Norman Jay "Dack" Rambo (November 13, 1941 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, widely known for his role as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the series The Guns of Will Sonnett, as Steve Jacobi in the soap opera All My Children, as cousin Jack Ewing on Dallas, and as Grant Harrison on the soap opera Another World.
Dack Rambo | |
|---|---|
 Dack Rambo in Dirty Sally (1974) | |
| Born | Norman Jay Rambo November 13, 1941 Earlimart, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 21, 1994 (aged 52) Delano, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Dack Rambeau Norman "Dack" Rambo Norman Rambo |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1962–1993 |
Early life
editNorman Jay Rambo was born on November 13, 1941,[1] in Earlimart, California, to William Lester and Beatrice A. (née Rossi) Rambo. He was a middle child in a family of four children. His siblings were William Donald Rambo; identical twin Orman Ray "Dirk" Rambo (died 1967), and sister Beverly Jean Rambo. Beatrice Rambo outlived two of her three sons.[2][3]
Career
editAfter moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s, the 20-year-old twins were discovered by actress Loretta Young in 1962 and cast in her CBS series The New Loretta Young Show.[4] On February 5, 1967, Dirk Rambo was killed in a road accident at the age of 25.[5]
Later that same year, Dack Rambo landed the role of Jeff Sonnett on The Guns of Will Sonnett and co-starred in the short-lived Gunsmoke spin-off Dirty Sally, with Jeanette Nolan. During the 1970s and 1980s, he made guest appearances on Marcus Welby, M.D., House Calls, Wonder Woman, The Rookies, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Hotel and Murder, She Wrote. He played Steve Jacobi on All My Children in the early 1980s. He also acted the lead role in Sword of Justice, which lasted for 10 installments in 1978–79. Rambo may be best remembered on television for playing Jack Ewing in 51 episodes of the soap opera Dallas from 1985 to 1987. Rambo also played Wesley Harper on the 1984 short-lived TV series soap opera Paper Dolls.
Rambo promoted a line of men's underwear trademarked in 1987 as "Under Ware by dack rambo" [sic].[6][7] While working on Another World, Rambo learned that he was infected with HIV in August 1991. He quit the series shortly thereafter and retired from acting. Rambo then made his HIV infection and his bisexuality public, revealing that he had been in relationships with both men and women since his 20s.[4]
Personal life
editFor most of his life, Rambo was closeted about his bisexuality.[8] He later said he had been bisexual for most of his life, and had a "spicy" sex life that never included safe sex.[8]
Rambo learned he was HIV-positive on August 30, 1991, while preparing to tape scenes for Another World. After finishing work, he told the producers that he had HIV and that he wished to leave the show. He never returned to acting.[8] Rambo issued a press release on October 1, 1991, publicly disclosing his seroconversion status.[9] His announcement came three weeks after actor Brad Davis died of AIDS[9] and a month before basketball star Magic Johnson announced he had HIV.[8]
Rambo came out as bisexual in an interview with The Washington Post on November 25, 1991.[8]
The actor admitted in November 1991 that he had an addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs for several years. His time on Dallas was not a happy one, and his addiction significantly worsened after he left the show. He entered the Betty Ford Center for treatment in the summer of 1991 and became sober. Rambo denied he had ever been an intravenous drug user.[8]
Death
editDack Rambo died on March 21, 1994, at the age of 52 of complications from AIDS.[10]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962–1963 | The Loretta Young Show | Peter Massey | 26 episodes |
| 1965 | Never Too Young | Tim | 16 episodes |
| 1966 | The Virginian | Wesley Hedges | Season 05 Episode 10: "High Stakes" |
| 1967 | Iron Horse | Lieutenant Shelby | Episode: "Sister Death" Credited as Norman Rambo |
| 1967–1969 | The Guns of Will Sonnett | Jeff Sonnett | 50 episodes |
| 1970 | Which Way to the Front? | Terry Love | |
| 1970–1971 | Gunsmoke | Cyrus Pike | 3 episodes |
| 1971 | The Man and the City | Holland Jr. | Episode: "Disaster on Turner Street" |
| 1971 | Cannon | Bryan Gibson | Episode: "Stone, Cold Dead" |
| 1973 | Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Don | Episode: "Sweet Harvest" |
| 1974 | Dirty Sally | Cyrus Pike | 13 episodes |
| 1974 | Nightmare Honeymoon | David Webb | |
| 1974 | Hit Lady | Doug Reynolds | TV movie |
| 1975 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Episodes: "Dark Fury" (Parts 1 & 2) | |
| 1975 | The Rookies | Tommy Locke | Episode: "Angel" |
| 1977 | Good Against Evil | Andy Stuart | TV movie |
| 1977 | Wonder Woman | Andros | Episodes: " Mind Stealers from Outer Space" (Parts 1 & 2) |
| 1977 | Tabitha | Ted | Episode: "Tabitha's Triangle" |
| 1978 | A Double Life | Jack Cole | TV movie |
| 1978–1979 | Sword of Justice | Jack Cole | 10 episodes |
| 1978–1986 | Fantasy Island | Captain Timothy Black / Carl Wagner / Mike O'Brien / Captain Rawlins / Prince Peter d'Anatoli | 6 episodes |
| 1979–1986 | The Love Boat | Boyd Hughes / Alan Marciano / Peter Welch | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Waikiki | Ronnie | Television movie |
| 1980 | Charlie's Angels | Steve | Episode: "Angel in Hiding" |
| 1981 | House Calls | Episode: "All About Adam" | |
| 1981 | Rich and Famous | Kent | Uncredited |
| 1982–1983 | All My Children | Steve Jacobi | 7 episodes |
| 1983–1987 | Hotel | Various | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | The Mississippi | Episode: "Wheels of Justice" | |
| 1984 | No Man's Land | Connell | TV movie |
| 1984 | Paper Dolls | Wesley Harper | 13 episodes |
| 1984–1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Arnold Hastings / Bill Hampton / Brian Shelby | 3 episodes |
| 1985–1987 | Dallas | Jack Ewing | 51 episodes |
| 1987 | Shades of Love: Lilac Dream | Matt | Direct-to-video release |
| 1988 | Lonely Knights | Brad Moore | TV movie |
| 1988 | Hunter | Deputy D.A. Jason Leffler | Episode: "Presumed Guilty" |
| 1989 | The Spring | Andy | |
| 1989 | Highway to Heaven | Larry Nichols | Episode: "The Source" |
| 1990 | Ultra Warrior | Kenner | Alternative title: Welcome to Oblivion |
| 1990 | River of Diamonds | John Tregard | |
| 1990–1991 | Another World | Grant Harrison | 14 episodes, (final appearance) |
References
edit- ^ Lentz, Harris M. III (1996). Obituaries in the Performing Arts: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture, 1994. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 140. ISBN 9780786402540.
- ^ According to California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at ancestry.com
- ^ Profile, FamilyTreeLegends.com. Accessed May 16, 2016.
- ^ a b Lipton, Michael A. (1992-05-11). "Dack Rambo's Brave New World". People. 37 (18).
- ^ "Dack Rambo dead". Variety. March 22, 1994. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
- ^ "Trademark: Under Ware by dack rambo". Trademark.Justia.com. Justia.com. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "The Photo Gallery Three". Dack Rambo Memorial Tribute Photo Galleris. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Hall, Carla (November 25, 1991). "Dack Rambo, In Another World". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Soaper Dack Rambo Says He Tested Positive for HIV". Orlando Sentinel. October 2, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
- ^ "A Bold Last Act". People. 41 (12). April 4, 1994.
External links
edit
- Dack Rambo at IMDb
- Dack Rambo at AllMovie
- Dack Rambo at Find a Grave