Douglas Osborne McClure (May 11, 1935[1] – February 5, 1995) was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas during the entire run from 1962 to 1971 of the series The Virginian and mayor turned police chief Kyle Applegate on Out of This World. From 1961 to 1963, he was married to actress BarBara Luna.[2]
Career
McClure's acting career included such films as Gidget (1959), The Enemy Below, The Unforgiven, and Because They're Young, then he landed the role of Trampas on The Virginian, a role that would make him famous. He also starred:
As different characters in several episodes in 1957 of Death Valley Days
As Flip Flippen in the 1960 television western series Overland Trail, in which he co-starred with William Bendix for 17 episodes
As Jed Sills in the 1960-1962 CBS television series Checkmate for 70 episodes.
As C.R. (Christopher Robin) Grover in the sci-fi/detective series Search (1972–1973), in which he rotated the lead with Hugh O'Brian and Anthony Franciosa as a high-tech probe agent.
As Cash Conover, casino owner, co-starring with William Shatner, in the one-season series The Barbary Coast (1975–1976). McClure replaced Dennis Cole, who played the role of Conover in the show's pilot.
As Mayor Kyle Applegate on the fantasy sitcom Out of This World (1987–1991).
He also had a cameo role as a poker player in the 1994 remake of Maverick.
In 1994, McClure was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television at 7065 Hollywood Blvd. It was unveiled in what was his final public appearance.
Death
Doug McClure's gravestoneDoug McClure's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
On February 5, 1995, McClure died at age 59 from lung cancer in Sherman Oaks, California. On January 8 of that year, the actor was working on an episode of the television series One West Waikiki in Hawaii when he collapsed from an apparent stroke on the set.[5] He was flown to Los Angeles for hospitalization.[5] Doctors discovered that the lung cancer McClure had been battling for more than a year had spread to his liver and bones.[5][6] McClure was married to his fifth wife at the time of his death. He was divorced four times, including twice while he was performing on The Virginian.[7]
In popular culture
Doug McClure and Troy Donahue served as inspiration for the name and certain character aspects of the character of Troy McClure on The Simpsons.[8][9][10]Mike Reiss, executive producer of The Simpsons, said that Doug McClure's daughter informed him that Doug was a big fan of The Simpsons. She said that while watching an episode Doug saw the character Troy McClure on the show and said, "Are they making fun of me?" Doug said he thought the parody was funny, and his daughters would call him Troy McClure behind his back as a joke.[11]
^Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike (2002). The Simpsons The Complete Second Season DVD commentary for the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
^Reiss, Mike; Klickstein, Mathew (2018). Springfield confidential: jokes, secrets, and outright lies from a lifetime writing for the Simpsons. New York City: Dey Street Books. p. 100. ISBN978-0062748034.
