JEFF CHANDLER FAST FACTS Birth Name: Ira Grossel Date of Birth: December 15, 1918 Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York, USA Height: 6' 5" Spouse: Marjorie Hoshelle (1946 - 1954) (divorced) Daughters: Jamie, born in 1947 - Dana, born in 1948 "The Scar": Scar across eye received in a truck accident. Nickname: "Big Gray" Famous Friends: Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Susan Hayward, Meyer Mishkin, many others... Personal Quote: Chandler told columnist Sheila Graham about his role in Jeanne Eagles (1957): "I thought that for once I could keep my shirt on and not have to shave my chest. But today, for a man to be a hit on the screen, he has to take his shirt off." Date of Death: June 17, 1961 Place of Death: Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA Cause of Death: Vascular injury and exsanguination following spinal disc herniation surgery Ruggedly handsome, virile with a distinctive voice and silvery hair, Jeff Chandler was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA on December 15, 1918. He was 6' 4" by the time he was 15 and began to gray at eighteen. He attended Erasmus High School and was a childhood friend and neighbor of actress Susan Hayward. After high school, he took a drama course and worked in stock companies for two years. He served as an officer in the Army in World War II. He was a successful actor on radio under his real name co-starring with Eve Arden in "Our Miss Brooks" prior to signing with Universal and having a name change. Chandler made his screen debut in Johnny O'Clock (1947), in a supporting role. He proved to be very versatile, starring in Westerns, action pictures, costume dramas and soapers. He was cast opposite many famous leading ladies including Anne Baxter, Maureen O'Hara, Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford, June Allyson and Lana Turner to name a few. He was very effective and was Oscar-nominated for his role as Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950) and portrayed him twice more in The Battle of Apache Pass (1952) and Taza, Son of Cochise (1954). He had concurrent success as a recording artist, wrote music, played violin, and owned Chandler Music, a publishing company. He sang the title song to Foxfire (1955). When his friend Sammy Davis Jr. lost an eye in an accident and was in danger of losing the other, Chandler offered to give Davis one of his own eyes. Personally, he was married to Marjorie Hoshelle from 1946 to 1954 (divorced) and had two daughters, Jamie and Dana. Jeff Chandler died tragically at age 42. He injured his back in April of 1961 while in the Philippines making what turned out to be his last film, Merrill's Marauders (1961). He entered a Culver City hospital and had surgery for a herniated spinal disc on May 13, 1961. There were severe complications, an artery was damaged and Chandler hemorrhaged. In a seven and a half hour emergency operation over and above the original surgery, he was given an enormous amount of blood, 55 pints. Another operation followed, date unknown, where he received an additional 20 pints of blood. An average adult has about 14 to 18 pints of blood, so his entire blood volume was replaced 4 to 5 times! Chandler fought hard to live, but expired June 17, 1961. His death was deemed malpractice and resulted in a large lawsuit and settlement for his children. Tony Curtis was a pallbearer at Chandler's funeral. Send a free Jeff Chandler Greeting Card Enter Card ID Number to Pick Up Your Greeting Card Support freedom Help support Meredy's Place by shopping here. A two-CD set of Jeff Chandler's music as well as a photo CD are available. CLICK HERE for details. CLICK HERE to search for Jeff Chandler merchandise Webmasters Make $$$ Web www.meredy.com ACTOR - FILMOGRAPHY Merrill's Marauders (1962) ~~ Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill Return to Peyton Place (1961) ~~ Lewis Jackman, New York Publisher Story of David, A (1960) ~~ King David Plunderers, The (1960) ~~ Sam Christy Thunder in the Sun (1959) ~~ Lon Bennett Jayhawkers!, The (1959) ~~ Luke Darcy Ten Seconds to Hell (1959) ~~ Karl Wirtz Stranger in My Arms, A (1959) ~~ Major Pike Yarnell Raw Wind in Eden (1958) ~~ Mark Moore/Scott Moorehouse Lady Takes a Flyer, The (1958) ~~ Mike Dandridge Man in the Shadow (1957/I) ~~ Ben Sadler Drango (1957) ~~ Major Clint Drango Jeanne Eagels (1957) ~~ Sal Satori Tattered Dress, The (1957) ~~ James Gordon Blane Pillars of the Sky (1956) ~~ First Sergeant Emmett Bell Toy Tiger (1956) ~~ Rick Todd Away All Boats (1956) ~~ Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks Spoilers, The (1955) ~~ Roy Glennister Female on the Beach (1955) ~~ Drummond Hall Foxfire (1955) ~~ Jonathan Dartland Sign of the Pagan (1955) ~~ Marcian Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) (uncredited) ~~ Cochise Yankee Pasha (1954) ~~ Jason Starbuck War Arrow (1953) ~~ Major Howell Brady East of Sumatra (1953) ~~ Duke Mullane Great Sioux Uprising, The (1953) ~~ Jonathan Westgate Battle at Apache Pass, The (1952) ~~ Cochise Son of Ali Baba (1952) (uncredited) ~~ Opening Narrator Yankee Buccaneer (1952) ~~ Commander David Porter Because of You (1952) ~~ Steve Kimberly Red Ball Express (1952) ~~ Lieutenant Chick Campbell Meet Danny Wilson (1952) (uncredited) ~~ Cameo appearance Smuggler's Island (1951) ~~ Steve Kent Flame of Araby (1951) ~~ Tamerlane Bird of Paradise (1951) ~~ Tenga Iron Man (1951) ~~ Coke Mason Deported (1950) ~~ Vic Smith Double Crossbones (1950) ~~ Narrator Two Flags West (1950) ~~ Major Henry Kenniston Broken Arrow (1950) ~~ Cochise Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) (uncredited) ~~ Narrator Sword in the Desert (1949) ~~ Kurta Abandoned (1949) ~~ Chief MacRae Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949) (uncredited) ~~ Police Officer #66 Invisible Wall, The (1947) ~~ Al Conway, henchman Roses Are Red (1947) ~~ Knuckles Johnny O'Clock (1947) (uncredited) ~~ Turk PRODUCER - FILMOGRAPHY Plunderers, The (1960) (executive producer) Drango (1957) (producer) MISCELLANEOUS CREW - FILMOGRAPHY Six Bridges to Cross (1955) (lyricist) Foxfire (1955) (lyricist: title song) --- Disclaimer --- These pages contain material copyrighted by other individuals and entities. Copyrighted material displayed in these pages is done so for archival purposes only and is not intended to infringe upon the ownership rights of the original owners. Site design and graphics © Meredy. This site is purely a fan tribute to Jeff Chandler and is not endorsed by his estate. Many thanks to Jeff Fain for the permission to use his portrait.