Who’s Still Alive From the TV Western ‘Laramie’?
Laramie is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from 1959 to 1963 and centered around the Sherman Ranch in Wyoming, focusing on its owners, Slim Sherman and his younger brother Andy, played by John Smith and Robert L. Crawford Jr., respectively. The series also featured Jess Harper, a drifter portrayed by Robert Fuller, who becomes a key figure at the ranch, as well as Jonesy, played by Hoagy Carmichael, the station’s reliable caretaker.
The plot kicks off with the brothers running the stagecoach station after their father, Matt Sherman, is murdered by a land-seeking criminal. The station serves as a key stop for the Great Central Overland Mail Company. Jess arrives in Laramie seeking revenge on Pete Morgan, who had previously robbed him. Despite early conflicts between Jess and Slim, they eventually form a strong partnership. If you were a fan of the beloved Western, let’s find out who is still alive from the cast:
Robert Fuller (91)
Jess Harper
Everett Collection; Giulio Marcocchi/Getty Images
Fuller went on to star in Wagon Train, replacing Robert Horton. As the Western genre declined, he transitioned into action films such as Return of the Seven (1966), Incident at Phantom Hill (1966) and Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969). However, his most well-known role post-Laramie was as Dr. Kelly Brackett on Emergency! (1972–77), a medical drama created by Jack Webb. After Emergency! ended, Fuller continued acting in television and film, appearing in shows like Fantasy Island; Murder, She Wrote; Walker, Texas Ranger; and Diagnosis Murder. He also had a cameo in the 1994 film Maverick, alongside other classic Western stars. Eventually, he retired from acting and focused on ranching in Texas. He remains active and often appears at Western or nostalgic fan conventions.
Robert L. Crawford Jr. (80)
Andy Sherman
Everett Collection; Amanda Edwards/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Crawford Jr. continued acting after Laramie, making guest appearances in shows such as The Donna Reed Show, Zorro, Cheyenne, Gunsmoke and The Rifleman. However, by the 1970s, he shifted his focus to behind-the-scenes work in Hollywood. He became a production assistant and later an associate producer, working on several notable films, including The Sting (1973), Slap Shot (1977) and The World According to Garp (1982). His contributions to film production marked a successful second act in his entertainment career, even though he stepped away from acting.
Dennis Holmes (74)
Mike Williams
Everett Collection; Robert Holmes FB
Holmes is best known for playing Mike Williams on the show and had a short career as a child star. He also appeared in films Hound-Dog Man, Violent Road, The Fiercest Heart, Key Witness and Woman Obsessed before retiring from acting in 1964. He went on to become a technology specialist in California, is into photography and keeps a very low profile.
Sadly, we have lost several key cast members, including:
John Smith (Slim Sherman) — Jan. 25, 1995, at the age of 63, from cirrhosis of the liver
Hoagy Carmichael (Jonesy) — Dec. 27, 1981, at the age of 82, from a heart attack
Spring Byington (Daisy Cooper) — Sept. 7, 1971, at the age of 84, from cancer
Stuart Randall (Sheriff Mort Cory) — June 22, 1988, at the age of 78 (undisclosed)
Eddy Waller (Mose Shell) — Aug. 20, 1977, at the age of 88 from a stroke
You can watch Laramie reruns on FETV.
Remind 
TV Westerns of the 50's & 60's
September 2021
’50s and ’60s TV Westerns roundup, celebrating the shows and stars of their golden age.
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