Stephen McNally (born Horace Vincent McNally; July 29, 1911 – June 4, 1994[1]) was an American actor remembered mostly for his appearances in many Westerns and action films. He often played hard-hearted characters, criminals, bullies, and other villains.
Early years
Stephen McNally was born Horace McNally in New York City. McNally attended Fordham University School of Law[2] and was an attorney in the late 1930s before he pursued his passion for acting.[3]
Career
He started his stage career using his real name, Horace McNally, and began appearing uncredited in many World War II-era films. In 1948, he changed his stage name to Stephen McNally (taking the name of his then-2-year-old son)[4] and began appearing credited as both movie villains and heroes. In 1940, as "Horace McNally", he played Dr. Richardson in the Broadway stage production of Johnny Belinda.[5][6] As Stephen McNally, he played the villainous Locky McCormick in the film version of Johnny Belinda (1948).[7]
In the 1960 episode "The Mormons" on the CBS Western, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre McNally played Matt Rowland, who tries to block a wagon train of Mormons from entering his town, as they are suspected of carrying cholera. Things change quickly, when Rowland's son, Tod (Mark Goddard), becomes interested in a young lady on the train, Beth Lawson (Tuesday Weld).[8]
In 1967, he started as Dal Neely, a murderous outlaw who tries to take his daughter away with him in the (S12E23) episode "The Lure" on Gunsmoke. In 1971, he appeared as Gus Muller in "The Men From Shiloh" (rebranded name for the TV Western The Virginian) in the episode titled "The Angus Killer". During the 1970s, McNally guest starred on television programs such as Fantasy Island, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, The Rockford Files, and Police Story.