Larry Pennell

Larry Pennell made his feature film debut in 1955 as a son of controversial and violent abolitionist John Brown in "Seven Angry Men." After myriad bit parts on various television series, Pennell achieved fame as Ted McKeever on the skydiving adventure series "Ripcord." The television character he remains best known for, however, is the arrogant, superficial Dash Riprock of "The Beverly Hillbillies," a comedy about a family of hillbillies whose arrival in Hollywood changes "La-La-Land" forever. Age did not slow Pennell's career; in fact, his graying years offered up new and exciting opportunities, including the role of Captain Cyril Simard on the star-studded film "Midway," a blockbuster account of the Battle of Midway, where Allied Forces finally turned the tide against the Japanese Imperial Navy. His aide in the film was played by Tom Selleck, and the two men proceeded to work together on two more occasions. The first came when Pennell guest-starred on Selleck's own detective series, "Magnum, P.I.," and the second came when Selleck convinced Pennell to join him in "Mr. Baseball," a comedy about an over-the-hill baseball player.