L.Q. Jones
Jones in trailer for Hang 'Em High (1968)
Born
Justus Ellis McQueen Jr.

(1927-08-19)August 19, 1927
Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
DiedJuly 9, 2022(2022-07-09) (aged 94)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
Years active1955–2006
Spouse
Neta Sue Lewis
​
​
(m. 1950; div. 1973)​

Justus Ellis McQueen Jr. (August 19, 1927 – July 9, 2022), known professionally as L.Q. Jones, was an American actor.[1][2] He appeared in Sam Peckinpah's films Ride the High Country (1962), Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch (1969), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). His later film roles include Casino (1995), The Patriot, The Mask of Zorro (1998), and A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

His other roles included Western television series such as Cheyenne, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Laramie, Wagon Train, and The Virginian. He was the writer and director of the 1975 science fiction film A Boy and His Dog, based on Harlan Ellison's novella of the same name.

Early life

Jones was born August 19, 1927, in Beaumont, in southeastern Texas, the son of Jessie Paralee (née Stephens) and Justus Ellis McQueen Sr., a railroad worker. At an early age he lost his mother when she died following a car accident.[3] He completed his school education from Port Neches–Groves High School in 1945.[4] After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1946,[5] Jones attended Lamar Junior College and Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas, and then studied law, business and journalism at the University of Texas at Austin from 1950 to 1951.[4][6] He worked as a stand-up comic, briefly played professional baseball and American football, and tried ranching in Nicaragua, then turned to acting after corresponding with Fess Parker, his former college roommate.[6]

Career

Jones made his film debut in 1955 in Battle Cry, credited under his birth name Justus McQueen.[7] His character's name in that film was "L.Q. Jones", a name he liked and decided to adopt as his stage name for all of his future roles as an actor.[6] In 1955, he was cast as "Smitty Smith" in three episodes of Clint Walker's ABC/Warner Brothers western series Cheyenne, the first hour-long western on network television.

Jones appeared in numerous films in the 1960s and 1970s. He became a member of Sam Peckinpah's stock company of actors, appearing in his Klondike series (1960–1961), Ride the High Country (1962), Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch (1969), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973).

Jones was frequently cast alongside his close friend Strother Martin, most memorably as the posse member and bounty hunter "T. C." in The Wild Bunch. Jones also appeared as recurring characters on such western series as Cheyenne (1955), Gunsmoke (1955), Laramie, Two Faces West (1960–1961), and as ranch hand Andy Belden in The Virginian (1962). That same year (1962) Jones appeared as Ollie Earnshaw, a rich rancher looking for a bride, on Lawman, in the episode titled "The Bride".[citation needed]

He was cast in the military drama series Men of Annapolis, on the CBS western Johnny Ringo, and on the NBC western Jefferson Drum. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of con artist and murder victim Charles B. Barnaby in "The Case of the Lonely Heiress" (1958) and as Edward Lewis in "The Case of the Badgered Brother" (1963). He appeared in Hawaii Five-O, season 1, episode 15 in January 1969. He also appeared in an episode of The A-Team titled "Cowboy George" and two episodes of The Fall Guy as Sheriff Dwight Leclerc. In 1971, Jones appeared as Belden in The Men From Shiloh (the final season rebranding of The Virginian) episode titled "The Town Killer".

Jones' other films include Men in War (1957); The Naked and the Dead (1958); Flaming Star (1960); Cimarron (1960); Hell Is for Heroes (1962); Hang 'Em High (1968); Stay Away, Joe (1968); The Brotherhood of Satan (1971), which he co-produced and wrote; Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan (1975); White Line Fever 1976 Lone Wolf McQuade (1983); Casino (1995); Tornado! (1996); The Edge (1997); The Mask of Zorro (1998); and A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

Jones directed, produced, and wrote the screenplay for A Boy and His Dog.[8]

Personal life and death

Jones was a practicing Methodist and a registered Republican.[9] On July 9, 2022, Jones died from natural causes at his Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles at the age of 94.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Battle Cry Private L.Q. Jones Credited as Justus McQueen[11]
1955 An Annapolis Story Watson [11]
1955 Target Zero Private Felix O'Hara [11]
1956 Santiago "Digger" [11]
1956 Toward the Unknown 2nd Lieutenant Sweeney [11]
1956 Between Heaven and Hell Private Kenny [11]
1956 Love Me Tender Pardee Fleming Uncredited[11]
1957 Men in War Staff Sergeant Samuel Davis [11]
1957 Operation Mad Ball "Ozark" [11]
1957 Gunsight Ridge Lazy Heart Ranch Hand [12]
1958 The Young Lions Private Donnelly Uncredited[11]
1958 Buchanan Rides Alone "Pecos" Hill [11]
1958 The Naked and the Dead Woodrow "Woody" Wilson [11]
1958 Torpedo Run "Hash" Benson [11]
1959 Warlock Fen Jiggs Uncredited[11]
1959 Battle of the Coral Sea Yeoman Halliday [11]
1959 Hound-Dog Man Dave Wilson [11]
1960 The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio Rodeo Rider TV film
1960 Ten Who Dared Billy "Missouri" Hawkins [11]
1960 Flaming Star Tom Howard [11]
1960 Cimarron Millis [11]
1962 Ride the High Country Sylvus Hammond [11]
1962 Hell Is for Heroes Supply Sergeant Frazer [11]
1963 Showdown Foray [11]
1964 Iron Angel "Buttons" [11]
1964 The Devil's Bedroom Director (credited as Justus McQueen)[11]
1964 Apache Rifles Mike Greer [11]
1965 Major Dundee Arthur Hadley [11]
1966 Nevada Smith Cowboy Uncredited[11]
1968 Stay Away, Joe Bronc Hoverty [11]
1968 The Counterfeit Killer Hotel Clerk Hanging Party [11]
1968 Hang 'Em High Loomis, Cooper Hanging Party [11]
1969 The Witchmaker Unknown Uncredited[12]
1969 The Wild Bunch T.C. [11]
1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue Taggart [11]
1970 The McMasters Russell [11]
1971 The Hunting Party "Hog" Warren [11]
1971 The Brotherhood of Satan Sheriff [11]
1972 43: The Richard Petty Story Ed Koler [11]
1972 The Bravos Ben Lawler TV film[11]
1973 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid "Black" Harris [11]
1974 Mrs. Sundance Charlie Siringo TV movie[11]
1975 A Boy and His Dog Actor In Porno Film Director and writer[11]
1975 White Line Fever Buck [11]
1975 Winterhawk Gates [11]
1976 Banjo Hackett: Roamin' Free Sheriff Tadlock TV movie[11]
1976 Mother, Jugs & Speed Sheriff Davey [11]
1979 Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider Floyd [11]
1982 The Beast Within Sheriff Bill Pool [11]
1982 Melanie Buford Uncredited[11]
1982 Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann Ben Potter [11]
1983 Sacred Ground Tolbert Coleman [11]
1983 Lone Wolf McQuade Ranger Dakota Brown [11]
1988 Bulletproof Sergeant O'Rourke [11]
1989 River of Death Hiller [11]
1990 The Legend of Grizzly Adams Reno [11]
1994 Lightning Jack Sheriff Tom [11]
1995 The Friends of Harry Senator
1995 Casino Commissioner Pat Webb [11]
1996 Tornado! Ephram Thorne TV film[11]
1997 The Edge Styles [11]
1998 The Patriot Frank [11]
1998 The Mask of Zorro Jack "Three-Fingered Jack" [11]
1999 The Jack Bull Henry Ballard TV film[11]
2001 Route 666 Sheriff Bob Conaway [11]
2006 A Prairie Home Companion Chuck Akers [11]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Cheyenne "Smitty" 3 episodes
1956 Annie Oakley Cal Upton / Ned Blane 2 episodes
1957 The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial Jedediah "Jed" Boone Episode: "Dog vs. Biddeford"
1957 The Silent Service Jack Potter Episode: "The Final War Patrol"
1958 Flight (character unnamed) Episode: "Window in the Sky"
1958 Men of Annapolis Clint Parker Episode: "Mister Fireball"
1958 Jefferson Drum Burdette Episode: "The Keeney Gang"
1958 Perry Mason Charles Barnaby "The Case of the Lonely Heiress"
1958–1962 Lassie Attorney Blake 3 episodes
1959 Black Saddle Jack Shepherd Episode: "Client: Banks"
1959 Tightrope Earl Bell Episode: "The Frame"
1959 Wichita Town Walter Episode: "Drifting"
1959 Laramie John MacLean Episode: "Dark Verdict"
1959 Wagon Train "Squirrel" Charvanaugh Episode: "The Old Man Charvanaugh Story"
1959–1961 Tales of Wells Fargo Striker 2 episodes
1960 Johnny Ringo Billy "Billy Boy" Jethro Episode: "Four Came Quietly"
1960 Lock Up "Tex" Episode: "Death and Taxes"
1960 Buick-Electra Playhouse Rodeo Rider Episode: "The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio"
1960 Klondike Joe Teel 3 episodes
1960 The Rebel Otis Rumpf 2 episodes
1960 Two Faces West Unknown Episode: "The Last Man"
1960 Laramie Actor Episode: "The Dark Trail"
1961 The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor Betty Merriwether Episode: "Kinfolk"
1961 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp "Tex" Episode: "Casey and the Clowns"
1961 The Americans Yonts Episode: "The Coward"
1961 Two Faces West Unknown Episode: "The Noose"
1961 Laramie Homer Episode: "Cactus Lady"
1961 Laramie Truk Episode: "Siege at Jubilee"
1961 Wagon Train Lenny Episode: "The Christopher Hale Story"
1962 Lawman Ollie Earnshaw Episode: "The Bride"
1962 The Rifleman Charley Breen Episode: "Day of Reckoning"
1962 The Wide Country Whicker Episode: "Straitjacket for an Indian"
1962 Ben Casey Stan Galloway Episode: "The Fireman Who Raised Rabbits"
1962 Have Gun – Will Travel "Little" Fontana Episode: "Lazarus"
1962 Have Gun – Will Travel Bill Renn, Drifting Cowboy Episode: "The Waiting Room"
1962 Laramie Johnny Duncan Episode: "The Replacement"
1962 Laramie Neeley Episode: "Among the Missing"
1962 Laramie Frank Keefer Episode: "Shadow of the Past"
1963 Have Gun – Will Travel Hector MacKenby Episode: "Debutante"
1963 Route 66 "Babe" Episode: "Shall Forfeit His Dog and Ten Shillings to the King"
1963 Laramie Sergeant Episode: "The Stranger"
1963 Empire L.Q. Episode: "The Convention"
1963 Perry Mason Lewis Episode: "The Case of the Badgered Brother"
1963 Wagon Train Esdras Episode: "Charlie Wooster—Outlaw"
1963 Wagon Train Ike Truman Episode: "The Robert Harrison Clarke Story"
1963 Rawhide George Cornelius Episode: "Incident at El Crucero"
1963–1971 The Virginian Andy Belden 25 episodes
1964 Wagon Train Private James Jones Episode: "The Duncan McIvor Story"
1964 Rawhide Corporal Wayne Episode: "Incident at Gila Flats"
1964 Rawhide Luke Episode: "The Race"
1965 Rawhide P.J. Peters 2 episodes
1965 My Favorite Martian Frank James Episode: "The Time Machine Is Waking Up That Old Gang of Mine"
1966 A Man Called Shenandoah Ben Lloyd Episode: "Rope's End"
1966 Pistols 'n' Petticoats 1st Gunman Episode: "Sir Richard of Wretched"
1966 ABC Stage 67 Deputy Episode: "Noon Wine"
1966 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre The Hotel Clerk Episode: "The Faceless Man"
1966 The Big Valley Cort Episode: "By Force and Violence"
1967 The Big Valley Curtis Episode: "Court Martial"
1967 The Big Valley Earl Vaughan Episode: "Showdown in Limbo"
1967 The Big Valley Hutch Episode: "Ambush"
1967 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Ernie Packer Episode: "The Lady is My Wife"
1967 The F.B.I. Wesley Davis Episode: "The Gold Card"
1967 Cimarron Strip Barnes Episode: "The Battleground"
1967 Cimarron Strip Lummy Episode: "The Search"
1967 Hondo Allie Episode: "Hondo and the Death Drive"
1968 The Big Valley Gus Vandiver Episode: "Fall of a Hero"
1969 Gunsmoke Kittridge Episode: "The Good Samaritans"
1969 Hawaii Five-O Colonel Lew Cardell Episode: "King of the Hill"
1969 Lancer Slate Meek Episode: "Blind Man's Bluff"
1970 Gunsmoke Sumner Pendleton Episode: "The Gun"
1970 Gunsmoke Nix Episode: "Albert"
1971 Alias Smith and Jones Clint Weaver Episode: "Stagecoach Seven"
1971 The F.B.I. Al Tanner Episode: "Dynasty of Hate"
1971 Cannon Phil Mackey Episode: "Fool's Gold"
1971 Cade's County Grover Curtis Episode: "Delegate at Large"
1972 Gunsmoke "Gecko" Ridley Episode: "Tara"
1972 Alias Smith and Jones Drunk Episode: "The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg"
1972 The Delphi Bureau Cole Episode: "The Man Upstairs-The Man Downstairs Project"
1972 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Dr. Dietrich Episode: "A Purge of Madness"
1972 Alias Smith and Jones Peterson Episode: "McGuffin"
1973 Ironside Harry Ashton Episode: "The Caller"
1973 Kung Fu Sergeant Straight Episode: "An Eye for an Eye"
1973 Assignment Vienna Actor Episode: "A Deadly Shade of Green"
1973 Cannon Sheriff Virgil Spoontz Episode: "Perfect Alibi"
1974 The Magician Johnson 2 episodes
1974 Ironside Cardiff Episode: "Riddle at 24,000"
1975 Kung Fu Major Clarke Bealson Episode: "The Last Raid"
1975 Matt Helm Actor Episode: "Deadly Breed"
1976 Movin' On "Flakey" Edwards Episode: "The Big Switch"
1976 Charlie's Angels Sergeant Billings Episode: "Bullseye"
1977 McCloud Kenny Hingle Episode: "The Moscow Connection"
1978 CHiPs Hoskins Episode: "Rustling"
1978 Charlie's Angels Dan Jarvis Episode: "Angels in the Backfield"
1978 Columbo Gun Dealer Episode: "The Conspirators"
1978 The Eddie Capra Mysteries Dr. Amos Episode: "Dying Declaration"
1979 How the West Was Won Batlin Episode: "Luke"
1979 The Runaways Matthew Turner Episode: "They'll Never Forgive Me"
1979 The Incredible Hulk Jake White Episode: "Jake"
1979 The Dukes of Hazzard Warren Episode: "Witness for the Persecution"
1979 Charlie's Angels Burdette Episode: "Angel Hunt"
1980 Vega$ Everett Mason Episode: "The Lido Girls"
1980 Charlie's Angels Sam Mason Episode: "An Angel's Trail"
1980 The Incredible Hulk The Director Episode: "On the Line"
1980 Enos Garrett Episode: "Blu Flu"
1981 Walking Tall John Whitter Episode: "Hitman"
1981 Riker Massey Episode: "Honkytonk"
1982 The Dukes of Hazzard Morton Episode: "The Sound of Music – Hazzard Style"
1982 The Fall Guy Sheriff Dwight Le Clerc 2 episodes
1983 Voyagers! Ground Control #1 Episode: "All Fall Down"
1983–1984 The Yellow Rose Sheriff Lew Wallace 10 episodes
1984 Matt Houston Sheriff Loftus Episode: "The Monster"
1986 The A-Team Chuck Danford Episode: "Cowboy George"
1991 The New Adam-12 Mr. Weaver Episode: "Crack House"
1994 Walker, Texas Ranger Billy Selkirk Episode: "Deadly Reunion"
1994–1996 Renegade Nathan Wayne 5 episodes
2004 Dr. Vegas "Hondo" Episode: "All In"

References

  1. ^ "L.Q. Jones". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2009. Archived from the original on December 27, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
  2. ^ Ebert, Roger (March 31, 1976). "L.Q. Jones: The Real Star is the Dog". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  3. ^ Barnes, Mike (July 9, 2022). "L.Q. Jones, 'Wild Bunch' Actor and Member of Peckinpah's Posse, Dies at 94". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  4. ^ a b McDonald, Archie P. (2008). Water, Rails & Oil: Historic Mid & South Jefferson County. HPN Books. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-893619-60-9.
  5. ^ Navy Vet L.Q. Jones Had an Amazing Career in Movie Westerns Military.com. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Magers, Boyd. "Characters and Heavies: L.Q. Jones". westernclippings.com. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  7. ^ Thomas, Nick (December 12, 2019). "Turning 90, L.Q. Jones reflects on Hollywood journey". thespectrum.com. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  8. ^ Niedan, Christian (December 22, 2011). "L.Q. Jones on A Boy and his Dog, Westerns & more". camerainthesun.com. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  9. ^ An Interview With L.Q. Jones, Skip E. Lowe, 1991
  10. ^ Murphy, J. Kim (July 9, 2022). "L.Q. Jones, Actor in Sam Peckinpah Classics and Director of 'A Boy and His Dog,' Dies at 94". Variety. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj "L.Q. Jones List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "L.Q. Jones". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 13, 2022.

Further reading

External links

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