“Laramie”, the popular western television series that aired from 1959 to 1963, left a lasting impact on its audience with its memorable characters and engaging storylines.
The cast of Laramie, including John Smith, Robert Fuller, Hoagy Carmichael, Robert Crawford Jr., and Dennis Holmes, brought these characters to life. But what happened to these actors after the series ended? Here’s a look at their careers post-Laramie.
John Smith Played Slim Sherman and His Story Ended in Heartbreak
John Smith, born Robert Errol Van Orden, played Slim Sherman for all four seasons and was the moral center of the Sherman Ranch.
At 32, when the show ended, he had every advantage for a film career: name recognition, physical presence, and the personal endorsement of John Wayne, who secured him a prominent role in the 1964 international production Circus World.
On that set, director Henry Hathaway developed an intense personal dislike of Smith and, when production ended, effectively used his industry influence to close major Hollywood doors against him.
The offers stopped coming.
Smith spent the following decade as a guest performer on episodic television, including two appearances on his best friend Robert Fuller’s new hit series Emergency!
He retired from acting in 1975 at 44. He struggled with alcoholism for the rest of his life and died on January 25, 1995, at 63, from cirrhosis of the liver and heart failure. It is one of the quieter tragedies in classic television history.
Robert Fuller (Jess Harper)
After “Laramie”, Robert Fuller transitioned to “Wagon Train”, where he played the character of Cooper Smith for 60 episodes. He then had smaller film roles and television appearances.
Fuller eventually joined the cast of “Emergency!“, although he wasn’t fully comfortable with the direction the show was heading. He later starred in “Jake’s Way” and had a recurring role in “Walker, Texas Ranger” alongside Chuck Norris. Fuller retired from acting in 2001. Off-screen, Fuller has been married twice and has three children.
He and his second wife, Jennifer Savidge, moved from Los Angeles to Texas in 2004, where they now raise horses on their ranch. Despite being retired, Fuller remains connected to his fans, regularly attending Western festivals.
Hoagy Carmichael (Jonesy)
Hoagy Carmichael, who played the ranch caretaker Jonesy in Season 1, was already one of the most celebrated songwriters in American history when he joined Laramie in 1959. He wrote “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Heart and Soul,” among dozens of standards. Playing a supporting role in a weekly Western was a significant step down from his day job.
He commuted daily from Palm Springs to the set, and by Robert Fuller’s account, occasionally forgot his early call times because he was already out on the golf course. After one season he told the producers he was done. “I can’t do this,” he said. “I’d much rather play golf.”
His contract was not renewed and his character was written out with the explanation that Jonesy had accompanied Andy Sherman to boarding school in St. Louis.
Hoagy Carmichael died on December 27, 1981, at age 82, from a heart attack.
Robert Crawford Jr. (Andy Sherman)
After his role on “Laramie” ended in 1960, Robert Crawford Jr. appeared in about two dozen film and television productions. His television guest appearances included series like “Zorro”, “The Californians”, “The Donna Reed Show”, “National Velvet”, “Dragnet”, “Combat!”, “Mr. Novak”, “Rawhide”, “The Rifleman”, “Cheyenne”, and “Gunsmoke”. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Crawford transitioned to behind-the-scenes work in the film industry, serving as a production assistant, associate producer, and producer on films such as “Slaughterhouse-Five”, “The Sting”, “Slap Shot”, “The World According to Garp”, and “The Parasite”.
Spring Byington
When Laramie lost both Hoagy Carmichael and Robert Crawford Jr. heading into its third season, the producers brought in Spring Byington as Daisy Cooper, a widowed housekeeper who became the maternal heart of the Sherman Ranch. She was 75 years old when she joined the cast.
Byington was no ordinary guest addition. She had an Academy Award nomination for You Can’t Take It With You (1938), two Emmy nominations for the hit CBS sitcom December Bride, and more than 100 film credits stretching back to the early 1930s.
She appeared in 59 episodes across two seasons and held her own comfortably alongside co-stars who were 40 years younger. She died in 1971 at age 84 and donated her body to medical research at UCLA.
Read the full Spring Byington story here.
Dennis Holmes (Mike Williams)
Dennis Holmes joined the cast of “Laramie” in 1961. He retired from acting in 1964, with his last credit being in the western television series “Wagon Train”. After retiring from acting, Holmes worked as a technology specialist in California.
Each actor from “Laramie” embarked on different paths after the series ended. Whether they continued in the entertainment industry, pursued new careers, or retired, each has left a lasting mark on the world of television. Their performances on “Laramie” continue to be cherished by fans around the world.
Btw: Did you know that Laramie also had a sizeable array of guest stars?
