1. Chuck Connors (Old Yeller, The Big Country, Geronimo, The Hired Gun, The Proud & The Damned, Soylent Green, etc.)
Chuck Connors was a former center for the Boston Celtics who once shattered a backboard shooting a set shot. He quit playing NBA basketball in order to pursue an acting career and ended up doing a great deal of excellent westerns and action films. He’s best known for his roles on the TV shows ‘Gunsmoke”, “Branded” and “The Rifleman”. He was a fairly good actor as well, although the #2 pick Rick Fox does have slightly more range than he showed over his long and distinguished career. You can’t argue against a man who acted in so many iconic roles in both film and television.
