Travel, The Defenders and Gunsmoke.
He played Andy Guthrie on 28 episodes of Wide Country and Richard Kimble’s (David Jansen) brother Ray on an episode of The Fugitive along with a recurring role in the final season of Dr. Kildare.
His other notable roles were Deputy Sheriff Roscoe Bookbinder in Bandolero, Alex McSween in Chisum, and Deputy Norman Ramsey in The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
He worked regularly into the 1980s (V), 1990s (Weird Science), and early 2000s, although the latter acted in mostly uncredited roles on God & General, Dukes of Hazzard, and Sweet Home Alabama.
V: He continued to work regularly into the 1980s (V), 1990s (Weird Science) and early 2000s, although the latter appeared in largely uncredited roles on God & General, Dukes of Hazzard and Sweet Home Alabama” could be seen