Mannix star Mike Connors dead at 91
The actor played the famous
square-jawed detective in the 1970s hit show, known for driving high speed cars
and not taking advice.
Mike
Connors, known for his role as a hard-hitting private eye in the long-running
TV series Mannix, has died aged 91.
The actor, who was
recently diagnosed with leukaemia, died on Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles
hospital.
Mannix, one of TV's
pioneer shows, premiered on CBS in 1967 and ran for eight years, and won
Connors a Golden Globe for his role as detective Joe Mannix.
Chasing after villains,
driving high-speed cars and listening to no-one but himself, Connors said
Mannix stood out for getting "emotionally involved" in his cases.
"Up until Mannix,
most private investigators were hard-nosed, cynical guys who lived in a seedy
area and had no emotions," Connors told CBS in 1997.
"Mannix got
emotionally involved. He was not above being taken advantage of."
Viewers were intrigued by the smartly dressed,
square-jawed, well-spoken Los Angeles detective who could still mix it up with
thugs.
Leaping from car hoods and getting his hands dirty,
Mannix usually finished off the episode with a brawl.
Apart from the hit show, Connors also starred in the
short-lived TV shows Tightrope and Today's FBI.
His movie roles included Sudden Fear with Joan Crawford,
Island in the Sky, 'The Ten Commandments, and a remake of the 1939 classic John
Ford western Stagecoach.
The actor was born Krekor Ohanian in 1925 from an
Armenian family.
He served in the Air Force during World War II and played
basketball at the University of California.
Recently, he appeared in several TV shows like Two And A
Half Men, Murder, She Wrote and Walker, The Texas Ranger.
He also starred in CBS' documentary series Pioneers Of
Television.
Stars have shared their condolences on social media, with
Daredevil actor Vincent D'Onofrio writing: "Loved Mannix. Great actor Mike
Connors. Watched every episode."
And Ash Vs Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell thanking Connors
"for guiding me through the formative years".
"Well played," he added.
Connors is survived by his wife Mary Lou, daughter Dena,
and granddaughter Cooper.
