Actor. He is probably best remembered for his role as 'Sergeant "Chip" Saunders' on the ABC World War II television drama series "Combat!" that aired from October 1962 until March 1967, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination in 1963. Born Victor Morrow to Russian Jewish immigrants, his father was an electrical engineer. At the age of 17, he dropped out of high school and joined the US Navy. Upon his discharge, he used his G.I. bill to study pre-law at Florida State University and while there he took a part in a school play and decided to pursue an acting career. He went to New York City, New York and enrolled in the Actors' Workshop to improve his skills and upon graduating, he was cast in the summer stock production of "A Streetcar Named Desire". Signed by MGM Studios, he debuted in "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955, with Glenn Ford), followed by "Tribute to a Bad Man" (1956, with James Cagney), "Men in War" (1957, with Robert Ryan), and "King Creole" (1958, with Elvis Presley). He then expanded his career into television, with appearances in "The Restless Gun," "The Lawless Years," "The Outlaws," "Target: The Corruptors!," "The Untouchables", "Bonanza," "The Rifleman,' among others. In 1962 he was given the lead role in "Combat!" that ran until 1967. In 1966 he directed and produced a version of "Deathwatch" that starred Leonard Nimoy. After "Combat!" ended, he worked in several films, including "Target: Harry" (1969), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" (1974, with Peter Fonda), "The California Kid" (1974, with Martin Sheen), Treasure of Matecumbe" (1976, with Johnny Doran and Peter Ustinov), and "The Bad News Bears" (1976, with Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal). In 1970 he wrote and directed a Spaghetti Western called "A Man Called Sledge" that starred James Garner, Dennis Weaver, and Claude Akins. He continued his television career, with appearances in "Dan August," "Hawaii Five-O," "Mannix," "McCloud," "Mission: Impossible," "Police Story," "The Evil Touch," "The Streets of San Francisco, "Charlie's Angels," "B.A.D. Cats," "Magnum, P.I.," and "Fantasy Island." He also appeared in the NBC television miniseries "Captains and the Kings," the ABC television miniseries "Roots" along with television movies "The Night that Panicked America" (1975), "Wild and Wooly" (1978), "The Seekers" (1979), and "1990: The Bronx Warriors" (1982). In 1982 he was cast in a feature role in "Twilight Zone: The Movie," in which he played the role of 'Bill Connor', a racist who is taken back in time and placed in various situations where he would be a persecuted victim. During the filming, he died at the age of 53 when a stunt helicopter crashed on him and two Vietnamese children, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen. He was married twice, first to actress and screenwriter Barbara Turner (1957 to 1964) and then to Gale Lester (1975 to 1979).

Actor. He is probably best remembered for his role as 'Sergeant "Chip" Saunders' on the ABC World War II television drama series "Combat!" that aired from October 1962 until March 1967, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination in 1963. Born Victor Morrow to Russian Jewish immigrants, his father was an electrical engineer. At the age of 17, he dropped out of high school and joined the US Navy. Upon his discharge, he used his G.I. bill to study pre-law at Florida State University and while there he took a part in a school play and decided to pursue an acting career. He went to New York City, New York and enrolled in the Actors' Workshop to improve his skills and upon graduating, he was cast in the summer stock production of "A Streetcar Named Desire". Signed by MGM Studios, he debuted in "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955, with Glenn Ford), followed by "Tribute to a Bad Man" (1956, with James Cagney), "Men in War" (1957, with Robert Ryan), and "King Creole" (1958, with Elvis Presley). He then expanded his career into television, with appearances in "The Restless Gun," "The Lawless Years," "The Outlaws," "Target: The Corruptors!," "The Untouchables", "Bonanza," "The Rifleman,' among others. In 1962 he was given the lead role in "Combat!" that ran until 1967. In 1966 he directed and produced a version of "Deathwatch" that starred Leonard Nimoy. After "Combat!" ended, he worked in several films, including "Target: Harry" (1969), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" (1974, with Peter Fonda), "The California Kid" (1974, with Martin Sheen), Treasure of Matecumbe" (1976, with Johnny Doran and Peter Ustinov), and "The Bad News Bears" (1976, with Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal). In 1970 he wrote and directed a Spaghetti Western called "A Man Called Sledge" that starred James Garner, Dennis Weaver, and Claude Akins. He continued his television career, with appearances in "Dan August," "Hawaii Five-O," "Mannix," "McCloud," "Mission: Impossible," "Police Story," "The Evil Touch," "The Streets of San Francisco, "Charlie's Angels," "B.A.D. Cats," "Magnum, P.I.," and "Fantasy Island." He also appeared in the NBC television miniseries "Captains and the Kings," the ABC television miniseries "Roots" along with television movies "The Night that Panicked America" (1975), "Wild and Wooly" (1978), "The Seekers" (1979), and "1990: The Bronx Warriors" (1982). In 1982 he was cast in a feature role in "Twilight Zone: The Movie," in which he played the role of 'Bill Connor', a racist who is taken back in time and placed in various situations where he would be a persecuted victim. During the filming, he died at the age of 53 when a stunt helicopter crashed on him and two Vietnamese children, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen. He was married twice, first to actress and screenwriter Barbara Turner (1957 to 1964) and then to Gale Lester (1975 to 1979).

Bio by: William Bjornstad