Frank Ferguson was a prolific American character actor who appeared in hundreds of films and television shows, often as authoritative or self-important types. He was best known for his roles as Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and various characters on The Andy Griffith Show, Lassie, Bonanza, and Perry Mason. He also played memorable parts in classic westerns like Rancho Notorious and Johnny Guitar. But how did he die and what was his cause of death?
Early Life and Career
Frank Ferguson was born on December 25, 1899, in Ferndale, California, to a Scottish merchant father and an American mother. He graduated from Ferndale Union High School in 1927 and earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama at the University of California and a master’s degree from Cornell University. He also taught at UCLA and Cornell.
He became involved with the Pasadena Community Playhouse, a renowned theater company, where he acted and directed in many plays. He also coached aspiring actors like Dana Andrews, George Reeves, Robert Preston, and Victor Mature. He made his film debut in 1939 in Gambling on the High Seas and went on to appear in nearly 200 feature films and hundreds of TV episodes.
Cancer Diagnosis and Death
Ferguson was diagnosed with cancer in the early 1970s and decided to semi-retire from acting. He made his last film appearance in 1972 in The Other and his last TV appearance in 1977 in The Feather and Father Gang. He died on September 12, 1978, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 78. According to Wikipedia, his memorial service was held at the Little Chapel of the Dawn and his ashes were scattered. There is no known memorial stone or plaque for him.
Ferguson was survived by his second wife, Dorothy Ann Baker, whom he married in 1968 after the death of his first wife, Ruth Maxine Rozsa, in 1967. He had no children. He left behind a legacy of versatile and memorable performances that spanned four decades and various genres. He was a respected and beloved figure in the Hollywood community and among his fans. Frank Ferguson cause of death was cancer, but his life was full of passion and creativity.
