Jack Kelly - A Maverick Life: The Jack Kelly Story

by Linda Alexander

In real life, Jack Kelly was a child performer, son of New York model, Nan Kelly, brother of actress, Nancy Kelly, brother-in-law of actor Edmond O'Brien and cinematographer Fred Jackman, Jr. On TV, from 1957 until 1962, he was James Garner's brother on the show, "Maverick". Truth is, he was on the show longer than James Garner ... and women would often say he was the reason they kept coming back for more. In fact, they still say that, even though the show's been in re-runs for decades, ever since it left the air. Oh yeah ... he was also a child star in the late 1930s, drove A Crooked Road with Mickey Rooney in 1954, went to Hell and Back with Audie Murphy in 1955, and took a trip to the Forbidden Planet in 1956 with Leslie Nielsen. In the late 1960s, he was on the cutting edge of "Sale of The Century" as the host, was able to "Get Christie Love" in 1975, and helped babysit the "Hardy Boys" and "Nancy Drew" in 1977. Between the late 1950s and early 1970s, he played on virtually every episodic TV show that ever aired. All of this before he pseudo-retired from the small and large screen and served as a city councilman, and then the two-term mayor, of Huntington Beach, California. He was also a newspaper publisher. He loved some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, became a husband, and would probably tell everyone that his greatest joy was in being a father. Jack Kelly really LIVED.

Linda J. Alexander's exhaustive research has produced an unforgettable biography of Jack Kelly, the 1950s movie and television star. In real life, Jack was a child performer, the son of New York model Nan Kelly, brother of actress Nancy Kelly, and the brother-in-law of actor Edmond O'Brien and cinematographer Fred Jackman Jr. He was also a child star in the late 1930s. He appeared in A Crooked Road with Mickey Rooney (1954), To Hell and Back (1955) with Audie Murphy, and the Science Fiction classic The Forbidden Planet (1956) with Leslie Nielsen. Jack is perhaps best known today in his role as James Garner's brother on the classic American television Western series, Maverick (1957-1962). In the late 1960s and 1970s, he continued to appear on American television as the game show host of Sale of the Century, and he also starred in movies, such as Get Christie Love (1975), and again on television in the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, among many others. Jack was more than a Hollywood cinema star. He also served as a city councilman and two-term Mayor of Huntington Beach, California, in addition to his work as a newspaper publisher. He loved some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, became a husband, and would probably tell everyone that his greatest joy was in being a father. This biography draws from exhaustive research and numerous interviews with Jack's family, friends, and co-stars. The book includes a treasure trove of professional and personal family photographs.