Lloyd Bridges, 1913-1998

Lloyd Bridges (l.) and Robert Stack in Airplane! (1980)

Today marks the birth anniversary of actor Lloyd Bridges, who had a long career in both movies and TV, working almost up until his death at the age of 85. Depending upon one's age, one might remember him best as McCroskey, the air traffic controller who gets some stress he doesn't need in the spoof movie Airplane!, a role he would reprise for Airplane II: The Sequel. At the start of his career, though, he made westerns. A lot of westerns, including B stuff I don't think I've ever heard of like Saddle Leather Law with future Durango Kid Charles Starrett. However, there are better known westerns in there, such as



High Noon, in which Bridges plays the cowardly deputy sherriff who in one scene has his cowardice shown rather starkly by Katy Jurado. One other movie that's not a western but that I've recommended before and has Bridges in the cast is Plymouth Adventure.

Lloyd Bridges is also the father of famous actors Jeff and Beau Bridges, who have done some movies I've recommended here in the past.