Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, including the actors Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges. He started his career as a contract performer for Columbia Pictures, appearing in films such as Sahara (1943), A Walk in the Sun (1945), Little Big Horn (1951) and High Noon (1952). On television, he starred in Sea Hunt 1958 to 1961. By the end of his career, he had re-invented himself and demonstrated a comedic talent in such parody films as Airplane! (1980), Hot Shots! (1991), and Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998). Among other honors, Bridges was a two-time Emmy Award nominee. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 1, 1994.
Bridges was born in San Leandro, California, to Harriet Evelyn (Brown) Bridges (1893–1950) and Lloyd Vernet Bridges (1887–1962), who was involved in the California hotel business and once owned a movie theater. His parents were both from Kansas. Bridges graduated from Petaluma High School in 1930. He then studied political science at UCLA, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Bridges had small uncredited roles in the films Freshman Love (1936) and Dancing Feet (1936).
Bridges made his Broadway debut in 1937 in a short-lived production of Shakespeare's Othello, starring Walter Huston and Brian Aherne; Bridges was in the Ensemble.
He appeared on stage in Suzanna and the Elders (1940). In Hollywood he had an uncredited role in Northwest Passage (1940).
In 1940, Bridges joined the stock company at Columbia Pictures at $75 a week, where he played small roles in features and short subjects.
He could be seen in The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941), They Dare Not Love (1941), Doctor's Alibi (1941), Blue Clay (1941), Our Wife (1941), and I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island (1941). In Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) Bridges is the pilot of the plane in the "heaven" scene.
He left Columbia Pictures during World War II to enlist in the United States Coast Guard. Following his discharge, he returned to acting. In later years, he was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, did several public service announcements for the organization, and was made an honorary commodore. Bridges' Sea Hunt character Mike Nelson was also portrayed as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and sometimes appeared in uniform. Bridges' sons, actors Beau and Jeff, also served in the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve.
Bridges was blacklisted briefly in the 1950s after he admitted to the House Un-American Activities Committee that he had once been a member of the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, a group found to have had links to the Communist Party USA. He returned to acting after recanting his membership and serving as a cooperative witness, achieving his greatest success in television.
Bridges made his TV debut in 1951 with "Man's First Debt" in The Bigelow Theatre. He had starring roles in the films The Fighting Seventh (1951), Three Steps North (1951), and Richer Than the Earth (1951).
Bridges starred in the eponymous CBS anthology series The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962–1963) (produced by Aaron Spelling) which included appearances by his sons Beau and Jeff.
Bridges followed it with "A Hero for Our Times" for Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963), "Wild Bill Hickok – the Legend and the Man" for The Great Adventure (1964), "Cannibal Plants, They Eat You Alive" for The Eleventh Hour (1964) and "Exit from a Plane in Flight" for Theater of Stars (1965).
Bridges met his wife, Dorothy Bridges (1915-2009), in his fraternity; they married in 1938 in New York City. They had four children: actors Beau Bridges (born in 1941) and Jeff Bridges (born in 1949); a daughter, Lucinda Louise Bridges (born in October 1953); and another son, Garrett Myles Bridges, who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome on August 3, 1948. Actor Jordan Bridges is Beau's son and Lloyd's grandson. Dorothy and Lloyd exchanged vows again for their 50th wedding anniversary.
1989
- SERVES
- 4
- COOK TIME
- 15 Min
Need a unique dish to bring to your next potluck extravaganza? Our Pasta Fruit Salad is the perfect colorful standout dish that will impress even the pickiest of palates. Best part? It's not only simple to make, but healthy too!
- 1/2 pound corkscrew pasta
- 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained with 2 tablespoons juice reserved
- 1 cup cantaloupe or honeydew cubes
- 1 cup seedless green or red grapes, cut in half
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat peach yogurt
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Add pineapple, melon, and grapes.
- Combine reserved pineapple juice, the honey, yogurt, and sour cream; toss with pasta mixture. Top with strawberries, and serve.
***For a fancy look, just before serving, line individual serving plates with leaf lettuce then top with the salad.
1930 – Ben Gazzara, American actor (d. 2012)
HOW TO OBSERVE
NATIONAL RED WINE DAY HISTORY
In 2014, Jace Shoemaker-Galloway created National Red Wine Day.
Red Wine FAQ
Q. How many calories in a glass of red wine?
A. One 5 ounce serving of red wine contains 125 calories.
Q. Is a rosé wine a red wine?
A. Red grapes are used to make rosé wines. When making red wines, the skins remain in contact with the pulp and juice long enough to produce red wine. The production of rosé is similar. The juice and pulp remain in contact with the skins for a lesser amount of time giving the wine its rosy color.
Q. What are the names of some red wines?
A. Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Bordeaux, Chianti, and Rioja are just a few red wines from around the world
