Jan. 29, 1965 - Actor John Larkin, co-star of the television series “12 O’Clock High,” died of a heart attack today at Valley Doctors Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 52 years old.
His wife, the former Audrey Blum, rushed him to the hospital from their home at 11684 Laurelwood Drive, Studio City, after he complained of indigestion.
Larkin, a native of Oakland, played Maj. Gen. Wiley Crowe in the 20th Century-Fox series based on Army Air Force activities in World War II. The show is aired Friday nights on ABC-TV.
He started in the entertainment business as a radio actor and disc jockey in Kansas City and moved to Chicago in 1937 to do the radio soap opera, “Road of Life.”
After Army service in World War II, he returned to radio and played many roles in such shows as “Perry Mason” from 1948 to 1955, “Ma Perkins,” and “Pepper Young’s Family.” In all, Larkin appeared in an estimated total of 7,500 radio dramatic shows.
For five years, he played a leading role in the daytime television series “Edge of Night” and later co-starred with Nick Adams in the T.V. series “Saints & Sinners.”
The “12 O’Clock High” series is in its first year. His movie credits include “Seven Days in May,” and two films yet to be released, “The Satan Bug” and “The Calloways.”
He leaves two children by his present wife, Victoria and John; and two daughters by previous marriages: Kathleen Larkin, who plays in the “General Hospital” T.V. series, and Sharon Larkin.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
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