Born 1926 as Joachim Alexander Ottokar Meibes in Düsseldorf, Germany, German-American actor John Ericson made a number of films for MGM in quick succession in the 1950s. His first appearance was in Teresa (1951), and also appeared in Rhapsody, The Student Prince, Green Fire (all in 1954), in Bad Day at Black Rock (1955). He co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck in Forty Guns (1957). In 1958 he appeared as Sheriff Barney Wiley in the Western Day of the Badman which starred Fred MacMurray.
For the next 30 years, his career continued mostly on television. Ericson was known primarily for his co-star role with actress Anne Francis on the ABC television series Honey West in the 1965-66 season.
Ericson played the title role in Pretty Boy Floyd (1960), and his other film appearances included roles in Under Ten Flags (1960), Slave Queen of Babylon (1963), 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), Operation Atlantis (1965), The Money Jungle (1968), The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Crash! (1976), and The Far Side of Jericho (2006).
Ericson died of pneumonia in 2020 at the age of 93. These vintage photos captured portraits of a young and handsome John Ericson in the 1950s and 1960s.
John was a dear, dear friend. He was one of the sweetest, funniest men I ever met. Even in his senior years, he was one handsome guy. He was an old-style movie star who greeted his fans (especially from Asia) warmly, even when they showed up at his doorstep on a Sunday morning asking for an autograph.
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