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Hugh Reilly

Hugh Reilly (October 30, 1915 – July 17, 1998) was an actor best known for portraying , the father in the Martin family, on the long-running television series from 1958 to 1964. Born in , Reilly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during before pursuing a career in acting. His Broadway credits included roles in productions such as Dear Charles, Fair Game, The Teahouse of the August Moon, and The Philadelphia Story. On television, he appeared in anthology series like and took on film roles in Westerns including Chuka (1967) and the made-for-TV movie Attack on Fear (1984). In Lassie, Reilly's character, a , lived with his wife Ruth (played by ) and adopted son Timmy (), caring for the iconic until the family storyline concluded with a move to in 1964. He died of in , at age 82, survived by his three sons, Joshua, Ethan, and Dave.

Early life

Birth and family background

Hugh Reilly was born on October 30, 1915, in . He grew up in a working-class in the city, though details about his parents and any siblings remain scarce in public records. This modest upbringing in an industrial hub like shaped his early years before the demands of military service altered his path.

Military service

Hugh Reilly served in the United States Army Air Corps during . Reilly had studied theater and rhetoric at from 1937 to 1941 prior to his military service. Following his military service, he pursued a career in acting, transitioning to professional performances on .

Career

Theater work

Following his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during , Hugh Reilly transitioned to professional theater, making his Broadway debut in the 1947 revival of A Young Man's Fancy, where he portrayed Dr. Spee. Reilly established himself as a specializing in supporting comedic roles, appearing in five more productions over the next decade. In 1950, he played Jeffrey in , a satirical by Patrick that ran for 31 performances. The following year, he took on the role of Toby Wells in Second Threshold, a that enjoyed a longer run of 126 performances, and later that same year, Alex Wesley in the short-lived Never Say Never, which closed after just five performances. In 1954, Reilly returned to the role of Jeffrey in Dear Charles, an adaptation of a French play starring , which ran for 155 performances at the . His final Broadway appearance came in 1957 as Professor Spencer Thornton in Fair Game, a that achieved notable success with 217 performances. These roles highlighted Reilly's versatility in portraying erudite, eccentric supporting characters in lighthearted dramatic works.

Film roles

Hugh Reilly made his film debut in the 1949 crime thriller Johnny Stool Pigeon, directed by , where he portrayed the character Charlie in this early involving undercover operations against a narcotics ring. He followed with a supporting role as Dr. Foster in the 1950 The Sleeping City. In 1951, Reilly appeared as Captain Phelan in , a about a blinded veteran adjusting to life after injury, playing one of the veteran's comrades at a . Reilly's film career extended through 1984, with a notable appearance as Captain Carrol, the fort's doctor, in the Western Chuka, directed by Gordon Douglas and starring , amid tensions between soldiers and Native American warriors. His final film role was in the made-for-television movie Attack on Fear (1984). Throughout his filmography from 1949 to 1984, Reilly specialized in impactful supporting roles in dramas, film noirs, and Westerns, often as authoritative figures like military officers or professionals, drawing on his theater experience for nuanced performances.

Television roles

Reilly began his television career in the late 1940s with appearances in anthology series, marking his entry into the medium during its formative years. His first credited screen role came in 1949 as part of the episode "The Flying Gerardos" on Kraft Television Theatre, an early live drama showcase that adapted stories for broadcast. Throughout the 1950s, he contributed to numerous anthology programs, including hosting duties on TV Reader's Digest from 1955 to 1956, where he introduced dramatizations of true stories from the magazine, such as "A Matter of Life and Death" and "The Manufactured Clue." These early roles honed his skills in live television, often portraying everyday characters in moral or adventurous tales reflective of post-war American values. In 1952, Reilly took on a more prominent series role as David Naughton, the supportive husband to the titular character, in the short-lived CBS adaptation Claudia, which explored domestic life through the lens of a young wife's experiences. This part bridged his anthology work to serialized storytelling, allowing him to develop nuanced portrayals of familial relationships. Reilly's breakthrough came in 1958 when he joined the long-running CBS family drama Lassie as Paul Martin, the adoptive father to young Timmy Martin (played by Jon Provost) and husband to Ruth Martin (June Lockhart). Over six seasons, from 1958 to 1964, he appeared in 170 episodes, embodying the archetype of the steady, ranch-owning patriarch who provided moral guidance and stability amid the collie's adventures on the family farm. His portrayal emphasized themes of responsibility and community, contributing to the show's appeal as a wholesome depiction of rural American life that resonated with families during the era. Following , Reilly continued with recurring and guest roles across television, including as Dr. Simon Jessup, a deceptive spiritualist, on the soap opera from 1971 to 1973. In this against-type performance, he brought intensity to the character's manipulative schemes within the show's mystery-driven narrative. Throughout his career, Reilly amassed credits in over 50 distinct television productions, often playing authoritative or paternal figures that echoed his established screen persona.

Personal life and later years

Family

Hugh Reilly was the father of three sons: , , and . During the height of his television career in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Reilly relocated his family to to accommodate his role on , where the series was produced. A 1962 press photograph captures him with sons and riding bicycles in , reflecting the family's integration into life amid his professional commitments.

Final years

Following the conclusion of his role on the soap opera in 1973, Hugh Reilly transitioned to occasional television work, including a guest appearance as Gibbons on the NBC series in 1982 and the role of Lofgren in the CBS TV movie Attack on Fear in 1984. These sporadic appearances marked a significant slowdown in his career, after which he effectively retired from acting. Reilly spent his retirement years residing in , maintaining a low-profile life away from the public eye. In his later years, Reilly's health deteriorated due to , a condition that progressively worsened and confined him to his home. He was supported by his three sons during this period.

Death

Cause and burial

Hugh Reilly died on July 17, 1998, at the age of 82 in his home in , from . He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the section of Los Angeles, California.

References

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    Jul 21, 1998 · Hugh Reilly, the father of the second family who fed and groomed Lassie on the long-running television series about the collie, has died. He was 82.<|control11|><|separator|>
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    Hugh Reilly (1915-1998) - Memorials - Find a Grave
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    Hugh Reilly(1915-1998) - IMDb
    American character actor best known as "Paul Martin," the father on the Lassie (1954) TV series from 1958 to 1964. Reilly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps ...Missing: notable | Show results with:notable
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    Hugh REILLY : Biography and movies - notreCinema
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    Fair Game (Nov 02, 1957 - May 10, 1958). Performer: Hugh Reilly [Professor Spencer Thornton] ; Dear Charles (Sep 15, 1954 - Jan 29, 1955). Performer: Hugh Reilly ...Missing: roles | Show results with:roles
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    Sep 22, 2022 · A brisk cops-and-smugglers melodrama, which follows an obvious pattern and is fairly strong on suspense and short on originality and impressive histrionics.Missing: debut | Show results with:debut
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    In stockThis is an original press photo. Actor Hugh Reilly with his sons, Ethan and Joshua.Photo measures 7 x 9inches. Photo is dated 06-18-1962. PHOTO ...
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    HUGH REILLY, PLAYED FATHER IN LASSIE - Sun Sentinel
    Jul 21, 1998 · Reilly as a “gentle and caring man.” After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Mr. Reilly acted on Broadway in such shows as Dear ...
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    DEATHS ELSEWHERE - The Washington Post
    Jul 21, 1998 · Hugh Reilly, 82, the actor best known for his role as the father on the classic television show "Lassie," died July 17 in Burbank, Calif. He had emphysema.Missing: family | Show results with:family