Background
Jason, Rick was born on May 21, 1923 in New York City. Son of Harry and Miriam (Wohlfeld) Jacobson.
Jason, Rick was born on May 21, 1923 in New York City. Son of Harry and Miriam (Wohlfeld) Jacobson.
After the War, Jason attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts on the G.I. Bill, as well as holding a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.
1962–1967).
An only child of Jewish parents, Jason was expelled from several prep schools before graduating from Rhodes Preparatory School in Manhattan. Rick Jason served from 1943 to 1945 in the United States. Army Air Corps, during World World War World War II In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he visited American troops serving in Vietnam on several United Service Organizations tours. While in attendance at a New York play, he was spotted by Hume Cronyn, who then cast him in Now I Lay Maine Down to Sleep.
The role earned Jason a Theater World Award and a Hollywood contract with Columbia Pictures.
Later, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was searching for an actor to replace Fernando Lamas in the movie Sombrero and gave the role to Jason, who was earlier released from Columbia Pictures. This led to Jason being cast in The Saracen Blade and This Is My Love.
Fox signed him for the male lead role in The Lieutenant Wore Skirts and later signed for a multi-picture contract. His first project was an adaptation of John Steinbeck"s The Wayward Business with Jayne Mansfield and Joan Collins, which earned him critical acclaim.
A string of good performances, both in films and on television, then followed.
Soon after, Jason received offers for television series. He guest-starred on American Broadcasting Company"s anthology series, The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse. In 1954, he played Joaquin Murietta, the notorious Mexican bandit of the California Gold Rush, in an episode of Jim Davis"s syndicated western series Stories of the Century, the story of a railroad detective investigating crime in the American West.
In 1960, he starred as insurance investigator Robin Scott in The Case of the Dangerous Robin.
He appeared on the National Broadcasting Company interview program Here"s Hollywood, in the Rawhide episodes "Incident of the Coyote Weed" and "Incident of the Valley in Shadow", and co-starred in 1969 in The Monk. In 1962, he began starring in the television series Combat! as Platoon Leader 2nd Lieutenant
Gil Hanley, probably his most memorable role. The show memorably also starred Vic Morrow as Sergeant
Chip Saunders and Conlan Carter as Doctor
Combat! was a hit and lasted for five seasons and 152 episodes. After Combat!, Rick returned to stage acting. He made films in Japan and Israel.
In 1970, he took the lead in the pilot for Prudence and the Chief.
His television career went well in the 1970s and 1980s, when he appeared in shows like Matt Houston, Police Woman, Murder, She Wrote, Moonlighting, Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island, Airwolf and Dallas. In 1973, he was a frequent character on The Young and the Restless.
After retiring from screen appearances, Jason kept busy by doing voice-overs for commercials and wrote his autobiography, Scrapbooks of My Mind. In 2000, he attended a Combat! reunion in Las Vegas with fellow cast members.
Jason died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound one week after the Combat! reunion, on October 16, 2000, in Moorpark, California, where he lived.
He left no note. Authorities said the actor was "despondent" over "unspecified personal matters."
His body was cremated and interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California in the Cathedral Mausoleum, Valentino Shrine area, Tier 5.
Served with United States Army Air Corps, 1942-1945. Member National Rifle Association, California Rifle and Pistol Association, Grand National Quail Club. Clubs: One Shot Antelope Hunt (Lander, Wyoming).
One Box Pheasant Hunt (Broken Bow, Nebraska). Two Shot Goose Hunt (Lamar, Colorado).
Married Yiu Mei Cheung, October 16, 1954.