Marion Goodman Jr., later known as Don Castle, was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1918 and raised in Houston. He enrolled at the University of Texas before heading to California to pursue an acting career. An agent noticed his resemblance to a young Clark Gable and took him to MGM, where he was signed at the age of 20.
Castle's early career was marked by small, often uncredited roles in films such as Young Dr. Kildare, Nick Carter, Master Detective, and Strike Up the Band. On rare occasions, he received better billing, appearing in support roles in films like Rich Man, Poor Girl and Love Finds Andy Hardy.
Paramount picked him up and cast him in a small role in You're the One, a vehicle for jazz singer Bonnie Baker. His second film, Power Dive, gave him a chance to show his potential in a second lead role as test pilot Richard Arlen's brother and rival.
World War II interrupted his career when he was drafted into the Army Air Force. During that time, he made training films for the First Motion Picture Unit. After his 1946 discharge, he returned to Paramount but little interest was shown. He then made a few more films, including The Searching Wind, Lighthouse, and Born to Speed.
Don Castle forged a strong friendship with former child actress Bonita Granville, with whom he co-starred in the Monogram film noir The Guilty. The friendship proved fruitful, and he was cast in several more films, including High Tide and Strike It Rich.
Most of Castle's lead and support parts in subsequent bargain-basement independents were equally unrewarding. He subsequently signed a three-picture contract with Lippert Productions but only one, Motor Patrol, was ever filmed. When movie offers dried up in 1950, he found some brief work as a guest on TV anthology programs.
During the lean years, Don and his second wife, Zetta, opened Castle's Red Barn in Palm Springs, which became a popular place to stay. They ran it for seven years. In 1957, he was given minor roles in the films The Big Land and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Jack and Bonita Wrather came to Don's rescue once again when Jack made him president of International Television Corporation. He also served as an associate producer of Wrather's classic series Lassie from 1960-1962.
Don Castle's later years were marred by depression. Divorced from his second wife in 1962, he died from a drug overdose at the age of 47.
