The Passing of L.Q. Jones

The Passing of L.Q. Jones

It’s been an incredibly sad last few days with the unexpected passing of James Caan just last week. 

There are a great deal of Eastwood fans who are also huge admirers of Caan and his movies, especially from that great Sliver age period of the 60’s and 70’s.  Whist Caan never starred alongside Clint, we will be making an exception and posting our own small tribute to the much loved actor within the next week or so. 

Meanwhile, the sad news continues as I received word this morning that L.Q. Jones - the versatile character actor whose career dated back to the 1950s - has died.  He was 94.

Jones appeared alongside Clint in his first U.S. western, Hang ‘em high. He appeared as Loomis one of the 9 mob members that unjustly hung Clint’s character Jed Cooper. 

His death was confirmed by his family, who says he passed of natural causes in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by loved ones ... this according to Variety.

Jones had over 160 acting credits to his name, with his first several coming in the year 1955 -- when he starred in military-inspired flicks like "An Annapolis Story," "Battle Cry" and "Target Zero." He also appeared in a few episodes of the western-themed TV show "Cheyenne."

From there, LQJ was on a roll ... with acting in a number of films and TV series like "Annie Oakley," "Gunsight Ridge," "Operation Mad Ball," "Buchanan Rides Alone," "The Naked and the Dead," "Jefferson Drum," "Men of Annapolis," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" and more.

Switching between war and westerns, Jones stayed busy in the '60s. Some of the more popular titles he was in ... "Lassie," "Klondike," "Laramie," "Perry Mason," "Route 66," "Wagon Train," "The Virginian," "Gunsmoke", "The Big Valley" and Rawhide -  as George Cornelius in the 1963 episode Incident at El Crucero. 

Other hit shows in which he had guest-starring roles included, "Hawaii Five-O," "Charlie's Angels," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," "CHiPs," "Columbo," "Cannon," "The Runaways," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and lots of others. He even starred in "The Incredible Hulk," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "The A-Team," "Renegade," "The Yellow Rose" and more throughout the '80s/'90s.

He'll also be remembered for his work with Sam Peckinpah on "The Wild Bunch," "Major Dundee," "Ride the High Country", “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” and "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”. 

Jones also had a memorable scene in Martin Scorsese's "Casino." An actor who will be much missed.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family,

RIP Sir