Jody McCrea

In 1959, McCrea costarred with his father in the short-lived NBC western Wichita Town, set in Wichita, Kansas. Joel McCrea appeared as Marshal Mike Dunbar. Jody McCrea did not portray the role of Joel's son on the program but as the deputy marshal, Ben Matheson.[5]

McCrea had a small role in All Hands on Deck (1961) and could be seen in the episode, "The Wrestler" on the ABC situation comedy, Guestward Ho!, starring Joanne Dru. He toured the country with The Tiger a production from Moral Rearmament.[6] He did The Moon is Blue and Look Homeward Angel in stock.[7]

McCrea was cast as Lieutenant (later General) John J. Pershing in the 1962 episode, "To Walk with Greatness", on the syndicated television anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. In the story line, three outlaws endanger an Indian treaty, as Pershing sets forth to find the men. Frank Ferguson was cast in the episode as Colonel Carr.[8]

In the early 1960s, McCrea guest starred on the CBS game program, I've Got a Secret with Garry Moore. His appearance was part of a group of entertainers related to famous Hollywood personalities.

McCrea had support parts in Force of Impulse (1961) and The Broken Land (1962). He made Young Guns of Texas (1962) with Alana Ladd, daughter of Alan Ladd, and James Mitchum, son of Robert.

McCrea had a support role in Operation Bikini (1963) at American International Pictures starring Tab Hunter and Frankie Avalon. He impressed the studio enough for them to cast him in a comedic role as dumb-minded "Deadhead" ("Bonehead") in Beach Party (1963) starring Avalon and Annette Funicello.

When cast in the beach pictures, he realized his comedic potential. When first offered the role of "Deadhead", for example, he was quoted at the time as saying that he "wasn't sure what the character would become". McCrea felt that the audience enjoyed Deadhead as they felt superior to him.[9]

McCrea was an avid body builder, and the only actor appearing in the American International Pictures beach movies who could actually surf.

The film was a big hit and after appearing in Law of the Lawless (1964) and The Greatest Show on Earth ("Clancy"), McCrea reprised his performance as Deadhead in Muscle Beach Party (1964) and Bikini Beach (1964).[10]

He recorded a 45 rpm single in 1964 for Canjo Records to coincide with the film Bikini Beach (Side A: "Chicken Surfer"/Side B: "Looney Gooney Bird"). He also wrote a script Stage to Nowhere[11] which appears not to have been made.

McCrea played the "Big Lurch" in the 1964 film, Pajama Party, with Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello in the lead parts.

McCrea had a small part in Young Fury (1965) and played Lieutenant Brannin, a cocky cavalry officer based loosely on George Armstrong Custer, in Sam Peckinpah's Major Dundee (1965), but his scene was deleted from the final cut. He also appeared in Wagon Train ("The Betsy Blee Smith Story"), before returning to AIP beach movies with Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). McCrea played "Bonehead", again the same character – but it was his biggest role in the series, having a romance with a mermaid.

McCrea was back as Bonehead in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965), the last Beach Party movie in which he appeared. He was replaced by Aaron Kincaid for Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.

McCrea guest starred on Vacation Playhouse ("Three on an Island") and Pistols 'n' Petticoats ("The Pilot").[12] He had a lead role as a biker in The Glory Stompers (1967), and starred in Sam (1967) for Larry Buchanan. He was a judge on Dream Girl of '67.

McCrea had a supporting role in Scream Free! (1968) and the lead in The Girls from Thunder Strip (1970).

McCrea starred in a Western Cry Blood, Apache (1970) which he also produced. He retired after November Children (1972).