Kelly Thordsen

Kelly Thordsen
Thordsen inFrontier Doctor,1959
Born	Sherman Jess Thordsen (1917-01-19)January 19, 1917 Deadwood, South Dakota,U.S.
Died	January 23, 1978(1978-01-23)(aged 61) Sun Valley, California,U.S.
Occupation(s)	Film and television actor
Years active	1956–1978
Spouse	Lucille Baumgartner ​ ​ (m.1935, divorced)​
Children	4

Kelly Thordsen,bornSherman Jess Thordsen(January 19, 1917 – January 23, 1978) was an American film and television actor.

Life and career

Thordsen was born inDeadwood, South Dakota.He served in theUnited States NavyduringWorld War IIand theKorean War,and worked as apolice officerat theLos Angeles Police Departmentfor twelve years.Thordsen began his screen career in 1956 in the filmThe Desperados Are in Town.He then played an uncredited role in the 1957 filmThe True Story of Jesse James.In the same year, Thordsen played the part of Sgt. Bruce in the filmInvasion of the Saucer Men.

Thordsen guest-starred in numerous television programs includingGunsmoke(S2E38 - “The Man Who Would Be Marshall in 1957 & S11E2 - “The Storm” in 1965),Bonanza(S6E21 "The Search" in 1965),Wagon Train,The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,The Deputy,Tales of Wells Fargo,Cheyenne,The Andy Griffith Show,Rawhide,Perry Mason,The Time Tunnel,The Fugitive,The Rockford FilesandCimarron Strip.He played the recurring role of "Colorado Charlie" for five episodes of theactionandadventuretelevision seriesYancy Derringer.

Thordsen played Detective Sgt. Hank Johnson in the 1959 filmCity of Fear,and asheriffin the 1962 filmSweet Bird of Youth.Thordsen also had an uncredited role as a burly man inTo Kill a Mockingbird.Other film appearances includedThe Misadventures of Merlin Jones(1964),The Ugly Dachshund(1966),Good Times(1967), andBlackbeard's Ghost(1968).

In 1972 he appeared in two episodes of the televisionsitcomSanford and Son.He played Sheriff L. D. Wicker in the 1974 filmThe Parallax View.His final credit was from the action and adventure television seriesSwitch.

Death

Thordsen died in January 1978 ofcancerat his home inSun Valley, California,at the age of 61.He was buried inForest Lawn Memorial Park.

External links

• Kelly ThordsenatIMDb
• Kelly Thordsenat theTCM Movie Database
• Kelly ThordsenatAllMovie
• Rotten Tomatoes profile