Matinee Classics - Glen Campbell Biography & Filmography

Glen Campbell ACTOR

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GLEN CAMPBELL BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Glen Campbell was born on April 22nd, 1936 in Delight, Arkansas with the middle name Travis. He had eleven siblings and was raised in a small community with less then one hundred residents. Campbell later became an American Country music star as well as a television host and actor.

His career in entertainment began in the music business. From a young age he began learning how to play the guitar and at the age of sixteen he relocated to New Mexico and joined his uncles band called, "Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys". It was at this time that Campbell was also given the chance to appear on he radio with his uncle and realizing he had such a talent in music, Campbell soon began his own band called, "Western Wranglers".

After a move to Los Angeles, his music career began to take off. He added such experiences to his life as being a touring member of the famous singing group, "The Beach Boys". He later signed with Capital Records, became a solo artist and released a number of successful records.

Over the course of his career, Campbell has won four Grammy's, a Male Vocalist of the Year Award from the Academy of Country Music as well as the Country Music Association as well as being awarded their entertainer of the year in 1968. He has released more than seventy albums over a fifty year long career and twenty seven of his songs have made it to top ten on the charts. Some of his more well known hits are, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Galveston", "Gentle on My Mind" and "Rhinestone Cowboy".

In addition to his music career, Campbell was also involved in the entertainment industry as an actor. He is most well known for hosting the variety show, "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" which aired on CBS from 1969 through 1972. Although, Campbell was mostly a country singer and that is how he became most well known, he did on occasion make a number of film appearances such as in, "True Grit" (1969) acting alongside John Wayne. For this particular film, Campbell was honored with a Golden Globe nomination for being, "Most Promising Newcomer".

Other acting credits he added to his resume include the television movie, "Strange Homecoming" (1974) and he hosted a number of television specials such as, "The American Music Awards" (1976-1978) and between 1982 and 1983, he hosted a music show which aired on NBC titled, "The Glen Campbell Music Show". In addition to acting in films and hosting a variety of show, Campbell was also a guest star on such variety shows as, "Donny & Marie", "Redd Foxx Comedy Hour" and "The Mike Douglas Show" among others.

Some of his latest appearances have been in the film, "Any Which Way You Can" (1980) starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, "Uphill All the Way" (1986) and the television series, "The Players" (1997). He has also been seen on a number of CMT program's. In 2005, Campbell was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and he did his most recent public performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards singing, "Rhinestone Cowboy" as sort of a goodbye to his fans while being honored by his peers with a tribute. He has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and is beginning to feel the effects of memory loss which caused him to ultimately retire.

He has married a total of four times throughout his lifetime. His first wife was Diane Kirk whom he wed in 1952 and after having one child together this marriage came to an end in 1959. He then married his second wife, Billie Jean Nunely in 1959 and together they had three children before his marriage also came to an end in 1976. His third wife was Sarah Davis whom he wed in September 1976 and after having one child this marriage also came to an end in 1980. His fourth and final wife was Kim Campbell who he is currently married to and they have three additional children together and reside in Malibu, California.