Chad Everett

Raymon Lee Cramton (June 11, 1936 - July 24, 2012), known professionally as Chad Everett, was an American actor who appeared in more than 40 films and television series but probably was best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the television drama Medical Center which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976.

Everett was born Raymon Lee Cramton in South Bend, Indiana, to Virdeen Ruth (née Hopper) and Harry Clyde 'Ted' Cramton. He was raised in Dearborn, Michigan, where he became interested in the theatre as a Fordson High School student.

After attending Wayne State University, in Detroit, he headed to Hollywood and obtained a contract with Warner Brothers studio. Agent Henry Willson signed him and changed his name to Chad Everett. Everett claims he changed his name because he tired of explaining his real name, "Raymon-no-D, Cramton-no-P."

Career

Everett's first notable role came in an episode of ABC's 1960-1962 detective series Surfside 6. His first major role came a year later in the film Claudelle Inglish, and he subsequently played a deputy in the short-lived 1963 ABC western television series The Dakotas, which also featured Jack Elam as a fellow lawman. After appearing in a number of movies and television series in the later 1960s, he got his big break, landing the role of Dr. Joe Gannon on the innovative medical drama, Medical Center, with costar James Daly.

He appeared in numerous films and television series including Centennial, Hagen, Airplane II: The Sequel, Star Command, and Mulholland Drive. He also appeared as a guest star in more than forty television series such as Melrose Place, The Nanny, Touched by an Angel, Diagnosis: Murder, Caroline in the City, Murder, She Wrote, The Red Skelton Show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Route 66.

For many years Everett was a co-host of the Labor Day Jerry Lewis Telethon which raises money and awareness for and about the affliction of muscular dystrophy,
He also supplied the voice of Ultraman Chuck in the English version of the animated movie Ultraman: The Adventure Begins and voiced several characters in the animated television series The New Yogi Bear Show.

He hosted Trinity Broadcasting Network's "Master's Theater". He portrayed a closeted gay police officer on the December 3, 2006, episode "Forever Blue" of the television series, Cold Case.

Everett was selected by the family of John Wayne to be the voice of the animatronic figure of Wayne in Disney's Hollywood Studios' Great Movie Ride. Based on Patrick Wayne's suggestion, Everett also provided the voice of John Wayne in a scene that only appears in the VHS version of Gremlins 2: The New Batch (replacing the Hulk Hogan scene that appeared in the theatrical and DVD versions).

Personal life

Everett married actress Shelby Grant in Tucson, Arizona, on May 22, 1966. Everett was on location in Tucson filming the 1967 movie, Return of the Gunfighter, at the time of their wedding. They had two daughters, Katherine Thorp and Shannon Everett. The couple remained married for forty-five years until her death on June 25, 2011.

In September 1973, actress Sheila Scott had sued Chad Everett in the State of California Everett v Everett to prove paternity of Everett's ONLY son Dale Andre Lee Everett. Chad Everett Ninety-Five Percent Probable To Be Dale's Father June 14, 1984
Everett battled alcoholism for many years before seeking treatment from Alcoholics Anonymous. He had a much publicized argument with feminist actress Lily Tomlin during the taping of the March 31, 1972, episode of The Dick Cavett Show. Tomlin became so enraged when Everett referred to his wife in a joke as "my property" that she stormed off the set and refused to return.

Reporter Ronnie Simonsen's admiration of Everett is an important part of How's Your News?, a documentary (about a group of mentally disabled news reporters touring the United States) in which Simonsen meets Everett near the end of the film.

Everett died July 24, 2012 at his home in Los Angeles after a year-and-a-half-long battle with lung cancer. He was 76.

Filmography

- Castle (2012) - Joe episode "The Blue Butterfly"
- Chemistry (2011) - Vic Strathmore
- No Clean Break (TV series) (2011) - The Man
- Undercovers (Crashed) (2010, television)
- Supernatural (The Curious Case of Dean Winchester) (2009, television) - aged Dean Winchester
- Without a Trace (Skin Deep) (2007) - Joseph Pratt
- Cold Case (Forever Blue) (2006) - Jimmy Bruno
- E-Ring (The General) (2006) - General Long, Army Chief of Staff
- The Mountain (pilot) (2005) - Toby
- View from the Top (2003) - Jack Weston (uncredited)
- Mulholland Drive (2001) - Jimmy Katz
- Manhattan, AZ (2000, television) - Jake Manhattan
- Psycho (1998) - Tom Cassidy
- Touched by an Angel (Crisis of Faith) (1997) - Rev. Daniel Brewer
- When Time Expires (1997, television) - Walter Kelly, June's Father
- Star Command (1996, television) - Cmdr. Shane Ridnaur
- McKenna (1994-1995, television) - Jack McKenna
- Murder, She Wrote (1991, television) - Clark Blanchard
- Thunderboat Row (1989, television) - Ben Bishop
- Malibu (1983, television) - Art Bonnell
- The Rousters (1983, television) - Wyatt Earp III
- Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) - Simon Kurtz
- The Intruder Within (1981, television) - Jake Nevins
- Hagen (1980, television) - Paul Hagen
- Centennial (1978, television miniseries) - Major Maxwell Mercy
- The Firechasers (1971) - Quentin Barnaby
- Medical Center (1969, television) - Dr. Joe Gannon
- The Impossible Years (1968)
- Ironside (1967, television) - Larry Curtis
- The Last Challenge (1967) - Lot McGuire
- Return of the Gunfighter (1967, television) - Lee Sutton
- First to Fight (1967) - Jack Connell
- The Singing Nun (1966) - Robert Gerarde
- Made in Paris (1966) - Ted Barclay
- Johnny Tiger (1966) - Johnny Tiger
- Get Yourself A College Girl (1964) - Gary Underwood
- The Dakotas (1963, television) - Deputy Del Stark
- Rome Adventure (1962)
- Claudelle Inglish (1961) - Linn Varner
- 77 Sunset Strip episode "The Diplomatic Caper" (1962, television) - Ross Franklin; episode "The Rival Eye Caper" (1961) - Anthony Chase; episode "The College Caper" (1961) -Mark Adams
- Lawman episode "The Son" (1961, television) - Cole Herod; episode "Detweiler's Kid" (1961) - Jim Austin (credited as "Chad York")