page_title: John Phillip Law
section_title: Stardom
hierarchical_section_title: John Phillip Law / Career / Stardom
caption_attribution_description: English: John Phillip Law during production of Richthofen &amp; Brown, 1970
context_page_description: John Phillip Law was an American film actor.
  Following a breakthrough role as a Russian sailor in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, Law became best known for his roles as gunfighter Bill Meceita in the Spaghetti Western Death Rides a Horse with Lee Van Cleef, the blind angel Pygar in the cult science fiction film Barbarella with Jane Fonda, the title character in the cult action film Danger: Diabolik, Manfred von Richthofen in Von Richthofen and Brown, and news anchor Robin Stone in The Love Machine. The latter reteamed him with Alexandra Hay, his co-star from the 1968 "acid comedy" Skidoo.
context_section_description: Fonda was going to star in Barbarella and recommended Law for the film. Production was delayed so Law  played the lead in a Spaghetti Western, Death Rides a Horse (1967) with Lee Van Cleef, then the title role of Danger: Diabolik (1968), directed by Mario Bava and produced by Dino De Laurentiis.
  Law eventually played the angel in Barbarella (1968), co starring with Jane Fonda and produced by De Laurentiis.
  He followed this with a small role in Preminger's Skidoo (1968), then had the lead in The Sergeant (1968), starring Rod Steiger as a soldier who lusts after Law. He turned down roles in Midnight Cowboy and Easy Rider and was replaced when filming The Gypsy Moths.
  Law went back to Europe to support Claudia Cardinale in a comedy, Diary of a Telephone Operator (1969). He had a key role in Hollywood's The Hawaiians (1970) with Charlton Heston and played the title role in the Italian Strogoff (1970), based on the novel by Jules Verne, Michael Strogoff.
  Law co-starred in Roger Corman's film Von Richthofen and Brown (1971), playing Manfred von Richthofen opposite Don Stroud's Roy Brown. Corman used Lynn Garrison's Irish aviation facility, complete with replica World War I aircraft. Garrison taught Law the basics of flying so that he could take off and land, making some of the footage more realistic.
  Law was top billed in The Love Machine (1971), based on the novel by Jacqueline Susann, replacing Brian Kelly at the last moment. He was one of many actors to have a cameo in The Last Movie (1970). He supported Monica Vitti and Alberto Sordi in Polvere di stelle (1973) then had the title role in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973). He co-starred with Peter Fonda in Open Season (1974) and was in the TV remake of The Spiral Staircase (1975).
caption: Law in Von Richthofen and Brown
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