Robert Logan Passes On

Robert Logan, who played J.R. Hale on 77 Sunset Strip and Jericho Jones on Daniel Boone, as well as starring in the two "Wilderness Family" movies, died on May 6 2024 at the age of 82.

Robert Logan was born on May 29 1941 in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was growing up, and he attended Junipero Serra High School. He received a basketball scholarship to the University of Arizona, but left the college following a change of coaches. He then attended Los Angeles City College. He was at a restaurant one night when he was spotted by a Warner Bros. talent agent.

He signed a contract with Warner Bros. and guest starred on the TV shows Maverick and Surfside 6 before taking the role of J.R. Hale on 77 Sunset Strip. J.R. Hale replaced Kookie (Edd Byrnes) as the parking attendant at Dino's Lounge when Kookie became an investigator at Stu Bailey's (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) detective agency. Later in the Sixties he played Jericho Jones on one season of Daniel Boone. He guest starred on the shows Dr. Kildare, and Mr. Novak. He appeared in the movies Claudelle Inglish (1961), Beach Ball (1965),  and The Bridge at Remagen (1969).

In the Seventies Robert Logan starred in the three "Wilderness Family" movies, The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975), The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1978) and Mountain Family Robinson (1979). He appeared in the movies Catlow (1971), Across the Great Divide (1976), and The Sea Gypsies (1978). On television he appeared in the TV movie Snowbeast. He appeared in the TV movie Death Ray 2000, which was the pilot for the TV show A Man Called Sloane. Several changes would be made from the pilot to when it became a TV series, including Robert Conrad being cast as Sloane.

In the Eighties Robert Logan wrote and starred in the movie Kelly (1981). He appeared in the movies  A Night in Heaven (1983), Scorpion (1986), and Born to Race (1988). He guest starred on the shows Riptide and 1st & Ten. In the Nineties he appeared in the movies Patriots (1996) ad Redboy 13 (1997).

Robert Logan's career can be divided into phases: a series of TV shows and movies in which he played various youths and a series of movies in which he played various fathers. Regardless, during both phases of his career, he played a variety of roles. He was hipster J.R. on 77 Sunset Strip, rock 'n' roller Bango in the movie Beach Ball, and young settler Jericho Jones on Daniel Boone. Among the various fathers he played was construction worker Skip Robinson who moves his family from Los Angeles to the Rocky Mountains in the "Wilderness Family" movies, a father of two daughters who find themselves shipwrecked in The Sea Gypsies, and a bush pilot in Kelly.Robert Logan could play other roles than youths and fathers. He was a priest in an episode of Riptide and a none-too-nice rocket scientist in A Night in Heaven. In the end, Robert Logan was a very fine actor.