Gary Conway was born on February 4, 1936 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA as Gareth Monello Carmody. He is an actor and writer, known for Burke's Law (1963), Land of the Giants (1968) and American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987). He has been married to Marian McKnight since December 21, 1958. They have two children.
Had praised his mentor Gene Barry for his humble beginnings as an actor.
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Credits Gene Barry as his favorite acting mentor/best friend.
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Gary and Marian are both vegetarians.
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Gary took his acting last name (Conway) from a distant relative on his father's side (Pat Conway).
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Graduated from Los Angeles High School at 16 in 1952, including spending his senior year at the Otis Art Institute on a full scholarship.
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Father (John) was a truant officer and probation officer. Mother (Vera) was a teacher. Has a younger sister (Belle) who also became a teacher.
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Has a brown belt in karate.
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In a Land of the Giants (1968) episode called "The Lost Ones", Gary had a fight scene with Zalman King (who played Nick). Zalman hit Gary in his side and accidentally broke his ribs. After a couple days in the hospital, Gary had to rest for about a month. When it came time to redo the fight scene, Zalman accidentally broke Gary's ribs again (on the other side). Gary went back to the hospital and had to rest for another month. Eventually, the scene was completed.
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Plays violin, guitar, and piano.
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Middle name (Monello) means "brat" in Italian.
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Is of Boston-Irish ancestry on his father's side and Italian ancestry on his mother's side.
His acting mentor and series' lead, Gene Barry, passed away on December 9, 2009, at age 90.
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Now retired from acting and modeling, Gary is proprietor at Carmody McKnight Estate Wines in Paso Robles, California. He and Marian own the company.
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Best known by the public for his role as Det. Tim Tilson on Burke's Law (1963) and for his starring role as Captain Steve Burton on Land of the Giants (1968).
During the 1950s and 1960s, Gary posed for famous physique photographers, "Bruce of LA" and Robert Henry Mizer, who supplied nude and semi-nude muscle images for art and muscle magazines.
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After graduating from high school, the athletic youth became an art major at UCLA but switched to drama soon afterward. While in college, Conway supplemented his income by modeling for physique photographers.
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A renowned landscape and portrait painter, he was the youngest artist to win a major prize at the LA County Art Exhibition and, before age sixteen, was awarded full scholarships to the three most prestigious art schools in the country. He also went on to become an accomplished violinist who has appeared at the Hollywood Bowl, and an architect whose work has been featured in Design West.
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Has two children by long-time wife Marian McKnight: U.C. graduates Kathleen Conway and Gareth Conway. Gareth produced National Geographic Today on the National Geographic Channel and served as senior producer for PBS. Kathleen is a winemaker and manages the Carmody McKnight winery.
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Interviewed in the books "Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers" (McFarland & Co., 2005) and "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010) by Tom Weaver.
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Entered UCLA as an Art major, but graduated with a degree in Theater.
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At age 37 (still in his physical "prime"), he posed for the centerfold in Playgirl Magazine's August 1973 issue.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Woman's Story
2000
David Merritt
Liberty & Bash
1989
Commissioner Jordan
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation
1987
Leo 'The Lion' Burke
The Love Boat
1981
TV Series
Donald
The Farmer
1977
Kyle Martin
Once Is Not Enough
1975
Hugh Robertson
Police Story
1974
TV Series
Bill Roche
Columbo
1973
TV Series
Enrico Guiseppe Carsini
Circle of Fear
1973
TV Series
John Walsh
Class of '55
1972
TV Movie
Black Gunn
1972
Adams
The Judge and Jake Wyler
1972
TV Movie
Frank Morrison
Land of the Giants
1968-1970
TV Series
Capt. Steve Burton
Daniel Boone
1968
TV Series
Billy Carver
The Long, Hot Summer
1965
TV Series
Scott Manning
Burke's Law
1963-1965
TV Series
Det. Tim Tilson
It's a Man's World
1962
TV Series
Scooter
Young Guns of Texas
1962
Tyler Duane
Hawaiian Eye
1960-1961
TV Series
Mitch / Kirk Lindstron / Johnny Martin
77 Sunset Strip
1960
TV Series
Colton Rice / Johnny Poe
Maverick
1960
TV Series
Orderly
Surfside 6
1960
TV Series
Tad Watson
Lawman
1960
TV Series
Sam Carter
Bourbon Street Beat
1960
TV Series
Dave / Mike / Johnny Azaab
Colt .45
1960
TV Series
Printer's Devil / Lt. Charles Williams
How to Make a Monster
1958
Tony Mantell (Teenage Frankenstein)
Sky King
1958
TV Series
Jack Beal
The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent
1957
Jarl
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
1957
Bob / Teenage Monster
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Woman's Story
2000
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt
1989
written by
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation
1987
screenplay / story
Over the Top
1987
story
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Woman's Story
2000
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Farmer
1977
producer
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
An American Ninja in Cape Town: Making 'American Ninja 2'
2016
Video documentary short
Himself
Strike Me Deadly: Making 'American Ninja 3'
2016
Video documentary short
Himself
The Green Girl
2014
Documentary
Himself
The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen
1995
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Allen Ludden's Gallery
1969
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein
1994
TV Movie documentary
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
1991
Documentary
Bob (Teenage Monster) / Tony (Teenage Frankenstein)
Known for movies
Burke's Law (1963-1965) as Det. Tim Tilson
Land of the Giants (1968-1970) as Capt. Steve Burton
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) as Leo 'The Lion' Burke
How to Make a Monster (1958) as Tony Mantell (Teenage Frankenstein)
$17 Million
