Ben Murphy (born March 6, 1942[1]) is an American actor.[2] He is best known for his role as Kid Curry in the ABC television series Alias Smith and Jones.

Ben Murphy
Murphy in Alias Smith and Jones
Born (1942-03-06) March 6, 1942 (age 82)
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2010
SpouseJeanne Davis (1978–81)

Early life

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Murphy was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to Benjamin R. Castleberry and Nadine nee Steele. His mother remarried in 1949 to Patrick Henry Murphy (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23188714/nadine-marjorie-murphy) Ben was raised Catholic in the Chicago suburb of Clarendon Hills, Illinois.(https://asjcollection.com/current/first.html)[1] An alumnus of St. Procopius Academy in Lisle, Illinois, predecessor to today's Benet Academy,[3] he attended eight colleges before deciding to pursue acting.[1]

Personal life

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Murphy has a son, Joshua Spriestersbach, from his relationship with Suzanne Bardin.[4]

Career

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Murphy appeared in a supporting role in The Name of the Game, a series featuring a rotating leading cast including Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack. Murphy played a semi regular role as 'Joseph Sample' assistant to Robert Stack's leading character 'Dan Farrell' in Stack's segments of the show. From 1971–73, he starred in Alias Smith and Jones with Pete Duel (1971–72) and Roger Davis (1972–73). After Alias Smith and Jones, Murphy joined Lorne Greene in the 1973 ABC crime drama Griff.

 
Murphy, Patricia Stich and Lorne Greene in Griff

In the 1983–84 season, Murphy co-starred with Marshall Colt in the ABC drama series Lottery!. Murphy played Patrick Sean Flaherty, the man who informed lottery winners of their stroke of fortune, and Colt, formerly with James Arness on NBC's short-lived crime drama, McClain's Law, portrayed the Internal Revenue Service agent, Eric Rush, who made sure the winners pay the U.S. government up front. In 1985, Murphy co-starred as department store heir, Paul Berrenger, on the short-lived drama, Berrenger's. His character was at odds with his former wife, Gloria (Andrea Marcovicci) and his own father, Simon (Sam Wanamaker) due to his romance with executive, Shane Bradley (Yvette Mimieux). Murphy starred in his own series Gemini Man, in which he played a secret agent who could become invisible for 15 minutes a day through the use of a special wristwatch. The show did not run beyond a single season. Murphy has since appeared in guest-starring parts, including a murder suspect in CBS's Cold Case.

Since the 1980s, when Murphy became a highly ranked tournament tennis player in California, he has continued to travel and compete on the USTA singles and doubles circuit and in celebrity events.[5]

Filmography

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Year Film Role Notes
1967 The Graduate Shaving Student Uncredited
1968 The Virginian Mike Bradbury 2 episodes
It Takes a Thief King Pineau Episode: "A Matter of Royal Larceny"
Yours, Mine, and Ours Larry
The Outsider Patrick Forrester Episode: "Tell It Like It Is... and You're Dead"
1968–71 The Name of the Game Joseph Sample 6 episodes
1969 The Thousand Plane Raid Lt. Archer
Anatomy of a Crime Patrick Forrester TV film
1970 Medical Center Jerry Lambert Episode: "His Brother's Keeper"
The Mod Squad Bob Episode: "A Far Away Place So Near"
1971–73 Alias Smith and Jones Jed 'Kid' Curry (Thaddeus Jones) 50 episodes
1973 The Letters Joe Randolph TV film
Runaway! Les Reever TV film
Love, American Style Bart Segment: "Love and the Postal Meeter"
1973–74 Griff Mike Murdoch 12 Episodes
1974 Heatwave! Frank Taylor
This Is the West That Was Wild Bill Hickok
1975 Sidecar Racers Jeff Rayburn
Marcus Welby, M.D. Alan Peterson (1 Episode: "Four Plus Hot"
1976 Code Name-Minus One Sam Casey TV film
Gemini Man Sam Casey 11 episodes
Bridger Kit Carson
1979 $weepstake$ Episode: "Cowboy, Linda and Angie, Mark"
1979, 1983 Fantasy Island Billy Blake 2 episodes - 1979 and 1983
1979–80 The Chisholms Will Chisholm 13 episodes
1979–84 The Love Boat Gregory King/Paul in S2 E18 5 episodes
1980 Secret War of Jackie's Girls Buck TV film
1981 Riding with Death Sam Casey TV film
1982 Trapper John, M.D. Ned Travers Episode: "Medicine Man"
Time Walker Prof. Douglas McCadden
1983 Uncommon Valor Jim Merritt TV film
The Winds of War Warren Henry 7 episodes
Matt Houston Terry Noble Episode: "The Beverly Hills Social Club"
The Cradle Will Fall Dr. Richard Carroll
1983–84 Lottery![2] Patrick Sean Flaherty 17 episodes
1984 Finder of Lost Loves David Carson Episode: "Losing Touch"
Hotel Robbie Joe Carson Episode: "Fantasies"
1985 Berrenger's Paul Berrenger 11 episodes
Gidget's Summer Reunion Ron Levering TV film
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Alan Chamberlin Episode: "A Lovely Little Affair"
Murder, She Wrote Scott Lodge Episode: "Reflections of the Mind"
1986 Stark: Mirror Image Steve Graves TV film
1988 Dirty Dozen: The Series (FOX) Major Danko 6 episodes
1989 The Twilight Zone Jack Haines Episode: "Love Is Blind"
1990 Shades of L.A. Chuck Yellin Episode: "Shades of L.A."
1991 Life Goes On Jordan Parnell Episode: "Proms and Prams"
In the Heat of the Night Tom Dalton Episode: "The More Things Change"
1992 FBI: The Untold Stories Agt. Jack Simpson Episode: "Colonel Penn"
1993–95 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Ethan Cooper 3 episodes
1995 High Sierra Search and Rescue Roger Harmon Episode: "Past, Present"
1996 Silk Stalkings Senator Grant Hemmings Episode: "Family Values"
Baywatch Nights Robert Houston Episode: "Epilogue"
1997–2004 JAG Lt. Col. John Farrow
Captain Neilsen
3 episodes
Episode: "Ghosts of Christmas Past"
1998 Air America Cornelius Stratton Episode: "Hostage Situation"
1999 E! Mysteries and Scandals Himself Episode: "Peter Duel"
Pacific Blue Chief Frank Swerdlow Episode: "Swimming in the Dead Pool"
Seven Days Col. Seth Mattinger Episode: "HAARP Attack"
2000 Hanging Up Richard (scenes deleted)
2001 To Protect and Serve Officer Friendly
The District Congressman Phillip Hallett Episode: "Lost and Found"
2003 The Drew Carey Show Reverend Henderson Episode: "Two Girls for Every Boy"
Navy NCIS Capt. Veitch Episode: "Sub Rosa"
2004 Judging Amy Brad Vickers Episode: "My Little Runaway"
2005 Freezerburn General Dwight Rourke
2006 Cold Case Travis Whitman - 2006 Episode: "Debut"
The Uniform Motion of Folly Vincent
2007 McBride Semper Fi General Dwight Rourke TV film
2010 The Genesis Code Professor Campbell

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ask the Star — Your Questions Answered". The Windsor Star. March 7, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  2. ^ a b O'Connor, John J. (September 9, 1983). "TV WEEKEND; 'LOTTERY!' SERIES, TENNIS AND BOXING". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "More Notable Alumni...". The Alumni Herald (9). Benet Academy: 11–14. November 2007.
  4. ^ Kolker, Robert (July 26, 2022). "Why Was Joshua Held for More Than Two Years for Someone Else's Crimes?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  5. ^ Profile, encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Accessed December 27, 2023.
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