Actor. He was the son of Frances Dee and Joel McCrea, both famous Hollywood actors. After attending the New Mexico Military Institute, majoring in Drama at UCLA and serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces, he starred with his father in the TV Western series "Wichita Town" in 1959. He also appeared in a series of Western films, including "The First Texan" (1956), "Gunsight Ridge" (1957), "Lafayette Escadrille" (1958), "The Broken Land" (1962), "Law of the Lawless" (1964) and "Cry Blood, Apache" (1970), which he also produced. McCrea is best remembered for his comedic role as the dim-witted "Deadhead" and "Bonehead" in a series of beach party movies made in the early 1960s, including "Beach Party" (1963), "Bikini Beach" (1964), "Muscle Beach Party" (1964), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965) and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965). Interestingly, he was the only actor in the beach movies who actually knew how to surf. McCrea retired from acting in 1970 to become a rancher in New Mexico.
Actor. He was the son of Frances Dee and Joel McCrea, both famous Hollywood actors. After attending the New Mexico Military Institute, majoring in Drama at UCLA and serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces, he starred with his father in the TV Western series "Wichita Town" in 1959. He also appeared in a series of Western films, including "The First Texan" (1956), "Gunsight Ridge" (1957), "Lafayette Escadrille" (1958), "The Broken Land" (1962), "Law of the Lawless" (1964) and "Cry Blood, Apache" (1970), which he also produced. McCrea is best remembered for his comedic role as the dim-witted "Deadhead" and "Bonehead" in a series of beach party movies made in the early 1960s, including "Beach Party" (1963), "Bikini Beach" (1964), "Muscle Beach Party" (1964), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965) and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965). Interestingly, he was the only actor in the beach movies who actually knew how to surf. McCrea retired from acting in 1970 to become a rancher in New Mexico.
Bio by: Dear Jayne
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