Mike Ragan

Not related to the political activist Michael Reagan, adopted son of Ronald Reagan

Mike Ragan, born Hollis "Holly" Alan Bane (February 18, 1918 - August 25, 1995), was an American actor of primarily western films and television but some dramatic roles too from the 1940s until 1968.

Early career

A native of Los Angeles, California, Ragan had intended to become a big-band musician. He instead found work at the age of fifteen as an office boy at MGM and thereafter as a make-up artist in film and television. Because of his stocky build, he also landed acting work in the 1940s, mostly uncredited, minor parts, or as henchmen in western or drama films. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. When his acting parts dried up in the late 1960s, he returned to his former work as a make-up artist.^[1]

In 1953, he played Reed in the science fiction film, Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders. In 1952, he was cast as Higgins in the western film, Target, starring Tim Holt. In 1955, he played the role of Rand in the jungle picture, Panther Girl of the Kongo.^[1]

In 1951 and 1952, Ragan was cast in five episodes of the syndicated western television series, The Range Rider. About the same time, he appeared in three episodes, "The Tax Collecting Story", "Mexican Rustlers Story", and "The Doctor's Story" of another syndicated western series, The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, starring Guy Madison and Andy Devine. He appeared from 1950 to 1954 in eight episodes of the syndicated western The Cisco Kid. From 1952 to 1954, he was cast in four episodes of The Roy Rogers Show and about the same time four segments of The Gene Autry Show.^[1]

In 1954, he played henchman Red Yeager in the episode "Henry Plummer" in the syndicated half-hour anthology series, Stories of the Century, narrated and starring Jim Davis. John Dehner played the title role of a sheriff-turned-outlaw in the Idaho Territory, who was hanged by Montana vigilantes in 1864.^[1]

Ragan appeared in 1954 in four episodes, "The Dry Creek Case", "Trails Westward", "The Wrong Man", and "Trail to Bordertown" of The Adventures of Kit Carson, syndicated western series starring Bill Williams. In 1955 and 1956, he appeared three times in still another syndicated western, Buffalo Bill, Jr., with Dick Jones. He was subsequently cast in four episodes of Annie Oakley starring Gail Davis and nine times on the long-running The Lone Ranger.^[1]

Later roles

In 1955, he was cast as Marion Fletcher in "Spindletop - The First Great Texas Oil Strike (January 10, 1901)" on the CBS history series, You Are There, with Robert Bray as petroleum pioneer Pattillo Higgins.^[1]

In the 1956-1957 season, he appeared in different roles in three episodes, "The Last Train West", "Lone Gun", and "Hard Bargain", of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker. In 1957, he played the role of Clint Bullinger in the episode "Billy the Kid" of the NBC western series, Tales of Wells Fargo, starring Dale Robertson, and the part of Billy Hooter in "Guns of Silver" of the western series, Tombstone Territory, starring Pat Conway. From 1955 to 1958, he appeared three times on the military drama, Navy Log, including the part of Horn in the episode "American U-Boat III". In 1957, he was cast as the Gunners Mate in the episode "Jinx" of another television military drama, Men of Annapolis.^[1] Ragan also appeared on an episode of the TV series Official Detective as Dr. Kirk Loade in 'The Night It Rained Bullets' (1957). ^[2]

Ragan was cast from 1956 to 1960 in nine episodes, twice as J. B. Ayres, of the ABC/Desilu western series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian in the title role. In the episode "The Time for All Good Men", Ragan played the gunfighter Clay Allison, who joins other Old West figures, including Ben Thompson (Denver Pyle) and John Wesley Hardin (Phillip Pine), in coming to deputy marshal Wyatt Earp's aid in a shootout with the owner and foreman of the Big T Ranch, Rance Purcell (Richard Devon) and Gus Andrews (Grant Withers).^[3]

In 1959, he appeared twice, in the episodes "A Quart of Law" and "Traildust", of Rory Calhoun's CBS western series, The Texan. In 1960, he played a character with his own stage name in the episode "Vinegaroon" of the ABC/WB western, Sugarfoot, starring Will Hutchins. During the 1960s, Ragan was cast in twelve episodes in mostly minor roles on NBC's most successful western series, Bonanza.^[1] In 1966, he played the part Luke in "Ride with Terror" on the ABC family western series, The Monroes. On March 10, 1966, he played an unnamed cowboy in the episode "Holy Rat Race" of the ABC adventure series, Batman, starring Adam West. In 1967, he was cast as Cantley in the episode "The Prisoners" of another Dale Robertson western series, The Iron Horse.^[1]

Ragan appeared seven times on NBC's The Virginian and three times on its spin-off series, Laredo. His last credited acting role was as Jonesy in the television movie Three Guns for Texas, a compilation of episodes of Laredo.^[4]

As a makeup artist in the 1970s, Ragan worked for three ABC situation comedies, Welcome Back, Kotter, Barney Miller, and Fish.^[1]

References