Ray Danton

Ray Danton Headshot

Actor • Director • Producer

Birth Date: September 19, 1931

Death Date: February 11, 1992

Birth Place: New York, New York

Spouses: Julie Adams

Handsome lead with dark good looks and sleek black hair who began his career as a child actor on radio and appeared in early live TV dramas in New York. After making his film debut in "Chief Crazy Horse" (1954), Danton gained notice for his portrayal of Lillian Roth's first love in the soapy biopic "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955). Danton is best remembered for his portrayal of ruthless mobster "Legs" Diamond in both Budd Boetticher's gangster melodrama, "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond" (1960), and the 1961 biopic of gangster Dutch Schultz, "Portrait of a Mobster." That same year he also starred in the title role of "The George Raft Story."

In 1964 Danton moved to Italy, where he starred in numerous low-budget films and turned to directing with "Deathmaster" (1972). He formed his own production company in Barcelona before returning in 1975 to the US, where he become a TV director for Universal. Danton helmed episodes of "Cagney and Lacey," "Quincy," "Fame" and "Dallas" and served as supervising producer on "The New Mike Hammer" TV series (1986-87). Danton was at one time married to actress Julie Adams.

Credits

Beverly Hills Buntz

Director
Series
1987

Vietnam War Story

Director
Movie
1987

The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

Director
Movie
1986

Mike HammerStream

Director
Series
1984

Mike HammerStream

Writer
Series
1984

Cagney & LaceyStream

Director
Series
1982

Fame

Director
Series
1982

Magnum, P.I.Stream

Director
Series
1980

Tales of the Unexpected

Director
Show
1979

The Incredible HulkStream

Director
Series
1978

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesStream

Director
Series
1977

Centerfold Girls

Actor
Perry
Movie
1977

Quincy, M.E.

Director
Series
1976

Detective Pies Planos

Actor
Movie
1976

Our Man Flint: Dead on Target

Actor
Derek Flint
Movie
1976

Joe Forrester

Guest Star
Show
1975

Psychic Killer

Director
Movie
1975

Pursuit

Actor
Yellow Shirt
Movie
1975

The Rockford FilesStream

Guest Star
Chester Sierra
Series
1974

Police Story

Actor
Johnny Landres
Series
1973

Barnaby JonesStream

Guest Star
Series
1973

Runaway!

Actor
Prof. Jack Dunn
Movie
1973

Crypt of the Living Dead

Director
Movie
1973

Flatfoot

Actor
Movie
1973

The Streets of San FranciscoStream

Guest Star
Royce
Series
1972

The Deathmaster

Director
Movie
1972

A Very Missing Person

Actor
Captain Westering
Movie
1972

Cannon

Guest Star
Earl Dakin
Series
1971

Riuscirà il nostro eroe a ritrovare il più grande diamante del mondo?

Actor
Jimmy Logan
Movie
1971

Banyon

Actor
Victor Pappas
Movie
1971

Triangle

Actor
Carlo Di Fermi
Movie
1971

Night GalleryStream

Guest Star
Series
1970

Dan August

Guest Star
Andriotti
Series
1970

McCloudStream

Guest Star
Chet Mason
Series
1970

McCloudStream

Writer
Series
1970

Love, American Style

Actor
Kane Walker
Series
1969

Die große Treibjagd

Actor
Marco Anderson
Movie
1968

Flatfoot

Actor
Glen Ward
Movie
1968

Si muore solo una volta

Actor
Mike Gold
Movie
1967

Agente Speciale L.K. Operazione Re Mida

Actor
Lucky
Movie
1967

How to Win a Billion and Get Away With It

Actor
Big Joe Martin
Movie
1966

Code Name: Jaguar

Actor
Jeff Larson
Movie
1966

Secret Agent, Super Dragon

Actor
Bryan Cooper / Super Dragon
Movie
1966

The Big Valley

Guest Star
Series
1965

Corrida pour un espion

Actor
Movie
1965

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Stream

Guest Star
Series
1964
100%

Sandokan alla riscossa

Actor
Sandokan
Movie
1964

Return of the Conqueror

Actor
Sandokan
Movie
1964

The Conqueror and the Empress

Actor
Sandokan
Movie
1964

F.B.I. Code 98

Actor
Fred Vitale
Movie
1964

Gallant Men

Guest Star
Show
1962

The Chapman ReportStream

Actor
Fred Linden
Movie
1962

Portrait of a Mobster

Actor
`'Legs'` Diamond
Movie
1961

A Majority of One

Actor
Jerome Black
Movie
1961
62%

A Fever in the Blood

Actor
Attorney Clem Marker
Movie
1961

The George Raft Story

Actor
George Raft
Movie
1961

Surfside 6

Guest Star
Series
1960

El Fin del Rey del Crimen

Actor
Movie
1960

The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond

Actor
Jack "Legs" Diamond
Movie
1960

Ice Palace

Actor
Bay Husack
Movie
1960

Hawaiian Eye

Guest Star
Series
1959

The Alaskans

Actor
Nifty Cronin
Series
1959

LaramieStream

Guest Star
Vince Jackson
Series
1959

The Beat Generation

Actor
Stan Hess
Movie
1959

Yellowstone KellyStream

Actor
Sayapi
Movie
1959

77 Sunset Strip

Guest Star
Velasquez
Series
1958

Bat MastersonStream

Guest Star
Tonio
Series
1958

Behind Closed Doors

Actor
Show
1958

Bronco

Guest Star
Series
1958

Tarawa Beachhead

Actor
Lt. Joel Brady
Movie
1958

OnionheadStream

Actor
Ensign Dennis Higgins
Movie
1958

Too Much, Too Soon

Actor
John Howard
Movie
1958

Trackdown

Guest Star
Clem Reese
Show
1957

Wagon TrainStream

Guest Star
Series
1957

Sugarfoot

Guest Star
Series
1957

The Night Runner

Actor
Roy Turner
Movie
1957

Eye of the Storm

Actor
Ben
Movie
1957

Outside the Law

Actor
John Conrad/Johnny Salvo
Movie
1956

The Spoilers

Actor
Blackie
Movie
1956

I'll Cry TomorrowStream

Actor
David Tredman
Movie
1955
86%

Chief Crazy Horse

Actor
Little Big Man
Movie
1955

The Looters

Actor
Pete Corder
Movie
1955

Climax!

Actor
Series
1954

Death Valley DaysStream

Actor
Jere Fryer
Series
1952

Studio One

Actor
Series
1948