Alex Carson
James Stacy a film and television actor that best known for his role on the television Western Lancer. Despite his fame, the actor’s life touched with hardships, some of which the actor brought upon himself. Join Facts Verse as we explore funeral of James Stacy an actor tragic downfall and death.
James Stacy was born Maurice William Elias on December 23, 1936. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and was the second child of three. His father was a bookkeeper and his mother was a waitress, which meant that his family was fairly working class.
Young James saw a future in football, and went on to play for a short amount of time during his college career. He ended up kicked off of his college football team after only a couple of months. After which point he lost interest in college altogether. Subsequently, a friend talked James into taking some acting classes. This led him towards a new passion, and eventually a successful career in Hollywood.
James was still going by his birth name up until the time that he decided to become an actor. He came up with the stage name “James Stacy” after inspired by screen legend James Dean. The name “Stacy” had taken from James’ cousin, as James simply liked the sound of it.
With his new name and his newfound acting talents, James was ready to head out to Hollywood. His first acting job came in the form of a commercial for Pepsi-Cola. By the end of the 1950s, James had made appearances in various television shows and films. His most prominent role was on the series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett, where James had a recurring role as the character of Fred. James appeared on the program 19 times, starting in 1956 and ending in 1963. Join Facts Verse as we explore funeral of James Stacy an actor tragic downfall and death.
The same year James’ recurring role on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett ended, James given a role in the Walt Disney musical film Summer Magic. It was on the set of this film that James met his first wife, Connie Stevens. The two subsequently married, though their marriage only lasted for a couple of years. Soon after their divorce, though, James was going to receive his biggest role yet.
In 1968, James given a starring role on the Western series Lancer. The series aired on the CBS network, and followed a rancher and his two sons. Andrew Duggan played the rancher, while Wayne Maunder and James played his two sons. Two seasons of the show produced, with it’s original run ending in 1970. Though the show had only a modest run, it was the most exposure that James had received as an actor up until that point. As well, his role on the show remains some of his most iconic work.
While James was working on Lancer, he married and divorced his second wife. She was another actress, this time by the name of Kim Darby. The two married in 1968 and divorced only a year later, in 1969. James would never marry again, though he did have a live-in partner later in life.
Things seemed to be going fairly well for James after the end of Lancer. The actor could seen making memorable guest appearances in numerous other television programs. However, a tragic accident in 1973 was soon going to put a major damper on James’ life and career.
In 1973, James taking his girlfriend out for a ride on his motorcycle when they blindsided by an oncoming car. The impact killed James’ girlfriend, and left him seriously injured. James rushed to the hospital, where he had to have an arm and a leg amputated. After the amputation, it took several months for James to recover. Even then, his life permanently changed by his newfound handicap.
As one might imagine, having just one arm and one leg severely limited the number of roles that James was able to perform. There only a limited number of handicapped roles written. And many of those roles going to fully-abled actors for liability reasons. Still, James persevered in the hopes that he could eventually win back the attention of the audience, despite his setback. Join Facts Verse as we explore funeral of James Stacy an actor tragic downfall and death.
Thankfully, James’ perseverance soon paid off in the form of numerous roles in both film and television that were going to see the actor receive plenty of acclaim and attention. However, a dark cloud still loomed over the actor’s future. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! As well, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
Soon after James Stacy’s tragic motorcycle accident, his friends in the entertainment industry came together to put on a gala that intended to help cover the actor’s medical expenses. The accident had rung up over $100,000 in hospital bills, and James wasn’t sure how he was going to cover it given that he wasn’t getting a lot of work. Thankfully, his friends were able to raise the funds.
Another miracle for James came in the form of the 1975 film Posse. The film produced and directed by Kirk Douglas. Who had made sure that the script included a role specifically written for James. James was grateful for the thoughtfulness of his longtime friend, and the role allowed James to get back on his feet, so to speak. Join Facts Verse as we explore funeral of James Stacy an actor tragic downfall and death.
After performing in Kirk Douglas’ Posse, James given another role that perfectly tailored for his disabilities in the form of the 1977 made-for-television film Just a Little Inconvenience. The film cast James as a Vietnam War veteran that had lost his limbs in combat, and James’ emotional performance caught the attention of both critics and the audience. James’ role in the film was even enough to net the actor his first Emmy Award nomination!
Despite the fact that James’ role in Just a Little Inconvenience had seemed like a veritable blessing for the actor, James didn’t have a very positive experience filming it. James had gotten into numerous arguments with the director about how to accurately portray his handicapped character. James said to have broken into numerous outbursts on the set of the made-for-television film.
He’s’ angry outbursts on the set of Just a Little Inconvenience foreshadowed a 1980 incident where James lost his temper and broke the nose of a waitress at a diner. It seemed that James was having a hard time handling his disabilities. And was turning to alcohol as a means to cope. This alcohol was then causing the actor to lash out at those around him. The actor given probation, and kept acting sporadically throughout the rest of the 1980s.
Sadly, the 1980 incident was not James’ last brush with the law. Over a decade later, James arrested for committing an even darker and more severe crime. It turns out that James had molested the 11-year-old daughter of one of his friends after inviting the girl over to go swimming at his house. James had apparently fondled the girl while she was in her bathing suit. The girl disturbed, and went home and told her parents about the incident. Join Facts Verse as we explore funeral of James Stacy an actor tragic downfall and death.
While this singular incident wasn’t quite enough to pin James as a pedophile. It followed up by numerous other incidents that left little doubt in the eyes of the courts. These incidents included the vocal harassment of two young girls that lived in a house neighboring James’. As well as the attempted assault of a family in a backyard that James had stumbled upon in his wheelchair. As a result of these incidents, James was given a six-year prison sentence.
After being found guilty, James ran away to Hawaii. There, he attempted to commit suicide by jumping off of a cliff. Despite the attempt, James survived, and was subsequently caught and returned to California to serve out his sentence. After being released, James never worked again.
James lived a life of privacy after being released from prison, though he was known to have had a live-in partner named Antigoni Tsamparlis. Their relationship started in 2000, and didn’t end until James’ death in 2016. According to statements, James died as a result of suffering from anaphylactic shock after receiving an injection of antibiotics. At the time of the actor’s death, he was 79 years old.
Recently, James was portrayed in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The film featured several scenes that portrayed a fictionalized account of the filming of the pilot episode of Lancer. In the film, modern television star Timothy Olyphant portrayed James. Since James and Lancer only made up a small part of the film’s overall narrative, it wasn’t able to touch on any other aspect of James’ life. However, it did reinvigorate public interest in both James and the television show that had made him a star so many years ago. Sadly, many of these potential fans were turned off once they looked James up and found out about the crimes that the actor had committed later in life.
Although James’ Hollywood career certainly ended on a sour note, there are still people that can find it in themselves to appreciate James and his catalogue of work. Comment down below to share if there’s one particular role you best remember James from besides the ones mentioned above, or if you’re someone that thinks that you are going to have a hard time appreciating his work now that you know about the actor’s tragic downfall. As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
