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Born: March 17, 1910 – Died: October 15, 1981
Frank DeKova, best known for his portrayal of menacing characters in the entertainment industry, was born in New York City on March 17, 1910. Before embarking on his acting career, DeKova had an unexpected profession as a schoolteacher. However, his destiny took a different turn when he decided to pursue a career in the spotlight. He initially graced the stages of Broadway with his presence, starring in various Shakespearean productions. DeKova's breakthrough came when he landed a leading role in the classic detective play "Detective Story," which paved his way to Hollywood. Over the years, he portrayed a wide range of characters, from devious Mexican colonels to Mafia hit-men. Yet, his most memorable role was as the comedic Hekawi Chief Wild Eagle in the western comedy series "F Troop," showcasing his versatility in the world of entertainment. Frank DeKova's legacy continues to be celebrated in the entertainment industry, leaving a lasting mark on audiences and fellow actors alike.
Early Life and Career
Frank DeKova's journey from a schoolteacher to a celebrated actor is marked by his fascinating life story. Born in New York City on March 17, 1910, DeKova's early years were shaped by his upbringing and education. He attended a university where he pursued his passion for theater, majoring in drama, which laid the foundation for his future in the entertainment industry.
DeKova's path to stardom began on the stages of Broadway, where he showcased his talent in various Shakespearean productions. However, it was his role in the classic detective play "Detective Story" that caught the attention of Hollywood producers and directors. This breakthrough marked his transition to the world of film and television.
One of his notable early roles was portraying a devious Mexican colonel involved in setting up Zapata's assassination. This role showcased his ability to play complex and sinister characters convincingly. As the years went by, DeKova continued to impress audiences with his performances, earning recognition for his portrayal of gangsters, killers, gunfighters, and Native American chiefs.
However, it was his portrayal of Hekawi Chief Wild Eagle in the western comedy series "F Troop" that truly catapulted him into stardom. His comedic talent in this role surprised many, and he became a fan favorite, stealing scenes from his co-stars. This role not only showcased his versatility but also endeared him to a wider audience.
Throughout his career, Frank DeKova earned several awards and accolades for his outstanding performances. His dedication to his craft was evident in his ability to immerse himself in a wide range of roles, earning critical acclaim along the way.
Frank DeKova's impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry is undeniable. His ability to portray menacing characters with conviction and, conversely, to excel in comedy showcased his versatility as an actor. Although not always in the spotlight, his contributions to film and television left an indelible mark. While he may not be considered an icon or legend in the traditional sense, his unique talents and memorable performances continue to be celebrated by those who appreciate his work.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Hey Good Lookin' | Old Vinnie (voice) |
| 1981 | American Pop | Crisco (voice, as Frank De Kova) |
| 1980 | The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) | Sam Monte (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1980 | Mafia on the Bounty | Rupolo |
| 1979 | Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) | Chief Kilowatt | Brower |
| 1978 | Cat in the Cage | Rachid Khan (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1978 | Baretta (TV Series) | Dominick |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) | Nova (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1976 | Swiss Family Robinson (TV Series) | Shaman |
| 1976 | Cannon (TV Series) | Lucius Delgado |
| 1975 | Johnny Firecloud | White Eagle |
| 1975 | Crossfire (TV Movie) | Albert Ambrose |
| 1968–1975 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Two Dog | Narrator |
| 1975 | Police Woman (TV Series) | Vito Angelo (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1974 | Apple's Way (TV Series) | Connie DeMarco |
| 1974 | Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes | Big Tony (as Frank deKova) |
| 1974 | Police Story (TV Series) | Perez (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1974 | Run, Joe, Run (TV Series) | Chief Great Hawk |
| 1974 | Coonskin | Mannigan | Ruby (voice, uncredited) |
| 1974 | Toma (TV Series) | Alex Cordeen |
| 1973 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) | Dracus | Faber |
| 1973 | The Don Is Dead | Giunta (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1973 | The Slams | Capiello (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1973 | Heavy Traffic | Angelo "Angie" Corleone (voice) |
| 1973 | Frasier, the Sensuous Lion | The Man (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1972 | The Mechanic | The Man (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1971 | Love, American Style (TV Series) | (segment "Love and the Eskimo's Wife") |
| 1970 | The Wild Country | Two Dog |
| 1962–1969 | Death Valley Days (TV Series) | Chief Colorow | Zuni Chief Sanchez | Chief Nahnee |
| 1969 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) | Phil Kalama (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1968 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) | Aguirre |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) | Gen. Tashkov (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1967 | The Legend of the Boy and the Eagle | Narrator (voice) |
| 1965–1967 | F Troop (TV Series) | Chief Wild Eagle | Wild Eagle |
| 1965 | The Sword of Ali Baba | Old Baba |
| 1964–1965 | Daniel Boone (TV Series) | Saugus | Talakum |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Tormentor (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1957–1965 | Wagon Train (TV Series) | Isaiah Quickfox | Running Bear | Arapahoe Chief ... |
| 1965 | Those Calloways | Nigosh (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1965 | Valentine's Day (TV Series) | Chief Bald Eagle |
| 1959–1964 | The Third Man (TV Series) | Juan Rodriguez | Arlatti |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) | Edward (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1964 | Ben Casey (TV Series) | John Whistler |
| 1964 | The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV Series) | Chief (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1964 | The Greatest Show on Earth (TV Series) | Joseph (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1963 | The Raiders | Pawnee Chief (uncredited) |
| 1958–1963 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) | Dino Malatesta | Jack Bent | Jerry Gordon |
| 1963 | The Dakotas (TV Series) | Matt Kellog (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1963 | Stoney Burke (TV Series) | Mr. Tecas (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959–1963 | Laramie (TV Series) | Tah-Za | Chief Red Wolf | Sitting Bull ... |
| 1959–1962 | The Untouchables (TV Series) | Anthony 'Tough Tony' Lamberto | The Man | Judge Foley ... |
| 1957–1962 | Cheyenne (TV Series) | Red Knife | War Cloud | Spotted Bull ... |
| 1962 | The Gallant Men (TV Series) | Legrini |
| 1962 | Follow That Dream | Jack (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1961–1962 | Outlaws (TV Series) | Chief White Tongue | Pawnee Joe |
| 1959–1962 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) | Senor Vargas | Pedro |
| 1962 | Thriller (TV Series) | Lieutenant Vincoli |
| 1961 | Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) | Gavril's Father |
| 1961 | Frontier Circus (TV Series) | Karl Maynard (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1961 | Maverick (TV Series) | Blackjack Hardy |
| 1960–1961 | The Roaring 20's (TV Series) | Tony Manaci | Ben Dorschel |
| 1961 | Gunslinger (TV Series) | Don Ignacio Alesandro (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1961 | Atlantis: The Lost Continent | Sonoy (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1961 | The Tall Man (TV Series) | Mike Gray Eagle (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1961 | Portrait of a Mobster | Anthony Parazzo |
| 1961 | Route 66 (TV Series) | Davey Briggs (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959–1961 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Chief Tawyawp | Villegro (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1961 | The Rebel (TV Series) | Richard Aloysius Sturgis (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1960–1961 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) | Okello | Pete Dailey |
| 1961 | Hong Kong (TV Series) | Cesaro (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1960 | The Islanders (TV Series) | Carlos Roca (as Frank deKova) |
| 1960 | Lawman (TV Series) | Jed Barker |
| 1960 | Shotgun Slade (TV Series) | Red Hawk |
| 1960 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) | Captain Bultian (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1960 | Surfside 6 (TV Series) | Stinger |
| 1959–1960 | The Rifleman (TV Series) | Carl Miller | Chief Hostay |
| 1960 | Hotel de Paree (TV Series) | Indian |
| 1960 | Overland Trail (TV Series) | Chief (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959–1960 | The Alaskans (TV Series) | Fantan (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1957–1960 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) | Joe Black | Iron Hand | Pablo |
| 1960 | The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond | Syndicate Chairman |
| 1960 | Johnny Staccato (TV Series) | Eddie Wayneright (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1960 | The Detectives (TV Series) | Nordoff (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1960 | Five Fingers (TV Series) | Landau |
| 1959 | The Texan (TV Series) | Mandan (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959 | The Jayhawkers! | Evans |
| 1959 | The Deputy (TV Series) | Cowan |
| 1956–1959 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Leader | Tobeel | Mulligan Rives |
| 1959 | The Lawless Years (TV Series) | Harry the Horse |
| 1959 | U.S. Marshal (TV Series) | Red Slade (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1958–1959 | The Californians (TV Series) | Jacko | Ug-A-Mug (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959 | Day of the Outlaw | Denver (as Frank deKova) |
| 1959 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) | Jimmy Napoli |
| 1959 | Peter Gunn (TV Series) | Joe Taber (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959 | Black Saddle (TV Series) | Calderon |
| 1959 | Mike Hammer (TV Series) | Al Adams (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1959 | Buckskin (TV Series) | Potato Man |
| 1958 | The Walter Winchell File (TV Series) | Stefan (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1958 | Man with a Camera (TV Series) | The Man (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1958 | Union Pacific (TV Series) | Indian Chief |
| 1958 | The Restless Gun (TV Series) | Lupo Lazaro (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1958 | Apache Territory | Lugo (as Frank deKova) |
| 1958 | Teenage Cave Man | The Black-Bearded One (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1958 | Machine-Gun Kelly | Harry (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1958 | The Phil Silvers Show (TV Series) | Judge's Assistant (uncredited) |
| 1958 | The Brothers Karamazov | Capt. Vrublevski (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1958 | Cowboy | Alcaide (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1957 | Not One Shall Die (Short) | Egyptian official |
| 1957 | Ride Out for Revenge | Chief Yellow Wolf (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1957 | The Silent Service (TV Series) | Arturo |
| 1957 | Appointment with a Shadow | Dutch Hayden |
| 1957 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (TV Series) | Okoma | Culebra |
| 1957 | Run of the Arrow | Red Cloud (as Frank De Kova) |
| 1957 | Crossroads (TV Series) | Black Hawk |
| 1957 | Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans (TV Series) | Ottawa Chief (as Frank Dekova) |
| 1956 | Johnny Moccasin (TV Movie) | Brave Scout (as Frank deKova) |
| 1956 | Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1956 | The White Squaw | Yellow Elk |
| 1956 | Reprisal! | Charlie Washackle |
| 1956 | The Ten Commandments | Abiram |
| 1956 | Pillars of the Sky | Zachariah (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1956 | Santiago | Jingo (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1956 | Crusader (TV Series) | Juan Perez |
| 1956 | The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) | Delwin Slater (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1956 | Big Town (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1956 | The Lone Ranger | Chief Red Hawk (as Frank deKova) |
| 1955 | Hold Back Tomorrow | Priest |
| 1955 | Shack Out on 101 | Prof. Claude Dillon |
| 1955 | The Man from Laramie | Padre |
| 1955 | Strange Lady in Town | Anse Hatlo |
| 1954 | They Rode West | Isatai |
| 1954 | Drum Beat | Modoc Jim (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1954 | Passion | Martinez (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1954 | Valley of the Kings | Akmed Salah (uncredited) |
| 1953 | King of the Khyber Rifles | Ali Nur (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1953 | Fighter Attack | Benedetto |
| 1953 | All the Brothers Were Valiant | Stevenson (as Frank deKova) |
| 1953 | The Robe | Slave Dealer (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Arrowhead | Chief Chattez (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1953 | Chevron Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1953 | Raiders of the Seven Seas | Captain Romero |
| 1953 | Your Favorite Story (TV Series) | Chieftain |
| 1953 | The Desert Song | Mindar |
| 1953 | Split Second | Dummy (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1952 | Pony Soldier | Custin (uncredited) |
| 1951–1952 | Martin Kane (TV Series) | Thomas Randall |
| 1952 | The Big Sky | Moleface (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Holiday for Sinners | The Wiry Man (as Frank de Kova) |
| 1952 | Viva Zapata! | Colonel Guajardo (uncredited) |
| 1951 | The Mob | Culio (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Up Front | Italian Man (uncredited) |
| 1951 | The Ford Theatre Hour (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1950 | Dick Tracy (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1950 | The Web (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1947 | Kiss of Death | Con Library (uncredited) |