Jeff Hunter

JEFFREY HUNTER d1969. American film and television actor. His most famous roles are as John Waynes character's sidekick in The Searchers (1956) and as Jesus Christ in the biblical film King of Kings (1961). He also played Capt. Christopher Pike in The Cage the original pilot episode of Star Trek which was rejected by NBC in February 1965. He then declined to make a second pilot episode in 1965 preferring to concentrate on making films. While in Spain to film the Chicago Mafia story Viva America (1969), he was injured in an on-set explosion, suffering facial lacerations from broken glass as well as powder burns. Whilst on the plane with his wife returning to the United States, his right arm suddenly became semi-paralyzed and he lost the power of speech. Upon landing, he was taken directly from the plane to Valley Hospital in Los Angeles where it was determined he had suffered a celebral hemorrhage. He recovered and was released after a couple of weeks. At his home in California, he began complaining of headaches and dizziness. Shortly after signing to co-star with Vince Edwards in The Desperados (1969), he suffered another cerebral hemorrhage at home and collapsed, fracturing his skull. It is unknown how long he had been unconscious when he was finally found. He died during surgery aged just 42 without ever regaining consciousness. Ruta Lee (who guest-starred as Lucy Tolliver in "Enough Rope") once said of Jeff Hunter ; "He was one of the prettiest people that ever was put on the screen. God, he was gorgeous". Another Hunter friend, actor Van Williams (who also guest starred in the series) said ; "Things didn't go right for him and they should have, because if anybody deserved to be a big star, it was Jeffrey Hunter"