John Alderson, 90; Character Actor Played Western Roles
- Share via
John Alderson, 90, a character actor in western movies and television series, died Friday of natural causes at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills.
A native of Horden, England, Alderson came to Hollywood in 1949 after serving in the British army during World War II.
He learned to ride a horse, and those skills served him well over the next several decades in western TV series including “Maverick,” “Gunsmoke,” “Have Gun Will Travel,” “Death Valley Days” and “Bonanza.”
He also appeared on film in 1974’s “Blazing Saddles” and, in his final role, 1990’s “Young Guns II.”
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
