On June 13, 1955, a group of potential stars had a publicity shot outside Wil Wright’s ice cream parlour in Los Angeles, CA.
From left to right:
Lance Fuller was probably the least successful of the group. He worked for Universal in the 1950s but never became a big star. His career moved into television, but with little success. He stopped acting in 1962 and made local news in 1968 when he crashed some cars on a street and was shot in the chest by a policeman. He survived and tried to make a comeback, but it didn’t work. He passed away in 2001.
Jayne Mansfield became popular for a short time before a tragic car accident ended her life in 1967.
John Smith became famous for his role in Laramie. After that, he worked with John Wayne in Circus World, but the director, Henry Hathaway, apparently didn’t like him and tried to stop his career. The reason for this is unclear, but it was mentioned by Smith’s biographer. Smith died in 1995 from cirrhosis of the liver and heart problems.
Natalie Wood was already a skilled actress at 16 when this photo was taken. 1955 was a big year for her, as she was starting to get adult roles, like in Rebel Without a Cause. She went on to have a successful career but tragically drowned under suspicious circumstances in 1981.
Robert Fuller, who was not related to Lance Fuller, was possibly the most successful. He lived the longest and is still alive today, approaching his 90th birthday. He’s best known for Laramie, Wagon Train, and Emergency.