Brett Halsey, a renowned actor, was born Charles Oliver Hand on June 20, 1933, in Santa Ana, California, to a builder and contractor. He was interested in performing from childhood and began his career as a teenage page at CBS Television studios. He met Jack Benny and his wife Mary Livingstone, which led to his acceptance into Universal-International's training school, where he studied alongside future Universal stars Clint Eastwood and David Janssen.
Before pursuing acting full-time, Halsey joined the Navy and worked as a deejay. He was signed with Universal and his stage name was changed to Brett Halsey, leveraging his ancestry as the nephew of Admiral William "Bull" Halsey. He gained experience in a string of Universal bit parts, including "Walking My Baby Back Home" (1953),"The Man from the Alamo" (1953),and "The Black Shield of Falworth" (1954).
Halsey's dark-haired good looks, piercing blue eyes, and earnest "matinee idol" demeanor led to his prominence on TV dramas such as "Brave Eagle," "Mackenzie's Raiders," and "Gunsmoke." He also appeared in several low-budget "juvenile delinquent" films, including "Hot Rod Rumble" (1957),"The Cry Baby Killer" (1958),and "High School Hellcats" (1958).
In the late 1950s, Halsey's cinematic visibility increased with the growing interest in "spaghetti" westerns, international spy films, and giallo genres. He starred in films such as "The Seventh Sword" (1962),"The Magnificent Adventurer" (1963),and "The Avenger of Venice" (1964). He also appeared in "The Girl in Lovers Lane" (1960) and "The Best of Everything" (1959).
Halsey won a Golden Globe Award for "New Star of the Year" for his role in the TV series "Follow the Sun" (1961). He continued to work in films, including "To Hell and Back" (1955),"The Last Blitzkrieg" (1958),and "Return of the Fly" (1959).
In the 1970s, Halsey returned to the United States and focused on TV work, appearing on shows such as "General Hospital," "Search for Tomorrow," and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." He also appeared in films like "Where Does It Hurt?" (1972) and "The Godfather Part III" (1990).
Halsey has been married four times, including to actresses Renate Hoy, Luciana Paluzzi, and Heidi Brühl. He has five children and has lived abroad in Costa Rica, Canada, and Italy.
