Career
He stayed with the series during its entire five-year run (1964–1969). The series was based on the film of the same name but was cancelled after only a few months. The film version had starred Connelly"s former Peyton Place costar Ryan O"Neal - who had played Connelly"s brother in the serial - and O"Neal"s daughter Tatum O"Neal.
In 1964, he appeared in an episode of Gunsmoke with George Kennedy.
In 1977, Connelly portrayed Kit Carson in the episode "Kit Carson and the Mountain Manitoba" of National Broadcasting Company"s Walt Disney"s Wonderful World of Color. Gregg Palmer portrayed Jim Bridger in the two-part segment, and Robert Reed played John Charles Fremont.
Gary Lockwood also appeared in the program Connelly also starred in the films,, and
He also released a long-playing record of his singing entitled "The Boy from Peyton Place" on Phillips Records.
In the 1980s, Connelly made numerous appearances in Italian cult B-movies such as Lucio Fulci"s Manhattan Baby, Enzo G. Castellari"s 1990: The Bronx Warriors, Ruggero Deodato"s The Atlantis Interceptors, and Antonio Margheriti"s Jungle Raiders. He also made guest appearances on dozens of television series, such as The Brian Keith Show, the miniseries The Martian Chronicles and the television movie Return of the Rebels. Following a two-year battle with lung cancer, Connelly died at home in December 1988, and was buried at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills.