He was 91. Mike Connors (August 15, 1925 - January 26, 2017) was an American actor best known for his role as private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series Mannix from 1967 to 1975, a role that earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1970, the first of six consecutive nominations, and four consecutive Emmy nominations from 1970 to 1973. He once jokingly described himself as 'a frustrated song-and-dance man' who wound up typecast as a TV crime fighter. By the end of the 1950s, he was known as Mike Connors and in addition to films, he had accrued many television credits in such programs as "Have Gun-Will Travel," "M Squad," "Maverick" and "Perry Mason." In 1959, Connors was given his first TV series "Tightrope" (1959 to 1960) in which he played undercover cop 'Nick Stone.' . He had a son named Matthew and a daughter named Dana. Their son, beset by hallucinations starting in his teens, was diagnosed with. Then-president Lucille Ball pushed for CBS to keep the show on the air by removing the high-tech computers and making Mannix an independent detective. Connors also starred in the TV series "Tightrope!" He was a spokesperson for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Interview with "Mannix" star Mike Connors, as he is reunited with the long-lost convertible he drove in the 1968-69 seasons of the TV series. It is with deep sadness that we report the untimely passing of a good man, Jeff Connors, one of four sons born to actor Chuck Connors. He had initially been rejected for an audition by producer Joseph Kaufman due to his lack of experience, but after sneaking into Republic Pictures and meeting director David Miller, Connors was given a chance to read the script and was offered the part. Connors already was a veteran of film and TV shows when he landed the role of. In an effort to make his character 'more real' than the traditional cynical Bogart-style gumshoe, he played Mannix as being more 'humane', often becoming emotionally involved in his cases and -- just as often -- ending up on the wrong end of a knuckle sandwich (in the course of the 194 episodes, poor old Joe was knocked unconscious on fifty-five occasions and shot seventeen times), or watching his beautiful client walk off with another man.Another subsequent starring role as a modern-day G-Man in the short-lived Today's F.B.I. Mike Connors, who took a punch as well as anyone while playing the good-guy private detective on the long-running Saturday night action series Mannix for CBS, has died. Mike Connors and Mary Lou Connors at 'ROAST THIS! [1] His father was an attorney and represented many Armenians who had little money and could not speak English. Arguably, the one highlight of his film career -- several years later -- could be said to be his role as one of a pair of American bomber crew (the other being Robert Redford) held captive in a cellar by a lonely German drug store clerk who chooses to withhold from them the trivial matter of Germany's surrender to the Allies (played with whimsical aplomb by the brilliant Alec Guinness) in the underrated and very funny black comedy Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965).After many years as a struggling actor, Mike's first TV hit was Tightrope (1959) for CBS in which he starred as an undercover cop infiltrating an organized crime syndicate. | Source: Getty Images. While the show wasn't as prominent in his home country, it became a hit in Mexico for some reason. A bit player on the set, known to both Connors and his wife, had called Lou staying that Lana had tried making a move on her husband. Mike and his wife Mary were together for 68 long years without any kind of disputes or separation. Mary Lou Willey's relationship with Mike Connors ended when Mike Connors died on January 26, 2017. On tv, he appeared in 18 episodes of "Today's FBI" and a few of "The Love Boat." He added: "We've been married now for about sixty years, and we've enjoyed every bit of it. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. The nickname "Touch', Mike acquired on the basketball court where he first came to the attention of the director William A. Wellman who considered his features 'expressive'. Dana Lee Connors is the daughter of Mike Connor. Showing 5 records of 9 Criminal Records & Traffic Violations that matched the name Mike Connors: Disclaimer: By using . At the time, she had dropped out of college and was home in Laguna Beach, where Connors was selling brushes and vacuum cleaners door to door to be close to her. While Mike Connors was not new to the screens when he started in Mannix between 1967 and 1975, the Joe Mannix character became his defining role, throwing him to unprecedented fame and winning him a Golden Globe Award in 1970. LOS ANGELES --Mike Connors, who starred as a hard-hitting private eye on the long-running television series "Mannix," has died. [26] In 1995, Connors narrated another Armenian documentary by Hagopian, Ararat Beckons. Connors' final years were spent staying fit by sweeping and exercising. Mike Connors was raised in his hometown, where he attended high school and was a basketball player in the schools team. Mannix (1967) was highly innovative in its day: among its winning combination were an upbeat jazzy score (composed by Lalo Schifrin), teasers, fast cuts from scene to scene, a car replete with a computer transmitting and receiving fingerprints and an African-American co-star (the charming Gail Fisher, who played Joe's secretary Peggy Fair). Jackson Connors after the ball game. The series featured Connors as the heroic, tough private investigator who just wants to do the right thing. Connors and his wife, Mary Lou, were married in 1949 and had two children: a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Dana. He was 91 years old. Actor Mike Connors attends "Primetime TV Crimefighters" at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre on November 1, 2010 in North Hollywood, California | Photo: Getty Images. Mike Connors Michael Thomas Lived in Newtown, CT 06470-1703 Previous Addresses. Many notable names guested in the show, some at very beginning of their careers (Diane Keaton and Martin Sheen, among others). In the 1959-1960 television season, he had played a crime-fighting investigator known only as "Nick" in another CBS series . He tries to always be there for others and doesn't hide his emotions. Heartstopper Kit Connor & Joe Locke's Relationship in Real Life How Did They Get Close? [25] Connors both starred in and produced the independent horror film Too Scared to Scream (1985). The couple has one of the longest marriages in Hollywood. [25], After his son's diagnosis, Connors became active in charitable organizations for mental-disorder patients. They had two children, a son, Matthew Gunnar Ohanian, and a daughter, Dana Lee Connors. MICHAEL CONNORS OBITUARY. His wife is Marylou Connors (10 September1949 - 26 January2017)( his death)( 2 children). Krekor Ohanian (August 15, 1925 January 26, 2017), known professionally as Mike Connors, was an American actor best known for playing private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series Mannix from 1967 to 1975, a role which earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1970, the first of six straight nominations, as well as four consecutive Emmy nominations from 1970 to 1973. After many years as a struggling actor, Mike's first TV hit was Tightrope (1959) for CBS in which he starred as an undercover cop infiltrating an organized crime syndicate. A few weeks later, Lou said she would marry him. Tall, handsome Armenian-American Mike Connors had a minor career in the movies before becoming a star on the small screen as the impeccably dressed . ", In 1958, the couple welcomed their son Matthew Gunner Ohanian and then a daughter Dana Lee Connors in 1960. Associated With He co-starred with Gail Fisher on the detective series Mannix. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Mike Connors's net worth ", Actor Mike Connors attends the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Primetime Television Crimefighters panel discussion at the Leonard H Goldenson Theatre on November 1, 2010 in North Hollywood, California. Connors stated in an interview that the show's primary sponsor, J.B. Williams, refused CBS president James Aubrey's request to move it to a later time slot on a different day. Also learn how He earned most of Mike Connors networth? Michael Connors was elected to Position 4 in November of 2019. Connors' acting career spanned six decades. Mike was best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series, Mannix. Being a newbie in the industry, he would often visit actor friends at MGM and then various sets networking with whoever had time for him. During and after "Mannix," Connors reprised his character's role thrice elsewhere: In an episode of "Here's Lucy" in 1971," in the 1973 "Bob Hope Special," and in an episode of "Diagnosis: Murder" in 1977. But besides a successful film career, the star also had a unique marriage, one of the very few in Hollywood that stood the test of time and weathered 67 years of temptation. Web. The "Good Neighbor Sam" actor always considered himself and Lou lucky to have lived the life they had. The couple would open up about their relationship, saying that a sense of humor was the best coping mechanism and bound them like superglue. [8], After a basketball game, coach Wilbur Johns introduced Connors to his friend, director William A. Wellman, who liked Connors' voice and expressive face while he was playing basketball, and encouraged him to consider acting. He was 91. Mike Connors married Marylou Riley in 1949. Connors performed his own stunts on the series. This move enabled the show to become a long-running hit for the network. However, along the way, he switched to theatre arts. He was born in Fresno, California on 1925-08-15. ', Inside Schwarzenegger & Ex-wifes Longtime Home Where They Lived Amid His Affair With Housekeeper, Rich Parents Dress Up as Poor Provincials to Test Their Sons Fiance Story of the Day, Michael J Fox Was Isolating Himself From Wife of 34 Years & Kids - She Helped Him to Become Part Of Family Again. Mike Connors was married to Mary Lou Willey, he suffered from hallucinations when he was a child, Mike and his wife Mary were together for 68 long years. There he met a hairdresser hed worked with before, and as they stood there talking, Lana sent a girl to ask for his name. Mike Connors was happily married to Mary Lou Willey for 67 years. | Source: Getty Images. Michael P. Connors is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Information Services Group, Inc., a technology insights, market intelligence and advisory services company. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 92 years old group. Dana Lee Connors Net Worth. He had a son, Matthew Gunner Ohanion (b. November 1958) and a daughter, Dana Lee Connors (b. July 1960), with his wife, Marylou Connors (Mary Lou Riley). His Past Affairs and Girlfriends, True Blood star Rutina Wesley husband, and Divorced Jacob Fishel and is Engaged to Chef Shonda, Greta Van Susteren Husband, Divorce, Salary and Net Worth, Is Steven Tyler's ex-wife Teresa Barrick is Still Single or Married? What was Chuck Connors net worth when he died? At 92 years old, Mike Connors height [13], Connors was strongly considered to play Matt Helm in The Silencers (1966), but that role had eventually gone to Dean Martin. The pair lived a fulfilled life and loved each other to the end, so much that after almost seven decades together, they did not want to be apart when the time came. He did several films for Roger Corman for $400 a pop. Personal life and death. Connors married Mary Lou Willey on September 10, 1949, when they were both UCLA students. Actor Mike Connors and wife Mary Lou at the Sportsman Lodge Luncheon on January 1 1977 | Source: Getty Images. Marylou Connors and her husband Mike were married for about 7 decades. 14. After the severe hallucination, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a long-term mental disorder, and died at the age of 17.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'famousstardom_com-box-4','ezslot_3',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-famousstardom_com-box-4-0'); Mike and Mary gave birth to their second child,Dana Lou Conners. And even with all the temptations that came with the territory, he remained devoted to his family. Connors, Mike 1925- (Touch Conners, Michael Connors, Touch Connors)PERSONALOriginal name, Krekor Ohanian (some sources spell the name as Krikor Ohanian), born August 15, 1925, in Fresno, CA; married Mary Lou Wiley; children: Dana Lee, Matthew Gunnar. | Source: Getty Images. Connors knew what he wanted when he started a family, and he remained devoted to his wife and children, despite his sons illness. | Source: Getty Images. Mary Lou Willey is currently available. [2] He was considered for the role of Tarzan by casting director Ruth Burch, who found him an acting coach. When CBS discovered the deal, the executives quickly decided to cancel Mannix to avoid losing viewership for new episodes to the reruns. The pair went on to have two children, Matthew Gunner, born in 1958, and Dana Lee, born in 1960. Once we get more information about the Dana Lee Connors, we will update this page with the correct information. Wellman took notice of Connor's "expressive" features and attempted to sign the latter to Goldwyn studios, but it fell through. | Source: Getty Images. Chuck Connors died on November 10, 1992, at 71. is 6'1"(1.85m) . Michael married Ellen CONNORS (born CALLAGHAN (O'CALLAGHAN)) on month day 1856, at age 26 at marriage place. The series only lasted one season. Mike died from leukemia in Tarzana, California, on 26 January 2017, aged 91. The 37-episode run saw the actor as an undercover agent named Nick Stone. 0:52. Connors married Mary Lou Willey on September 10, 1949, when they were both UCLA students. He has played the same character (Joe Mannix) in three different series: Has a son - Matthew Gunner Ohanion (b. November 1958) and a daughter - Dana Lee Connors (b. July 1960) with his wife, Best remembered by the public for his starring role in, Because of his Armenian heritage, Connors has been tapped by Armenian-American documentary film maker. Weve had a great life., In retrospect, Connors said the only negative thing to have happened to them was the loss of their son. krekor ohanian (august 15, 1925 - january 26, 2017), known professionally as mike connors, was an american actor best known for playing private detective joe mannix in the cbs television series mannix from 1967 to 1975, a role which earned him a golden globe award in 1970, the first of six straight nominations, as well as four consecutive emmy Connors, however, reminded her that he had not been married long and was still in love with his wife. Through the 1950s, Mike appeared in such productions as The 49th Man , Island in the Sky starring John Wayne, Swamp Women with Marie Windsor and Carole Mathews, The Oklahoma Woman alongside Richard Denning, and Live Fast, Die Young in 1958. Mr. Condon is married to Connors' daughter Dana and is the stepdad to the Connors' only grandchild, Cooper Wills. Connors knew what he wanted when he started a family, and he remained devoted to his wife and children, despite his son's illness. Marylou Connors (10 September1949 - 26 January2017)( his death)( 2 children). The episode, which opened Lucy's fourth season, is titled "Lucy and Mannix are Held Hostage". The series ran for eight seasons from 1967 to 1975. Mike Connors. Connors brushed her off, saying hed have loved to, but he had an appointment and could not stay much longer. Matthew's parents got married on September 10, 1949, when they were both UCLA students. Lately, in 2007 he appeared in the TV series Two and a Half Men in theepisode, Prostitutes, and Gelato.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'famousstardom_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-famousstardom_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Video:Two And A Half Men 04x24 Prostitutes and Gelato chunk 3 with Mike Connors. They had two children. He released a memoir, "And Now, Back to Mannix," in 2014. Mannix (1967-1975) was one of the most successful of the many private eye shows that were so popular in the late 1960s into the 1970s and, besides the cool swagger of star Mike Connors and the hottest theme song in TV history, it had one of my favorite characters of all time, Peggy Fair, Mannix' secretary. During the filming of the pilot episode, he broke his wrist and dislocated his shoulder. | Source: Getty Images. December 11, 2022 June 7, 1959 Dec. 3, 2022 Beloved husband, stepdad, grandpa, brother, uncle and friend Michael Alan Connors, 63, passed away Saturday Dec. 3, at his home in St. George. [4][5][6], Connors was an avid basketball player in high school, nicknamed "Touch" by his teammates. He went from being the son of immigrant parents to UCLA basketball star (Touch Connors) to television star of Mannix after being recruited by Lucille Ball to star in the Desilu series. 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