A day out for a photo shoot with some rising stars. June 13, 1955, outside a Wil Wright’s ice cream shop in Los Angeles, CA.
From left to right. Lance Fuller—likely the least known of the group. He was under contract with Universal in the 1950s, but his film career never really took off, so he switched to TV, though that didn’t bring him much success either. He quit acting in 1962. In 1968, he made local news after damaging several cars on the street and getting shot in the chest by a police officer. He survived and tried to return to acting, but it didn’t work out. He passed away in 2001.
Next is Jayne Mansfield, who became very famous for a short time before her life was cut short in a tragic car crash in 1967.
Then we have John Smith, who became well-known for the TV show Laramie. Later, he acted in Circus World with John Wayne. But the director, Henry Hathaway, reportedly disliked Smith and tried to harm his career, though no one knows exactly why. Smith passed away in 1995 due to liver disease and heart issues.
Next is Natalie Wood. She was only 16 in this photo but already had a lot of acting experience. 1955 was a big year for her as she began moving from child roles to adult ones, starting with Rebel Without a Cause. She became a major star. Sadly, she died in 1981, drowning under mysterious circumstances.
Last is Robert Fuller, who isn’t related to Lance. He may have had the most successful run—mainly because he lived the longest. He became well-known for Laramie, Wagon Train, and Emergency! At the time of writing, he’s nearing his 90th birthday.
