John Baragrey was a tall, dark, and handsome actor who found steady work on TV soaps and guest spots, but struggled to secure memorable film roles. Born in 1919 in Haleyville, Alabama, he attended the University of Alabama before moving to New York to pursue an acting career.
Baragrey made his Broadway debut in 1946 with "A Flag Is Born" and went on to appear in numerous plays, including "The Enchanted", "Pride's Crossing", "The Devils", and "Murderous Angels". He also appeared in stage productions of "Richard III", "Elizabeth the Queen", and "The Crucible".
In film, Baragrey started strong, working with notable actors and actresses such as Rita Hayworth, Cornel Wilde, and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. However, his later film work was marked by a few notable flops, including the widely panned sci-fi movie "Gammera the Invincible" and the equally divisive "The Colossus of New York".
Television, however, proved to be Baragrey's bread and butter. He appeared on numerous showcase series in the 1950s, including "Studio One", "U.S. Steel Hour", "Campbell Sound Stage", "Motorola TV Hour", "Omnibus", and "Robert Montgomery Presents". He also had leading ladies such as Tallulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Judith Anderson, Dolores Del Río, and Jane Powell.
In his later years, Baragrey appeared on the daytime soap "The Secret Storm" and the cult gothic soap "Dark Shadows". He died suddenly in 1975 at the age of 57 due to a cerebral hemorrhage, and his wife passed away in 1988.
