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Todd Armstrong

Todd Armstrong
Todd Armstrong (actor).jpg
In Jason and the Argonauts, 1963
Born John Harris Armstrong
(1937-07-25)July 25, 1937
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died November 17, 1992(1992-11-17) (aged 55)
Butte, California, U.S.
Cause of death Suicide
Occupation Actor
Years active 1961–1982
Known for Jason and the Argonauts

Todd Armstrong (July 25, 1937 – November 17, 1992) was an American actor in ten films and several television series.

He is probably best known for playing the titular role of Jason in the film Jason and the Argonauts (1963). He had also starred, during 1961, in the later segments of the syndicated crime drama Manhunt.

Todd Armstrong was born John Harris Armstrong in St. Louis, Missouri on July 25, 1937. His parents were Louise Armstrong (maiden name, McClelland) and Harris Armstrong (born 1899). Armstrong’s father was born in St. Louis (Missouri). He was a well-known architect that designed many civil landmarks in St. Louis, such as The Shanley Building at 7800 Maryland Avenue in Clayton. Its design won Armstrong the silver medal at the Paris Exposition of 1937.

In 1956, Armstrong graduated from Ladue High School, where one of his classmates was Auggie Busch, a great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch brewing magnate Adolphus Busch. He moved to California and trained drama at the prestigious acting school Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, where he changed his first name to Todd. He graduated in 1958 with classmates including Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.

Armstrong´s well-to-do parents supported him financially but after struggling a few years with no success landing acting roles, he took part time work as a landscape gardener. During his time as a landscaper he was discovered by actress Gloria Henry, who played the mother on the Dennis the Menace television series. Henry learned of her gardener's acting aspirations and was dazzled enough by Armstrongs’s good looks to arrange for him to get a screen test at Columbia Pictures, where she was under contract.


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