Sam_Buffington

Sam Buffington

Sam Buffington

American actor


Sam Buffington (October 12, 1931 – May 15, 1960)[1] was an American actor whose short career included performances on stage, radio, film, and television. He was the star of the CBS radio series Luke Slaughter of Tombstone during 1958[2] and was one of three regular cast members on the Whispering Smith television series.[3] His stage and screen roles were limited to character parts.[4] His career was going strong and had good prospects when, at age 28, he committed suicide.[5]

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Early years

He was born in Swansea, Massachusetts, the youngest of four children for Carl Buffington, a lumber company manager, and Annette Gendron.[6][7] His parents were in their forties when Buffington was born, and his nearest sibling was eight years older.[7] At age 18, Buffington appears as a roomer in a Brookline, Massachusetts, boarding house during 1950,[8] when he was attending the Leland Powers School of Radio and Theater.[9] According to a 1951 newspaper article, he was working in nightclubs as an MC and comic dancer.[10]

Early career

Buffington's first known professional stage credits come from summer stock with the Allegheny Players at the Mishler Theatre in Altoona, Pennsylvania.[11] He was signed to perform character parts in six plays, each with a week-long run.[11] After the Mishler run completed, the Allegheny Players performed for a week in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, where Buffington had the male lead in a comedy.[12]

Radio and stage

For the years 1952 through 1955 Buffington worked in both radio and on the stage. His radio work was at a station in Providence, Rhode Island, where according to a later interview, he had three shows under three different names and as many voices.[13] Buffington lamented, "The unfortunate thing about it was that I only got the salary of one man".[13] His stage work continued to be with the Allegheny Players during the summer seasons.[14]

West Coast career

Screen beginnings

Discouraged by lack of work on the East Coast, Buffington and his wife moved to the West Coast during 1956.[15] He told a later interviewer: "We figured it couldn't be any worse. But it was. We had just $90 when we got here. The first eight months she had to work to support me".[15] Then he began appearing in small roles on television, and in a Grade B film, Invasion of the Saucer Men. His breakthrough came in May 1957 with an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, wherein he played a thoroughly disagreeable character.[16] Reviews claimed "...it's Sam Buffington's portrayal of a rude, sloppy hypochondriac which steals the show".[17] Within the next six months he would have roles in six films, all released in 1958, and five more television shows, an auspicious first year.[15]

For the film Damn Citizen, a reviewer said "Sam Buffington does a splendid job of making himself thoroughly unpleasant in the role of a gambling casino operator".[18] Another reported "Sam Buffington's cunning small-time gambler is about twice as convincing as the real thing would be and also very amusing".[19] This was the high point of his film career; in no other movie did he capture critical attention. His career would continue to thrive on the small screen, as he completed more television episodes with each succeeding year.[citation needed]

Buffington appeared as himself on a local interview program called Meet the People during February 1958.[20] This was a lead-in to his starring role on a new CBS national radio program.[citation needed]

Luke Slaughter of Tombstone

While filming an episode of The Gray Ghost, Buffington had asked Lillian Buyeff how she had gotten a gig on the radio drama Suspense.[15] She sent him to Bill Robson, a CBS radio producer, and about two months later Buffington was cast for the lead in a CBS radio western.[15]

Luke Slaughter of Tombstone began broadcasting on February 23, 1958, with Buffington playing the title character.[21] He portrayed a Civil War cavalryman, who after the war becomes a cattleman in Arizona.[22] The nationally heard program began five minutes after the hour, following a short CBS News break.[23] It was one of three western series broadcast by CBS on Sunday afternoons.[24] The program ran twenty-five minutes per episode, including commercials.[24]

The first episode had Slaughter drive a herd of cattle from Texas to Tombstone, while the second had him dealing with renegade lawmen who were after the proceeds from the cattle sale.[23] The series was suspended during July 1958, and Buffington used the time off to perform in Bell, Book and Candle with the La Jolla Playhouse.[25][26]

Despite his radio commitment, Buffington still managed to appear in sixteen episodes of television during 1958. He also completed film work for They Came to Cordura, released the following year.[27][28] For 1959 he did seventeen more television episodes, before landing a regular cast member spot in early 1960 on a new western series.[29]

Whispering Smith

This half-hour western series made at Revue Studios for NBC starred Audie Murphy and Guy Mitchell as frontier detectives for the Denver Police Department, c.1870.[30] Buffington, who was third-credited, played their superior officer, Chief of Police John Richards.[31] In the film Unwed Mother he played husband to actress Dorothy Adams.[32]

Death and controversy

While Buffington's wife Pat was in Palm Springs, California, he wrote a note to her, locked himself in the bathroom, sealed air passages under the door and window, and turned on a gas jet.[33] When she returned home to West Hollywood, California, on Sunday evening, May 15, 1960, she had to break-in the bathroom door.[34] Buffington was dead; his note apologized to her for not being able to support her, and requested cremation.[33] Buffington's friends expressed surprise at the note, since he had made over $20,000 the year before[fn 1] and had good career prospects.[5] Brief stories appeared the next day in California newspapers detailing the circumstances. The UPI story, with a West Hollywood dateline, cited alternatively police and sheriff's detectives as the source,[34][35] but was carried by only one out-of-state newspaper.[36] There were no follow-up stories to the original UPI release, nor did any newspapers carry the original story after the first day. This was a highly unusual story arc for such a newsworthy event, and suggests UPI pulled the original release.[citation needed]

When a year had passed, and Whispering Smith was finally set to debut on NBC television, newspaper announcements made only a brief reference to "the late Sam Buffington, who died after only 20 episodes were filmed".[37]

Personal life

An accomplished painter of portraits in oil, Buffington once tried to make a living of it.[2] After he became an actor, he donated eight of his works to children's hospitals.[38]

Buffington married Patricia Ann Whitehouse on July 15, 1953, in Vance County, North Carolina.[39] They remained married until his death in 1960.[33]

Stage performances

Listed by year of first performance

More information Year, Play ...

Filmography

More information Year, Title ...

Television performances

More information Year, Series ...

Notes

  1. The equivalent of over $200,000 in 2023.
  2. Prior to the 1983 revival of this production company it had no dedicated venue, instead relying on the auditorium of La Jolla High School.
  3. The working title was The Rawhide Breed.
  4. The working title was Teen-Age Mother.
  5. Adams was 31 years older than Buffington, who at age 26 seemed twice his actual age.
  6. IMDb has the episode as "Reluctant Hostage".

References

  1. Samuel E Buffington, in the California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997, retrieved from Ancestry.com
  2. Page, Don (April 27, 1958). "Latest Cowboy Looks Like One". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. 153 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Audie Murphy Is Starred In New Mystery Show". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. May 8, 1960. p. 41 via Newspapers.com.
  4. Wagner, E. C. (October 2, 1957). "Standing Stone Year Reviewed". Altoona Tribune. p. 6. Retrieved July 8, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Sam Buffington, Actor, Found Dead". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. May 16, 1960. p. 1 via Newspapers.com.
  6. Massachusetts, U.S., Birth Index, 1860-1970 for Samuel E. Buffington > Births > 1931-1935, retrieved from Ancestry.com
  7. 1940 United States Federal Census for Samuel E Buffington, Massachusetts > Bristol > Swansea > 3-102, retrieved from Ancestry.com
  8. 1950 United States Federal Census for Samuel E Buffington, Massachusetts > Norfolk > Brookline > 11-75, retrieved from Ancestry.com
  9. "Noel Coward Plays Next Attraction At Standing Stone". Tyrone Daily Herald. Tyrone, Pennsylvania. June 24, 1954. p. 6 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Local Summer Theatre Ready for Season Opener on Tuesday". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. June 25, 1951. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Casts Named For Summer Plays Here". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. June 19, 1951. p. 15 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Brighten The Corner At Centre Playhouse". The Indiana Gazette. Indiana, Pennsylvania. August 31, 1951. p. 8 via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Fooled Listeners". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. January 28, 1958. p. 9 via Newspapers.com.
  14. Wagner, E. C. (October 2, 1957). "Standing Stone Year Reviewed". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. p. 6 via Newspapers.com.
  15. Rich, Allen (March 24, 1958). "Listening Post and TV Review". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Sunday, May 26". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. May 26, 1957. p. 222 via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Hitchcock Presents". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. May 25, 1957. p. 18 via Newspapers.com.
  18. Fanning, Win (January 30, 1958). "New Film". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 22 via Newspapers.com.
  19. O'H., W. (March 15, 1958). "Snowden, Empress, Outremont, Rivoli, Papineau, Corona, Seville, Strand". The Montreal Star. Montreal, Quebec. p. 24 via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Television Programs". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. February 4, 1958. p. 20 via Newspapers.com.
  21. Palmer, Zuma (February 22, 1958). "New Series Begin, 'Gold Rush' Among Sunday Specials". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. pp. 12, 11 via Newspapers.com.
  22. "New Sunday Show". The Bridgeport Telegram. Bridgeport, Connecticut. February 22, 1958. p. 10 via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Sunday on Radio". Independent Star-News. Pasadena, California. March 2, 1958. p. 57 via Newspapers.com.
  24. "WDAE". The Tampa Times. Tampa, Florida. March 1, 1958. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  25. "La Jolla Play Bewitches In New Offering". Times-Advocate. Escondido, California. July 15, 1958. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  26. "People". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. July 19, 1958. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  27. "Before The Cameras". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. November 8, 1958. p. 11 via Newspapers.com.
  28. "Added to Cast". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November 13, 1958. p. 25 via Newspapers.com.
  29. "Simone Signoret Cast In TV Drama". The New York Times. New York, New York. March 18, 1960. p. 53 via NYTimes.com.
  30. "Audie Murphy Star of 'Whispering Smith'". Sunday News. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. March 27, 1960. p. 70 via Newspapers.com.
  31. "Audie Murphy To Do TV Show". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. April 10, 1960. p. 162 via Newspapers.com.
  32. Cullison, Art (December 20, 1958). "So-So Study Of Illegitimacy". The Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 14 via Newspapers.com.
  33. "Video Actor Victim Of Gas". The Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. May 16, 1960. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  34. "Video Actor Buffington Kills Self". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, California. May 16, 1960. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  35. "TV Actor Suicide". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. May 16, 1960. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  36. "Actor Kills Himself In Hollywood Home". The Shreveport Journal. Shreveport, Louisiana. May 16, 1960. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  37. "Speak Softly, Smith". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, California. April 9, 1961. p. 161 via Newspapers.com.
  38. "Hospitals Get Painting Gifts". Los Angeles Mirror. Los Angeles, California. December 24, 1958. p. 21 via Newspapers.com.
  39. Samuel Elisha Buffington, in the North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1740-2011, retrieved from Ancestry.com
  40. "Cast Named For Summer Playhouse". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. June 21, 1951. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  41. "O'Neill Riot Holds Forth At Mishler". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. July 6, 1951. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  42. "Comedy Hit At Mishler Is Riotous". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. July 12, 1951. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  43. ""Night Must Fall" Takes At Mishler Is Riotous". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. July 19, 1951. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  44. "Altoona Group Is Presenting Petticoat Fever". The Daily News. Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. July 25, 1951. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  45. "Thriller On At Mishler This Week". Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania. August 3, 1951. p. 10 via Newspapers.com.
  46. "Before The Cameras". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. October 12, 1957. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  47. "(No title)". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. December 24, 1957. p. 19 via Newspapers.com.
  48. Carroll, Harrison (September 14, 1957). "Behind the Scenes in Hollywood". The Times Leader. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. p. 6 via Newspapers.com.
  49. "Before The Cameras". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. Hollywood, California. December 7, 1957. p. 19 via Newspapers.com.
  50. "Tonight On Eight". Sun-Journal. Lewiston, Maine. March 5, 1957. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  51. "Sunday's Pick Of The TV Best". The Standard Star. New Rochelle, New York. May 25, 1957. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  52. Saunders, Ann Wardell (November 3, 1957). "Lookin' 'n' Listenin'". Sunday News. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. pp. 48, 87 via Newspapers.com.
  53. "Top Shows On TV Tonight". Baraboo News Republic. Baraboo, Wisconsin. November 23, 1957. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  54. "Joseph Cotten Stars In Murder Mystery". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. January 12, 1958. p. 60 via Newspapers.com.
  55. "Top Shows On TV Tonight". Baraboo News Republic. Baraboo, Wisconsin. February 26, 1958. p. 3 via Newspapers.com.
  56. "Maverick Meets Wily Crawford In No-Limit Poker Game Sunday". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. February 24, 1958. p. 14 via Newspapers.com.
  57. "Thursday, October 30". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 26, 1958. p. 220 via Newspapers.com.
  58. "Monday". Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. July 26, 1959. p. 80 via Newspapers.com.
  59. "Sugarfoot Wants Outlaw Signature". The Tribune. Coshocton, Ohio. December 6, 1958. p. 4 via Newspapers.com.
  60. "Bounty Hunter Has To Bring In Santa Claus". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. December 14, 1958. p. 44 via Newspapers.com.
  61. "Life Or Death Race". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. May 9, 1959. p. 20 via Newspapers.com.
  62. ""Perry Mason" Handles "The Caes of the Foot Loose Doll" Jan. 24". The Times-Mail. Bedford, Indiana. January 17, 1959. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  63. "Bart Gets Involved With Girl". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. July 11, 1959. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  64. "Automation Runs Aground". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. April 19, 1959. p. 48 via Newspapers.com.
  65. "John Smith Regrets 'Night With the Boys'". Jefferson City Post-Tribune. Jefferson City, Missouri. May 10, 1959. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  66. "Masterson Is Declared Dead". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. May 16, 1959. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  67. ""Rough Riders" Meet Dangerous Girl Witness". The Times-Mail. Bedford, Indiana. June 13, 1959. p. 13 via Newspapers.com.
  68. "The Alaskans On TV Oct. 4". The Whittier News. Whittier, California. September 25, 1959. p. 23 via Newspapers.com.
  69. "Maverick Becomes A Hero Even In Spite of Himself". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. November 16, 1959. p. 17 via Newspapers.com.
  70. Shain, Percy (January 26, 1960). "Night Watch". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 10 via Newspapers.com.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Sam_Buffington, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.