REVISED 5/2023

JUST FOR FUN...
"SIX DEGREES OF ROGER DAVIS"

Throughout his acting career, Roger frequently crossed paths with the same actors and directors on different projects.  In some cases, several of those actors teamed up after crossing Roger's path and starred together in other projects.  But sometimes, there were just unexplainable, weird coincidences that are noteworthy only to the most dedicated trivia buff.  Anyhow, here's a list of those incidents where Roger co-starred or was directly connected with an actor or director in a specific episode or movie, and how that "path" played out:

TV PROGRAMS AND MOVIES

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DARK SHADOWS:
Grayson Hall ("Julia Hoffman") guest starred on "Route 66" the very same night that Roger guest starred on "The Twilight Zone," both on CBS on February 21, 1964.  Also, Diana Millay ("Laura Collins") once guested on Roger's series, "Redigo."  And, when Alexandria Moltke left "Shadows" temporarily to give birth, Roger's former wife Jaclyn Smith auditioned for her role.  Lara Parker ("Angelique") guest starred with Roger on both "The Highwayman" and "Galactica 1980."  Dennis Patrick (Jason McGuire) co-starred with Roger in NET/PBS's "Home" and "The Bionic Woman."  Also, Thayer David ("Ben Stokes") and John Karlen ("Willie Loomis") guested with Roger's former wife Jaclyn on "Charlie's Angels."

ROUTE 66:
While Roger never appeared in the show, he worked with two of the show's stars on later projects:  with George Maharis on "The Most Deadly Game," and with Glenn Corbett on an episode of "Alias Smith and Jones" and in the movie "Nashville Girl."  Later, Davis worked with "66" star Martin Milner's partner from "Adam-12," Kent McCord, on episodes of "Galactica 1980."

DALLAS and KNOTS LANDING:
Several of Roger's co-stars during his early career teamed up later for regular roles on "Dallas":  Dack Rambo ("River of Gold;") Barbara Eden ("Ride the Wild Surf;") Glenn Corbett ("Alias Smith and Jones" and "Nashville Girl;") Dennis Patrick ("Dark Shadows," "Home" and "The Bionic Woman;") Randolph Mantooth ("Alias Smith and Jones;") Martha Scott and Martin E. Brooks ("The Bionic Woman;") Keenan Wynn ("Alias Smith and Jones") and director Wayne Farlow ("Aspen," Quincy" and "The Bionic Woman;") and with others on "Knots Landing:"  Michele Lee ("Alias Smith and Jones,") James Houghton ("Alias Smith and Jones" and "Aspen,") Stuart Whitman ("Ruby,") William Devane ("MacBird") and Michelle Phillips ("Aspen.")  Stretching things a bit, "Knots" star Julie Harris co-starred in "East of Eden," which featured two actors that later taught Roger in an acting class at Columbia University.  And Davis barely missed out on starring with Lois Chiles ("Dallas") on "The Way We Were."

CHARLIE'S ANGELS:
Aside from being married to one of the three stars of the show (Jaclyn Smith, 1968-75,) Roger crossed paths with Kate Jackson ("Dark Shadows," "Killer Bees,") and with Farrah Fawcett's husband, Lee Majors, on "The Big Valley," "Alias Smith and Jones" and "The Bionic Woman."

CAGNEY AND LACEY:
Roger starred with Sharon Gless ("Cagney") on "A Little Bit Like Murder" and "Faraday and Company" in 1973, and co-starred with Tyne "Lacey" Daly's on-screen husband, John Karlen, on "Dark Shadows."

MATLOCK:
The young cult member (Wallace Langham,) that Roger protected in a 1989 episode ,starred in the 2004 made-for-TV movie, "The Unauthorized Biography of 'Charlie's Angels,'" which featured actors playing the roles of "Roger Davis" and "Jaclyn Smith."  And Julie Sommars, assistant DA on the show, appeared with Roger on the premiere of "The Rockford Files."

QUINCY:
Stars John S. Ragin ("Dr. Astin") and Val Bisoglio (bar owner) appeared with Davis on other shows:  Ragin on "Alias Smith and Jones," and Bisoglio on "Galactica 1980."  Director Wayne Farlow also worked with Roger on "Aspen" and "The Bionic Woman."

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD:
Sorrell Booke ("Boss Hogg") appeared with Davis on "Alias Smith and Jones," while James Best ("Roscoe P. Coltrane") guested on "Redigo" and "The Gallant Men."  Roger also took an acting class taught by Best (Best was quite an accomplished actor before taking on the silly "Dukes" role.)

THE BIONIC WOMAN:
Roger guest starred with Lindsay Wagner in the show's premiere; Wagner and Davis met in an acting class taught by actor James Best (see "The Dukes of Hazzard," above.)  Also, series co-star Richard Anderson appeared with Roger on "Redigo."  Lee Majors regularly guested on "Bionic" as part of his sister show, "The Six Million Dollar Man;" Majors was married to Jaclyn Smith's co-star, Farrah Fawcett, on "Charlie's Angels." Lee was also a regular on "The Big Valley," where Roger once guested, and had also appeared on "Alias Smith and Jones."  Actor Dennis Patrick ("Dark Shadows," "Home") guested with Roger on the same "Bionic" episode, as did Martin E. Brooks ("The New Perry Mason.")  Also, director Wayne Farlow worked with Roger on "Aspen" and "Quincy."

THE BRADY BUNCH:
Four guests on "Alias Smith and Jones" also had guest roles on "The Brady Bunch:"  J. Pat O'Malley (Carol's father,) Burt Mustin (as a relative of a Jesse James casualty,) Jim Backus (once, as a ghost town resident; later as the owner of Mike Brady's architect firm; he later guested on "Charlie's Angels" with Roger's former wife Jaclyn,) and Herb Vigran (once, as a frazzled trading stamp store manager, and later as a driving test examiner; Vigran also guested with Roger on "Galactica 1980" and with Jaclyn on "Charlie's Angels.")  And Roger co-starred with Robert Reed (Mike Brady) on an episode of "Galactica 1980."

MICKEY SPILLANE'S MIKE HAMMER:
Roger worked with both actors who held the lead role in this series:  Darren McGavin (who starred in the 1956 version, appeared with Davis on a remake of "From Here to Eternity,") and Stacy Keach (starred in the 1984 "Hammer" remake, and shared the stage with Roger in "MacBird.")
 

ACTORS AND DIRECTORS

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Left to right:  Glen Larson, Roy Huggins, Earl Holliman, Robert Redford, Bo Hopkins, Kate Jackson, Diana Hyland, Pernell Roberts, William Devane

GLEN LARSON:
The late noted producer and writer used Roger on many projects, often calling on him to 'jump start' a series on its premiere episode.  Roger guest starred in Larson's "Chameleons," "The Highwayman," "Galactica 1980," "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries," "Quincy," "Alias Smith and Jones," "McCloud" and "Night Man."

ROY HUGGINS:
The late Roy Huggins was Roger-friendly as well, featuring him in "Aspen," "This is the West that Was," "Alias Smith and Jones," "The Young Country," "The Rockford Files" and "The Bold Ones."  Roger also helped one of his own UCLA students with an audition for Huggins' TV version of "Bus Stop," which impressed Roy, as he hired Roger as a contract player at Warner Brothers shortly thereafter.

ROBERT ALTMAN:
The late, famed movie director worked with Roger on "Redigo" after Roy Huggins saw Roger's acting skills while Roger helped a student with an audition for "Bus Stop."  Altman also worked with Sally Kellerman on the movie version of "M*A*S*H;" Kellerman had co-starred with Roger on a remake of "From Here to Eternity."

JO SWERLING:
Jo was another Roger fan; as a director under Roy Huggins, Jo worked with Davis on "Alias Smith and Jones," "The Rockford Files," "This is the West that Was," "The Bold Ones" and "Aspen."

PETER DUEL:
Both Roger and Peter auditioned for "Ride the Wild Surf" in 1964; Roger won the role.  Then, both Peter and Roger auditioned for "Love on a Rooftop" in 1965; Peter got the role.  "The Young Country" (1970) starred both Roger and Peter.  Also, Roger was the narrator for "Alias Smith and Jones," which Peter starred in as "Hannibal Heyes."  After Duel's suicide in 1971, Roger assumed Peter's role.

WILLIAM DEVANE:
Roger replaced Devane in the off-Broadway production of "MacBird," and Devane starred in the 1980 remake of "From Here to Eternity," while Davis had starred in an earlier remake of the same movie.

CURTIS HARRINGTON:
The late noted horror movie director cast Roger in two of his movies:  "Ruby" and "Killer Bees."

BEN MURPHY:
Co-starred with Roger on "Alias Smith and Jones," and later, Roger narrated "This is the West that Was," starring Murphy.

EARL HOLLIMAN:
The "Police Woman" star and animal rights activist played alongside Roger on "Alias Smith and Jones" and "Night Man."  Holliman's co-star on "Police Woman," Charles Dierkop, also guest starred on "Alias."  Dierkop, coincidentally, co-starred in the movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," which was the basis for "Alias Smith and Jones."

PERNELL ROBERTS:
Although Roger's two appearances on "Bonanza" were after Roberts left the show in 1965, Roger did co-star with him on episodes of "Quincy" and "Alias Smith and Jones."  Later, Barbara Cason, the wife of Roger's co-star Dennis Patrick on "Dark Shadows," made frequent guest appearances on Pernell's 1979-86 series "Trapper John, MD," as did John Karlen ("Shadows") and Ben Murphy ("Alias Smith and Jones.")  Cason had also appeared in "House of Dark Shadows."

DIANA HYLAND:
The late, great "Peyton Place" and "Eight is Enough" actress crossed paths with Davis on both "The Twilight Zone" and "Alias Smith and Jones."

NOAH BEERY, JR.:
The late character actor starred with Roger on "The Rockford Files" and as a guest on "Alias Smith and Jones."

KATE JACKSON:
Appeared with Roger on "Dark Shadows" and "Killer Bees," and later with his former wife Jaclyn on "Charlie's Angels."

MONTE MARKHAM:
While Markham guested on "Alias Smith and Jones," Roger guest starred later on Markham's "The New Perry Mason."

CHAD EVERETT:
The late Chad Everett appeared on Davis's "Redigo," and Roger later appeared on two episodes of Everett's "Medical Center."

LORNE GREENE:
Roger guested with the late series star on both "Bonanza" and "Galactica 1980."

EDDIE ALBERT:
Roger worked with the late Eddie Albert, Sr (the "Green Acres" star) on "The Act" in 1984, and with his son, the late Eddie Albert, Jr. on "Killer Bees" in 1976.

TONY FRANCIOSA:
The late Franciosa co-starred with Davis in two movies:  "Aspen" and "This is the West that Was."

PAT HINGLE:
The late character actor appeared with Roger on "The Bold Ones" and "The Act."

ABE VIGODA:
The late "Barney Miller" star was in "Dark Shadows" and guest starred with Davis on "The Rockford Files."

WALTER BARNES:
The late western character actor appeared with Roger on both "Bonanza" and "Alias Smith and Jones."

BURL IVES:
Everyone's perennial favorite Ives worked with Roger on "The Bold Ones" and "Alias Smith and Jones."

ROBERT REDFORD:
While Davis and Redford never crossed paths on screen, Redford's movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," was the basis for Roger's series, "Alias Smith and Jones."  And, in 1973, Davis had won the lead role in "The Way We Were," but unwittingly suggested to the movie's producers that Robert Redford would have been his first choice for the role...and Roger was replaced.  In 1974, Redford portrayed Jay Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby;" Davis owned the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, KY, which was a focal point in the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, and Roger's earnest eccentricities have been compared to Jay Gatsby's on several occasions in print!  And, of course, there's more than just a passing resemblance between the two actors.

WALLY COX:
The late "Mr. Peepers" actor and "Hollywood Squares" 'square' co-starred with Roger on "Alias Smith and Jones" and in "The Young Country."

GEOFFREY LEWIS:
Played two guest roles in "Alias Smith and Jones," and later guested on "Nip/Tuck," which used Roger's Malibu home as one of their backdrops.

BO HOPKINS:
Roger's late, longtime friend and co-star on "Aspen" also guested with former wife Jaclyn on "Charlie's Angels."

RICHARD KIEL:
The late Richard Kiel acted with Roger in both "Flash and the Firecat" and in the "Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" premiere.

LUIS DELGADO:
The late actor played on both "The Rockford Files" and "The Young Country" with Roger.

LINDA EVANS:
The "Dynasty" seductress appeared with Roger in "The Big Valley" and in "McCloud."

GEORGE PEPPARD:
Though the two never worked together on the same project, Peppard was the actor initially thought of to replace Pete Duel's "Hannibal Heyes" character on "Alias Smith and Jones," then Peppard showed up a decade later playing the character "Hannibal Smith" on NBC's "The A-Team."  (Thanks to reader 'Dad' Rovat for suggesting this one!)

JACLYN SMITH:
Keeping business separate from pleasure, Roger and his first wife seldom crossed paths in their careers.  "Dark Shadows" producers turned down Jaclyn's audition for the part of "Victoria Winters" in 1968, as they didn't like the idea of two actors being married on- and off-screen.  In a commercial for "Close Up" toothpaste in the early 1970s, Jaclyn was the spokesmodel to Roger's voiceover.  Also, in 1975, Jaclyn was offered the female role in "Flash and the Firecat," but turned it down...then changed her mind later, but not until Roger's co-star Tricia Sembera had been hired instead.  Beyond that, the couple appeared in separate episodes of "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries."


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