Robert Stack

Robert Stack, known for his straightforward demeanor—whether in skeet shooting or portraying Eliot Ness—was born in Los Angeles, California, to James Langford Stack (1860–1928), an advertising agency owner, and Mary Elizabeth Modini Wood (1891–1975). He was originally named Charles Langford Modini Stack at birth, but his father changed the name to Robert Langford Stack. The name Robert reportedly had no specific inspiration. His elder brother, James Langford Stack Jr. (1916–2006), remained in the United States with their father after their parents divorced when Robert was one year old. Robert and his mother moved to Europe when he was three, and he did not learn English until he was six. He became fluent in Italian and French, but had to relearn English upon returning to Los Angeles. His parents remarried in 1928. Stack studied drama at USC and took up skeet shooting, as he was uninterested in team sports. In 1935, he placed second in the National Skeet Shooting Championship in Cleveland, and in 1936, his 5-man team broke the record at the National Skeet Championships in St. Louis.

Stack began his film career in 1939 at Universal City Studios, which was struggling financially after its earlier successes such as *Dracula* (1931) and *Frankenstein* (1931). The studio was seeking a new star, and Stack made his screen debut as the love interest in *First Love* (1939), starring Deanna Durbin. Initially, he resisted the advice of makeup artist Jack P. Pierce, an Oscar winner and creator of Universal's classic monsters, who told him that no blond had ever succeeded as a leading man. Stack dyed his hair black and straightened it, and became an overnight matinee idol. After two more films, he was paired with Durbin again in *Nice Girl?* (1941). Though he had become a star, Universal paid him only $150 a week. Over the next decade, he appeared in Westerns, war films, and romantic comedies.

Stack had fond memories of *Bullfighter and the Lady* (1951), produced by his friend John Wayne, which was filmed in Mexico over 12 weeks. The film had a strong script, but production was delayed when two bullfighters were gored during filming. The crew faced difficulties until they learned that, in Mexico, it was customary to bribe the local union. After some money was exchanged, filming resumed. The experience included wild nights and plenty of tequila. Stack became a local legend, and when asked what he did in the war, he jokingly said, "I taught machine gun," which led to rumors that he “taught chingas” (Spanish for “hookers”).

In 1952, Stack made movie history with *Bwana Devil* (1952), the first 3-D film. The movie, based on real-life lion attacks in Africa, startled audiences with its 3-D effects. Stack recalled at the premiere that people jumped out of their seats and some even fainted. The film broke box office records and sparked a wave of 3-D filmmaking, including *House of Wax* (1953). Around 1955, Stack was introduced to Rosemarie Bowe by their mutual agent, Bill Shiffrin. Bowe had been under contract to MGM and Columbia, appearing in films such as *Million Dollar Mermaid* (1952) and *The Golden Mistress* (1954). The couple married two years later and had two children: Elizabeth Stack and Charles Stack. Stack, once Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor, found happiness in marriage and fatherhood.

His onscreen success continued with *Written on the Wind* (1956), for which he received an Academy Award nomination. However, 20th-Century Fox, which had him under contract and had loaned him to Universal for the film, was reportedly displeased. His contract with Fox expired, and he transitioned to television. He gained fame for his role as Treasury agent Eliot Ness in *The Untouchables* (1959), which ran for four seasons (118 episodes) after its pilot. He also appeared in the television movie *The Scarface Mob* (1959). One notable behind-the-scenes moment occurred during a scene involving the "bacio di morte" ("kiss of death"), a Sicilian gesture in which a Capo (Neville Brand) kissed a Mafia soldier (Frank DeKova) to send him as an executioner. The actors were nervous about kissing on television, and a crew member played a prank by falsely telling each actor that their co-star liked kissing men. In another incident, Joseph Wiseman, unaccustomed to Hollywood sets, was injured when an axe Stack was supposed to use to smash a brewery instead struck a real pipe, causing Stack to cut his Achilles tendon. Stack later commented that he had never felt so sorry for anyone in his life. Wiseman was later given a role as a crippled chemist in the episode "The Antidote," which Stack considered one of the series' best.

Stack continued his television career with series such as *The Name of the Game* (1968), alternating leads with Gene Barry and Anthony Franciosa, and later *Most Wanted* (1976). He also surprised audiences with his comedic flair in films such as *1941* (1979) and *Airplane!* (1980). He