who played conrad birdie in bye bye birdie
Jesse Pearson (actor) After releasing two singles on Decca Records with little success, Pearson was heard by composer Charles Strouse, who recommended him for the national tour of the musical Bye Bye Birdie. When Dick Gautier, the original actor playing Conrad Birdie, fell ill, Pearson took the role of the rock idol inspired by Elvis Presley. He repeated his hilarious characterization in the 1963 film version, Bye Bye Birdie.[1] This was followed by another funny performance in the Glenn Ford comedy Advance to the Rear (1964), but as he had no more film offers, he turned to television, appearing in shows such as Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show, McHale's Navy, The Great Adventure and The Beverly Hillbillies. In the next decade, Pearson narrated the film The Norseman (1978), a Viking saga starring Lee Majors and Cornel Wilde and, as expressions of sexuality became more free and frequent, he directed The Legend of Lady Blue (1978) and wrote Pro-Ball Cheerleader (1979), under the name A. Fabritzi.
Will Sampson William "Will" Sampson, Jr. (September 27, 1933 â€“ June 3, 1987) was a Native American painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparent deaf and mute Native American "Chief Bromden" in the Academy Award winning film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as "Worm" in the 1977 Charles Bronson western The White Buffalo, as well as his role as "Taylor" in Poltergeist II: The Other Side and "Ten Bears" in the Clint Eastwood 1976 classic The Outlaw Josey Wales.