RIP Memorial Tribute to Jan Shepard! Amanda Blake’s Roommate! Charles Bronson & Jan in Full TV Show!

REST IN PEACE. Actress Jan Shepard passed away peacefully from respiratory failure at 1:03 am Friday, January 17, 2025. She had a heart attack on Oct. 29th and seemed to be recovering. Then, just after New Years she developed a chest cold which turned into pneumonia and that led to her final days. She passed 8 weeks shy of turning 97.

Jan was born Josephine Angela Sorbello, March 19, 1928, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, arriving in Los Angeles in 1949. One of Jan’s first westerns was a 1954 episode of DEATH VALLEY DAYS co-starring Dirk London called “Yallar.” He is the same Dirk London who later portrayed Morgan Earp on the hit TV series, THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP. Dirk’s real name was Ray Boyle, and they got married that year. The couple also appeared together in a 1959 episode of HIGHWAY PATROL entitled “Framed Cop.” Ray died January 6, 2022, at the age of 98. They were a fantastic couple.

Some of Jan’s other westerns include THE LONE RANGER, THE HIGH CHAPARRAL, TALES OF THE TEXAS RANGERS, SERGEANT PRESTON OF THE YUKON, GUNSLINGER, THE GRAY GHOST, TRACKDOWN, WICHITA TOWN with Joel McCrea, LARAMIE, WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, TOMBSTONE TERRITORY, five episodes of THE VIRGINIAN, LAWMAN, and U.S. MARSHAL, among others.

Jan made two films with Elvis Presley, KING CREOLE and PARADISE, HAWAIIAN STYLE. In KING CREOLE, directed by Michael Curtiz, she played his sister. Elvis surprised Jan at her birthday party with a present. It was an 8mm movie camera and she used it to document the festivities. Jan even worked for producer Roger Corman in the cult movie ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES.

Jan made four appearances on GUNSMOKE. Her first was “The Tall Trapper” a 30-minute episode with Strother Martin as her husband who kills her! In another B&W half hour, she was the wife of up and coming actor James Drury, a close friend already. Jan’s favorite GUNSMOKE was with actor Steve Ihnat in “Noose of Gold,” a color 60-minute episode from 1967. Here's the link to our talk about that episode: https://youtu.be/qxOKYOAklS8

As an actress, Jan Shepard was always in demand! When she went from brunette to blonde, the talented and gorgeous lady never stopped working.

The producers of PERRY MASON cast her multiple times, and she worked on many of the TV shows of the 1950s and 60s. PRIVATE SECRETARY, BUS STOP, RICHARD DIAMOND, PHILIP MARLOWE, I MARRIED JOAN, PUBLIC DEFENDER, LAND OF THE GIANTS, MARCUS WELBY, THEN CAME BRONSON and LONGSTREET. Her last TV appearance was on THE ROOKIES in 1973 when she retired.

Yep, Jan did ‘em all and she joined me on A WORD ON WESTERNS several times to talk about James Arness, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Jim Drury, Elvis and rooming with young, wild and sexy Amanda Blake before and after she was cast as Miss Kitty on GUNSMOKE. There were always lots of laughs and memories with Jan.

As part of this Memorial Tribute to Jan, I’ve included our first interview together in 2014. It’s followed by “Cornered,” a 1955 episode of PUBLIC DEFENDER starring Jan with future superstar, Charles Bronson. She was always a delight, and we were lucky she shared her stories with us on A WORD ON WESTERNS. Our condolences go out to her son, Brandon, her family and all her fans. Rest in Peace.

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Видео RIP Memorial Tribute to Jan Shepard! Amanda Blake’s Roommate! Charles Bronson & Jan in Full TV Show! канала A Word on Westerns