Jon Locke, a journeyman actor whose feature-length films and television credits read like a viewer's guide to the great Westerns so many of us enjoyed during our youth died in Los Angeles on October 19th.Born Joseph Lockey Yon in Orlando, Florida on October 10, 1927, many fans saddled up and rode along with Jon Locke as he journeyed back to the Old West by watching celluloid versions of our frontier legends.
Fans will recognize Jon for his appearances in episodes of ``Gunsmoke,'' ``The Texan,'' ``Cimarron City,'' ``Bonanza,'' ``The Virginian,'' ``Wagon Train,'' ``Laramie,'' ``Tales of Wells Fargo,'' ``Sheriff of Cochise,'' and ``Custer,'' to name a few, and also for his roles in feature films for MGM, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney Productions. He also appeared in ``Land of the Lost,'' ``The Waltons,'' ``Perry Mason'' and many other classic television shows of bygone days.
As a characteristically American film genre, Westerns occupy an honored place in the hearts and minds of all of us who see honor and glory in the rugged individualism portrayed in those movies. Jon Locke has been an integral part of the history of the Western in movies and on television throughout his acting career. Still active in the film industry, Jon also does his part to keep the memory and spirit of the Old West alive by appearing at re-enactment events and Western festivals throughout the country. He usually brings his banjo along and has been known to sing a tune or two.
LOCKE, Jon (Joseph Lockey Yon)
Born: 10/10/1927, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.Died: 10/19/2013, Burbank, California, U.S.A.
Jon Locke’s westerns – actor:
Gunsmoke (TV) – 1955, 1972, 1974 (Beecher, Orval, Abe)
Westward Ho, the Wagons! – 1956 (Ed Benjamin)
The Texan (TV) – 1958 (Pete Masters)
Texas John Slaughter: Killers from Kansas (TV) – 1958, 1959 (deputy, Clum)
Cimarron City (TV) – 1959 (Ray)
26 Men (TV) – 1959 (Kevin Wade)
Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1959 (Reese)
Laramie (TV) – 1959, 1960, 1961 (Matt, hired gun, Billy Pore)
Bonanza (TV) – 1960 (Southern miner)
Riverboat (TV) – 1960 (soldier)
Five Guns to Tombstone – 1960 (Rusty Kolloway)
Wagon Train (TV) – 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 (Mr. Miller son, smart aleck, Gabe Billings, Farrell, Cam Davis, Gabe Lennister, Blake Reese
Shotgun Slade (TV) – 1961 (Warren)
Gun Fight – 1961 (Saunders)
Frontier Circus (TV) – 1961 (Jerry Jones)
Wide Country (TV) – 1962 (Eddie)
The Virginian (TV) – 1963, 1965, 1966 (Johnson, Abel Tercell, 1st man, Red Rennick)
Laredo (TV) – 1965, 1966 (Giles, deputy)
A Man Called Shenandoah (TV) – 1966 (driver)
Daniel Boone (TV) – 1966, 1968 (Tate, Corporal Harrison)
Custer (TV) – 1967 (Rod Tolby)
Alias Smith and Jones (TV) – 1971 (Marsh)
Dirty Sally (TV) – 1974 (Sykes)
The Last Day (TV) 1975 (player)
Mad Mad Wagon Party – 2010