Brad Dexter

Brad Dexter Headshot

Actor • Producer

Birth Date: April 9, 1917

Death Date: December 12, 2002

Birth Place: Goldfield, Nevada

A burly, handsome supporting player and occasional lead, Brad Dexter was often cast as villainous or menacing types in a variety of films starting with 1950's "The Asphalt Jungle." Of Serbian heritage, he was born Boris Milanovich in Nevada. Raised in poverty, Dexter began working as early as age seven in order to help support his parents. After stints as a shoeshine boy, meatpacker, and amateur boxer, he studied acting at the famed Pasadena Playhouse. While serving in the military during WWII, he was cast in Moss Hart's stage show "Winged Victory," appearing under the stage name Barry Mitchell.

Following other stage and radio roles, director John Huston spotted the hulking performer and cast him in "The Asphalt Jungle," for which he was newly christened Brad Dexter.

The actor cut an imposing screen figure and not unlike the equally husky Raymond Burr was frequently cast as ne'er-do-wells as in 1952's "Macao." Not that he couldn't play the good guy, as he more or less did in "House of Bamboo" (1955). Although he remained a busy character player for much of the 1950s, Dexter seemed on the brink of breaking through when he kicked off the 60s with a starring role as one of the titular "The Magnificent Seven" (1960). But while that film solidified or raised the profiles of his co-stars like Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson, Dexter remained a relatively unknown quantity.

He shone in the supporting role of gangster Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel in the uninspired biopic "The George Raft Story" (1961) and a reteaming with Brynner in "Taras Bulba" (1962) but he was to become better known for his off-screen associations than for his film work.

Dexter was a confidante of Marilyn Monroe and he reportedly attempted to intercede when the sex siren separated from baseball great Joe DiMaggio. He was also a pal of singer-actor Frank Sinatra but their relationship was complicated by the fact that in 1964 Dexter saved the singer from drowning. At the time, they were filming "None But the Brave" (1965) and later that same year, they appeared together in "Von Ryan's Express."

Sinatra later hired Dexter to work at Artanis, the singer-actor's production company. The two parted company during the filming of "The Naked Runner" (1967). According to Dexter, the strain in their friendship began when Sinatra announced his intention to marry Mia Farrow and Dexter told him it wouldn't work. While shooting the film (which Dexter was producing), Sinatra proved temperamental and expressed his desire to leave the London location. Dexter held firm and when the star bolted, worked around his absence and completed the movie. Returning to L.A., he was informed he was fired from Sinatra's company.

Dexter continued to work as a producer (1970's "The Lawyer" which was the basis of the short-lived NBC's series "Petrocelli") and returned to acting in 1972's "Jory." Once again, though, the roles were hardly taxing, although he seemed to be having fun as a senator in "Shampoo" (1975) and as Alvin Karples in "The Secret Files of J. Edgar Hoover" (1977).

By the 80s, he curtailed much of his activities, making only rare forays in the business such as producing the Karl Malden TV-movie "Skag" (NBC, 1980) and one last screen appearance in "Secret Ingredient" (1990).

Credits

Cognac

Actor
Veljko Pantovich
Movie
1989

Winter KillsStream

Actor
Captain Heller One
Movie
1979
92%

Law and Order

Actor
Patrolman Tierney
Movie
1976

Vigilante ForceStream

Actor
Mayor Bradford
Movie
1976
17%

ShampooStream

Actor
Senator East
Movie
1975
67%

KojakStream

Guest Star
Arnie Naylor
Series
1973

Jory

Actor
Jack
Movie
1973

McCloud

Guest Star
Mr. Foreman
Series
1970

MannixStream

Guest Star
John Romano
Series
1967

The Naked Runner

Producer
Movie
1967

Blindfold

Actor
Detective Harrigan
Movie
1966

None but the BraveStream

Actor
Sgt. Bleeker
Movie
1965

Von Ryan's ExpressStream

Actor
Sgt. Bostick
Movie
1965
90%

Invitation to a GunfighterStream

Actor
Kenarsie
Movie
1964

Kings of the Sun

Actor
Ah Haleb
Movie
1963

Johnny Cool

Actor
Lennart Crandall
Movie
1963

Taras Bulba

Actor
Shilo
Movie
1962

X-15

Actor
Maj. Anthony Rinaldi
Movie
1961

Twenty Plus Two

Actor
Leroy Dane
Movie
1961

The George Raft Story

Actor
Benny Siegal
Movie
1961

Surfside 6

Guest Star
Series
1960

13 Fighting Men

Actor
Maj. Boyd
Movie
1960

The Magnificent SevenStream

Actor
Harry Luck
Movie
1960
89%

Mr. LuckyStream

Guest Star
Series
1959

Last Train From Gun HillStream

Actor
Beero
Movie
1959
91%

Vice Raid

Actor
Vince Malone
Movie
1959

77 Sunset Strip

Actor
Vince Pool
Series
1958

77 Sunset Strip

Guest Star
Frenchy La Tour
Series
1958

Bat MastersonStream

Guest Star
Dallas Agate
Series
1958

Behind Closed Doors

Actor
Show
1958

Bronco

Guest Star
Series
1958

Run Silent, Run DeepStream

Actor
Ens. Gerald Cartwright
Movie
1958
100%

Wagon TrainStream

Guest Star
Series
1957

Have Gun -- Will TravelStream

Guest Star
Series
1957

Tales of Wells FargoStream

Guest Star
Bud Pierce
Series
1957

The OklahomanStream

Actor
Cass Dobie
Movie
1957

Zane Grey TheaterStream

Actor
Series
1956

Between Heaven and HellStream

Actor
Lt. Joe "Little Joe" Johnson
Movie
1956

The Bottom of the Bottle

Actor
Stanley Miller
Movie
1956

Untamed

Actor
Lt. Christian
Movie
1955

House of Bamboo

Actor
Captain Hanson
Movie
1955
85%

Climax!

Actor
Series
1954

99 River Street

Actor
Victor Rawlins
Movie
1953

Death Valley DaysStream

Actor
Justice David S. Terry
Series
1952

MacaoStream

Actor
Vincent Halloran
Movie
1952
44%

The Las Vegas Story

Actor
Tom Hubler
Movie
1952

The Asphalt JungleStream

Actor
Bob Brannom
Movie
1950
97%