George Montgomery

American actor and leading man of numerous Hollywood westerns and action pictures. One of 14 kids born to a Russian immigrant farmer, Montgomery attended the Univ. of Montana majoring in interior decorating and excelling in collegiate heavyweight boxing. He began appearing in low budget films as an extra, stuntman and bit player in 1935 and didn't start receiving major roles until the early 40's. With his good looks, he gained publicity and popularity by becoming engaged to such stars as Ginger Rogers, Hedy Lamarr and in 1943, married Dinah Shore. Serving in WW II, his acting career was interrupted, after which he was mainly seen in minor action roles for Columbia and other studios. He starred in the TV series "Cimarron City," 1958-1959 and in the '60s he branched out into his own directing-producing-writing of low-budget adventure films. Montgomery's one marriage ended in divorce in 1943. He and Shore had one daughter, Melissa, and an adopted son, Jody. He established a long-term relationship with a companion and they lived comfortably in Dinah Shore's old home in the desert of Southern California in the '90s. Montgomery died of heart failure in his home in Rancho Mirage, CA on 12/12/2000 at the age of 84