Jack De Mave Passes On

Jack De Mave, perhaps best known for playing Forest Ranger Bob Erickson on Lassie, died on January 16 2025 at the age of 91. He had suffered a heart attack on Thanksgiving.

Jack De Mave was born on December 8 1933 in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father was professional boxer who may have been the inspiration for Clifford Odets's play Golden Boy. His mother was a casting director on Broadway. He studied acting with Herbert Berghof, Mary Welch, and Lee Strasberg. He appeared in local productions with Inger Stevens and Charlton Heston. In 1958 he appeared on Broadway with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne's final production, The Visit. He made his television debut in The Kraft Theatre  episode "The King's Bounty."

In the Sixties he guest starred on such shows as Surfside 6, Wagon Train , The F.B.I.. Daniel Boone, F Troop, and The Fugitive. He played Forest Ranger Bob Erickson on Lassie from 1968 to 1970. He appeared in the movie Blindfold (1966). In the Seventies Jack De Mave guest starred on the shows Storefront Lawyers; The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Funny Face; The Doris Day Show; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Adam-12; Sierra; The Bob Crane Show; and Ellery Queen. He appeared in the movie 1776 (1972).

In the Eighties Jack De Mave had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera Loving. He guest starred on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. In the Nineties he appeared on the show Days of Our Lives and the movie The Man Without a Face. In the Naughts he appeared in the TV movies Meet the Santas (2005) and Ladies of the House (2008).

In the Seventies he also played The Lone Ranger in a series of commercials for Frito-Lay.

I will probably always remember Jack De Mave best as Ranger Bob  Erickson on Lassie, although he played various other roles in his career. He appeared in two episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as
Armond Lynton. Armond first appeared as a man whom Rhoda had accidentally run over and who, much to Rhoda's chagrin, turns out to be married. In his second appearance on the show Armond is now single and obsessed with Mary. Jack De Mave gave many good performances in his guest appearances, and he will be fondly remembered for some time to come.