Michael Blodgett was a versatile and talented artist who had a successful career as an actor, novelist, and screenwriter. He starred in the cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and wrote popular novels and scripts such as Captain Blood, Hero and the Terror, and Turner & Hooch. However, his life was cut short by a sudden heart attack in 2007. What caused his death and what legacy did he leave behind? Here is a brief overview of his life and work.
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Early Life and Career
Michael Blodgett was born on September 26, 1939, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He earned a degree in political science from Cal State Los Angeles and attended Loyola Law School for a year before focusing on acting.
He made his film debut in 1965 as a beach bum in A Swingin’ Summer. He then appeared in several TV shows such as McHale’s Navy, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Munsters, Daniel Boone, Night Gallery, Ironside, Barnaby Jones, and Barbary Coast.
He also hosted two TV programs: The Groovy Show, a beach-party dance show for teens, and The Michael Blodgett Show, a 90-minute talk show where he interviewed celebrities such as Connie Stevens, Agnes Moorehead, Pat Paulsen, and Henry Mancini.
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Blodgett achieved his greatest fame and cult status with his role as Lance Rocke, a gigolo and aspiring rock star, in Russ Meyer’s 1970 film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. The film was a satirical sequel to the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls, based on the novel by Jacqueline Susann. It was co-written by film critic Roger Ebert and featured sex, drugs, violence, and rock music.
The film was initially rated X for its explicit content but later re-rated NC-17. It was a commercial success and became a cult classic over the years. Blodgett’s performance as Lance Rocke was praised by critics and fans alike for his charisma and charm.
Other Film Roles
After Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Blodgett appeared in several other films in the 1970s. He played Coy Cavendish, a brash young prisoner who gets flogged by Kirk Douglas in There Was a Crooked Man…, a western comedy directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. He also starred as Lee Ritter, a free-spirited hippie who gets seduced by a vampire in The Velvet Vampire, a horror film directed by Stephanie Rothman.
He had supporting roles in The Carey Treatment, where he played an abusive masseur who gets murdered by James Coburn; The Last Movie Star (also known as Ginger), where he played an aging actor who falls in love with Karen Black; The Ultimate Thrill (also known as The Ultimate Chase), where he played a ski instructor who gets involved in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Barry Brown; and Disco Fever (also known as Summer Fever), where he played a disco singer who tries to make it big.
Writing Career
Blodgett became dissatisfied with the type of roles he was being offered and decided to quit acting in the late 1970s. He then shifted his focus to writing novels and screenplays. He published his first novel, Captain Blood, in 1982. It was a historical adventure novel based on the character created by Rafael Sabatini. He followed it with Hero and the Terror, a thriller novel about a detective who faces off against a serial killer.
He also wrote The White Raven, a novel about a jewel thief who gets involved in a Nazi plot to steal a priceless artifact. All three novels were later adapted into films.
Blodgett also collaborated with Dennis Shryack on several screenplays. They wrote Rent-A-Cop (1987), starring Burt Reynolds as a disgraced cop who teams up with Liza Minnelli as a prostitute; Turner & Hooch (1989), starring Tom Hanks as a detective who inherits a dog from his murdered friend; Run (1991), starring Patrick Dempsey as a law student who gets chased by mobsters; Revenge on the Highway (1992), starring Stacy Keach as a trucker who hunts down a serial killer; and The White Raven (1998), starring Ron Silver as the jewel thief from Blodgett’s novel.
Blodgett also made cameo appearances in Hero and the Terror and The White Raven. He also contributed to interview segments in the documentary Above, Beneath and Beyond the Valley, which was featured on the 2006 DVD release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Personal Life and Death
Blodgett was married four times and had three daughters. His first wife was Linn Hammerlund, whom he married in 1957 and divorced in 1960. His second wife was Sandra Kirchner, whom he married in 1964 and divorced in 1978. His third wife was Lanetta Wahlgren, whom he married in 1984 and divorced in 1995. His fourth wife was actress Meredith Baxter, whom he married in 1995 and divorced in 2000.
His daughter Lucette is married to actor Miles Fisher.
Blodgett died at his home in Los Angeles on November 14, 2007, of an apparent heart attack. He was 68 years old. According to Variety, he had been working on a screenplay for a remake of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls at the time of his death.
Legacy
Michael Blodgett was a multifaceted artist who left a mark on the film and literary world. He was best known for his role as Lance Rocke in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, which earned him a cult following and a place in film history. He was also a successful novelist and screenwriter who wrote popular and entertaining stories for the big screen. He was a charismatic and charming person who lived a full and adventurous life. He will be remembered as a talented and versatile artist who left behind a rich and diverse body of work.
