| John Phillip Law | |
| Birth Date: | 7 September 1937 |
| Birth Place: | Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Film, television actor |
| Spouse: | Shawn Ryan (divorced) |
| Children: | 1 |
| Yearsactive: | 1950–2008 |
John Phillip Law (September 7, 1937 – May 13, 2008) was an American film actor.[1] Following a breakthrough role as a Russian sailor in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966), Law became best known for his roles as gunfighter Bill Meceita in the spaghetti western Death Rides a Horse (1967) with Lee Van Cleef, the blind angel Pygar in the science fiction film Barbarella (1968) with Jane Fonda,[1] the title character in the action film (1968), Manfred von Richthofen in Von Richthofen and Brown (1971), and news anchor Robin Stone in The Love Machine (1971). The latter reteamed him with Alexandra Hay, his co-star from the 1968 "acid comedy" Skidoo.[1] His most famous role is that of Sinbad in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), which was a worldwide box office hit and won the first Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film..
Law was born in Los Angeles, California, to John Law, a deputy sheriff, and Phyllis Sallee, a Broadway actress.[1] At college, he initially studied engineering before transferring to the University of Hawaii to study psychology and drama.[2]
As a child, he played a page in The Magnificent Yankee.[3]
Upon finishing college, Law appeared in Garson Kanin's Come on Strong(1962),[4] and worked for three years at the Repertory Theater at the Lincoln center,[5] where he acted in their productions of Marco's Millions,[6] The Changeling,[7] and Tartuffe.[8] After leaving, he moved to Europe where he appeared in High Infidelity and Three Nights of Love.
Law was cast by director Norman Jewison to play a sailor in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, after the director saw him in an Italian movie.[1] [9] A year later, in 1967, he played a farmer in Otto Preminger's Hurry Sundown.[10] Later that year, he acted in Death Rides a Horse (1967) with Lee Van Cleef. The following year, he played the title role of [11] [12] an angel in Barbarella, as well as roles inSkidoo and The Sergeant (1968).[13] Although cast in The Gypsy Moths, his part was re-cast. He turned down roles in Midnight Cowboy and Easy Rider.[14] He had a cameo role in The Last Movie 1971, which also marked the release of Von Richthofen and Brown, with Law playing Manfred von Richthofen. For the role, Law learnt how to take off and land an aircraft.[1] Later that year, he starred The Love Machine (1971), based on Jacqueline Susann's novel of the same name.[15] Throughout the early seventies, he had parts in Polvere di stelle, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Open Season,and The Spiral Staircase.[16]
Law continued to find success in Europe, acting in Docteur Justice (1975), A Whisper in the Dark (1976),Tu dios y mi infierno (1976),The Cassandra Crossing (1977), the Target of an Assassin (1977), Eyes Behind the Wall (1977), The Rider on the White Horse (1978), and The Devil's Bed (1978).
In the later 1970s, Law returned to America, where he acted in The Best Place to Be and Ring of Darkness.[17] [18]
Law continued to act, taking roles in Tin Man (1983), Night Train to Terror (1985), American Commandos (1985), Moon in Scorpio (1987), Thunder III (1987), Striker (1987), Una grande storia d'amore (1988), Space Mutiny (1988), Blood Delirium (1988), A Case of Honor (1989), and Cold Heat (1989). He also appeared in Alienator (1990), Shining Blood (1992), Il giorno del porco (1993), The Mountain of the Lord (1993), Hindsight (1996), My Ghost Dog (1997), Wanted (1999), and Bad Guys (2000). In 2001, he appeared in Roman Coppola's CQ. His final roles included Curse of the Forty-Niner (2002) (which he also associate produced), The Three Faces of Terror (2004), and Ray of Sunshine (2006). His last credited film role was in 2008's .
He married and later divorced actress Shawn Ryan, with whom he had a daughter.[19]
On December 13, 2007, his doctors diagnosed Law with pancreatic cancer.[20] He died five months later on May 13, 2008, aged 70, at his home in Los Angeles.[21]