Brad Dexter

Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter in 99 River Street (1953)
Born	Boris Michel Soso April 9, 1917(1917-04-09) Goldfield, Nevada, United States
Died	December 12, 2002 (aged 85) Rancho Mirage, California, United States
Cause of death	Emphysema
Nationality	American
Other names	Barry Mitchell
Occupation	Actor
Known for	The Magnificent Seven
Spouse(s)	Peggy Lee (1953) Mary Bogdanovich (1971-1994) June Dyer (1994-2002)

Brad Dexter (April 9, 1917 – December 12, 2002) was a Serbian American actor, best known for his role as Harry Luck in The Magnificent Seven.

Dexter was born Boris Michel Soso in Goldfield, Nevada, of Serbian parentage. He spoke Serbo-Croatian as his first language. Burly, dark and handsome, Brad Dexter was usually given supporting roles of a rugged character. Early in his acting career, he went by the name of Barry Mitchell.

After a stint as an amateur boxer, Dexter attended the Pasadena Playhouse where he studied theatre. During World War II he enlisted for military service with the U.S. Army Air Corps and appeared in the Corps play and film Winged Victory. His career in Hollywood spanned over four decades. Other films Dexter appeared in include Last Train from Gun Hill, Kings of the Sun, and Johnny Cool.

Dexter's relationship with singer and actor Frank Sinatra began when Dexter saved the singer from drowning on May 10, 1964, during production of the World War II film "None But the Brave" in Kaui, Hawaii. Sinatra and Ruth Koch, the wife of producer Howard Koch, were swimming at a beach when they were swept out to sea by the outgoing tide and nearly drowned. Sinatra's co-star Dexter and two surfers swam out and rescued them. Dexter was later awarded a Red Cross medal for his bravery. Sinatra and Dexter co-starred in a second film together Von Ryan's Express and Dexter subsequently produced The Naked Runner which starred Sinatra and was filmed in London. The two men clashed over Sinatra's unwillingess to finish the film and after it was completed, Dexter resigned. "I was the only guy who dropped Sinatra," Dexter said. "I couldn't put up with his nonsense."

Dexter helped produce Skag with fellow Serbian American actor Karl Malden.

He died in Rancho Mirage, California, from emphysema at the age of 85.

External links

• Brad Dexter at the Internet Movie Database.
• Brad Dexter's Gravesite