American athlete and actor
Floyd Simmons
|
| Born | April 10, 1923
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
|---|
| Died | April 1, 2008(2008-04-01) (aged 84)
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
|---|
|
Floyd Macon Simmons (April 10, 1923 – April 1, 2008) was an American athlete and actor who competed mainly in the Olympics decathlon in 1948 and 1952 winning bronze at both Olympic Games.[1] He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Biography
Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Simmons was the son of a builder and former football coach of Davidson College. Nicknamed "Chunk" by his mother as he was her "little chunk of love". [1] Simmons played football for Central High School in Charlotte where he graduated in 1942.[2]
During World War II he served with the 10th Mountain Division, which he personally requested to be a part of. He was wounded in Italy. He received a purple heart merit award for his actions with the division.
He competed for the United States in the 1948 Summer Olympics held in London, England in the decathlon where he won the bronze medal. He repeated this feat four years later in the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland, where he again won the bronze medal.
"I chose 10 events and not just one pigeonhole, I didn’t want to do just high hurdles or the shot. I wanted to do it all. I suppose I still do."[3]
In addition to competing in sports Simmons was contracted to Universal Pictures alongside Rock Hudson and John Gavin. Simmons guest starred in many television shows and appeared in over a dozen films most memorably in South Pacific (1958). He was considered for the role of Brick in the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. as Allan Quatermain in Watusi[4] and was signed to play Mr. Roberts in a Joshua Logan television series of the same name that was unmade.[5]
Simmons continued to compete in Masters athletics into his 80s. He died in Charlotte, North Carolina at the age of 84.
