This is probably the worst reason to update this Tumblr after so many years of halted research, but...

RIP Yvonne Wilder. Please check out her work, especially in Colvin and Wilder. She was wonderful.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/yvonne-wilder-dead-84-actor-west-side-story-1235123213/

Jack and I were good friends at the 1954 Oregon Shakespeare Festival and for a few years after until I moved out of LA. I was sorry to learn of his death, and puzzled by his conversion to Islam, as he often said theatre was the only thing worth taking seriously. Could anyone tell me how and when this came about?

I never met Jack, so your mention of a conversion to Islam is the first I’ve ever heard such a concept even brought up. It’s all the more puzzling because he was to be cremated, according to his death certificate, which I understood is haram and would go against his beliefs. I would love to know any more you wish to share about Jack. Feel free to leave contact info and I’ll communicate however you please.

Jack was a dear friend, my mentor and landlord for a many of years. His painting he hung on my apartment wall (because it was bare) with one of his many works. I treasure it to this day... miss him...love him

This is so fantastic to hear. I think I have only seen his last sketch of Chekhov, so I'm happy to hear more really is out there. I'm glad you were fortunate enough to have those experiences!----The posts here have greatly slowed with less to cover (and fewer finds to acquire), but I'm always looking out for more. Certain things are just impossible to find, it seems, especially living in Florida. His scripts, his art, his earliest appearances on television...I have hesitated to contact certain people I've found contact info for (like his high school girlfriend, Kenny Johnson, and Yvonne) just because, frankly, I don't want to bug them. If anyone at all reading this wants to share more about Jack Colvin, please do via the "Ask" box.. If you want to do so through email, leave your email address there and I will respond instead through that. Thank you for reading.

From my personal collection. Unfortunately, there are fingerprints and scuffs from some previous newspaper employee all over this and it was cut off poorly AND it's actually surprisingly small, but you can still practically zoom in and scan his retina and hair for identification.

Of all the things I've uploaded, this is the one where I realized Tumblr has a 10MB photo file limit. Anyway, here's a 1987 actor directory page, though still featuring one of the Hulk-era bleacher head shots.

Finally! I finally got it. This is Colvin and Wilder's first ever television appearance, February 1, 1964, performing the "Hamlet sketch" so often mentioned in articles about them on the Hollywood Palace. This appearance was also the one where Yvonne supposedly changed her name from Othon to Wilder a short while before the show started. And this is another Colvin and Wilder appearance also featuring Buddy Greco. AND this appearance is also the source of the great press photo I have (see 2:55-2:57 into the video), which is just another happy surprise!

This episode is also another great example of why the record for Jack is so muddled. Every place you can find online lists this appearance as "Jack Olvin," and even Donald O'Connor calls him "Jack Calvin." presumably because he doesn't read cue cards as well as he dances.

In related news, there are indeed a few other shows featuring C&W that still exist! For crazy prices. Archival Television Audio has airchecks of them on The Dean Martin Show in 1968 (the one about the Kids Next Door) and twice on Operation entertainment in '68 and '69 for $75, $85, and $85 respectively, which is a whole lot of money for a cassette or VHS tape dub of a half-physical comedy duo.

The other recent find is C&W's return Hollywood Palace appearance on April 18, 1964. Even better is that it's actually a 16mm copy of the program! Unfortunately, I don't have the money to buy it and then have it transferred to digital in decent preservation quality. So here's hoping the buyer transfers it sometime soon (or even resells it, since the last time this exact same reel was sold, it was for twice as much).

The research continues regardless!

JACK COLVIN South San Gabriel, California Los Angeles City College, Michael Chekhov Studio 2nd Season

Jack's profile for the 1955 Oregon Shakespeare Festival program's Players page. There are a couple other Player pictures that have this same super dramatic lighting, so Jack's not alone in looking so moody.

And yeah, Michael Todd Dawkins looks like a little hellion.

Edit: Whoops, forgot the tags!

Jack, here seen alongside your devoted friend, sir, the manifold linguist and the armipotent soldier. From the 1955 Oregon Shakespeare Festival program, this is Jack as the second of the brothers Dumain (or Dumaine) in All's Well That Ends Well.

Boblibindo chicurmurco.

JACK COLVIN, of South San Gabriel, Calif., has studied at Los Angeles City College, and has done further acting work under Michael Chekhov. Jack's experience in community theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse and the Penthouse Theatre in Altadena has culminated in direction of his own group at the Park Center theatre in Monterey Park. Among the roles he has portrayed are Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Tom Prior in Outward Bound.

Here's Jack's profile in the Players section of the 1954 program. Man, I don't think Jack took a picture in the 50s that wasn't glamorous.

With The Oregon Shakespeare Festival starting up in 2014, let's go back 60 years to August of 1954. This is from the 1954 program, complete with signature (which I have both signed by the whole cast and not). Jack took on several roles in cast and crew in '54 and '55, and above is him as Guildenstern in Hamlet.

Jack Colvin and Sharon Gless during Performance of 'Fathers and Sons' - March 18, 1980 at Solri Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)

http://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-photo/jack-colvin-and-sharon-gless-during-performance-of-fathers-news-photo/106086141

I can't wait to afford this, but even watermarked, you get the gist. It'll look so much better without, though...

Colvin and Wilder combine in a sketch about two people on different wavelengths.

-Dean Hosts the Kids Next Door, Schenectady Gazette, Mar 23, 1968

Yeah, not much to this one, as that's as vague a description of a skit can get, but the last bit of odd quaintness from Peter Tork that was apparently interesting enough to merit a section of its own in the entertainment section makes it worth it.

Top photo of Jack Colvin and Sharon Gless from personal collection, by unknown, unknown date, unknown place. Maybe the Emmys in the early 80s? Who knows. There is another picture of the two from 1980, but I don't have Getty money.

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Part of Sharon's uncertainty is because she has experienced several difficult love affairs over the past few years. She was in love for six years with top Hollywood producer, director and actor Jack Colvin. Then it broke up, just when everybody expected them to marry. "I still feel a lot of pain," Sharon admits, "but I only hope I've learned something from all that unhappiness.

-Cagney and Lacey and Daly and Gless, by Joann Wills, The Sydney Morning Herald, Oct 14, 1985

This is probably as gossip-rag-y as it gets here, but there it is. Interestingly, Sharon Gless was at Jack's last appearance, the Chekhov book release party.

Jack Colvin (of the comedy team of Colvin & Wilder) is a top contender to play the role of "Hickok" in "In Cold Blood." He conferred with author Truman Capote last week

-Mrs. Huntington Hartford Turns Deaf Ear To Reconciliation, by Walter Winchell, Sarasota Journal, Jun 6, 1966

Okay, maybe this is the most gossipy thing posted, hence the extra context in the image. Still, Jack Colvin instead of Scott Wilson, plus the idea of him and Truman Capote "conferring" is interesting. What a conversation.

Colvin Lewis A (Nan) mach h2905 Kelburn av

-Los Angeles Directory Co.'s Wilmar-Garvey District Directory, 1949

Unfortunately, while this would have been Lewis A, Nannie, and Jack's home then, I don't think the address exists anymore. It appears that Kelburn turns into a parking lot before their address. But! Here Lewis seems to be listed as a machinist, so he's still paying bills with blue collar work in LA.

Thank you so much for this wonderful blog on my all-time favorite actor, Jack Colvin. I have recently begun doing some research on his family genealogy and some of your finds here have been a great help. I was thrilled to come across this beautiful tribute and have spent the better part of a day reading and re-reading its contents. Thank you for proving to me that I am not the only one who was utterly captivated by his talent when I first saw him in a small role many decades ago.

Oh, well, I've dabbled in a bit of it, too, so this might help. This isn't TOTALLY up to date, either. For one, Lewis A Colvin's mother up there is actually his adopted mother, who was pretty old. Estimating by all the census evidence, he lived with her until he married Nan. some time after 25. Nan's guardian was listed as O. P. Davis (the only one of which I could find died in Mississippi), and her siblings were... nearly impossible to read. The trouble is you have so many leads it's hard remembering to update those that seem to be confirmed.

Sorry for the late reply, by the by! I've got something like a week of updates starting tonight. Some a great, some are just okay, but they're still updates!

Did Jack and Bill Bixby keep in touch after The Hulk series finished?

I'm not sure, but probably not. He spoke about Bill helping Colvin to get the McGee character fleshed out on the show, but not much beyond that. Lou Ferrigno's autobiography and interviews pretty much say he was nice but incredibly quiet. As a side note, since last updating this site, I met Lou at one of the many conventions he's been to. Because of his general "please make this short" demeanor, I just didn't try asking anything.