Donald Harvey Francks (28 February 1932 â€" 3 April 2016), also known
by his stage name Iron Buffalo, was a Canadian actor, musician and
singer.Don Harvey Francks was born on February 28, 1932, and shortly
after his birth he was adopted. His mother worked at a music store and
his father was an electrician. As a child, he performed on Vancouver
radio doing imitations of singers. After dropping out of high school
at age 15, he worked in several jobs. In 1955 he won a recurring role
on the CBC television program Burns Chuckwagon from the Stampede
Corral. After guest appearances on television shows during the late
1950s, he received his first lead role in the 1959â€"60 CBC program
R.C.M.P., playing Constable Bill Mitchell.During the 1960s he had
roles on the American television programs Mission: Impossible,
Jericho, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, and Mannix. His
most famous film part was in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of
Finian's Rainbow. He acted on Broadway in On a Clear Day You Can See
Forever and Kelly. In 1969 he rejected an offer to work with Katharine
Hepburn in Coco, her only stage musical.In 1962 Francks led Three, an
avant-garde jazz trio with Lenny Breau on guitar and Eon Henstridge on
double bass. The band performed regularly in Toronto and New York City
and appeared in the National Film Board documentary Toronto Jazz.
by his stage name Iron Buffalo, was a Canadian actor, musician and
singer.Don Harvey Francks was born on February 28, 1932, and shortly
after his birth he was adopted. His mother worked at a music store and
his father was an electrician. As a child, he performed on Vancouver
radio doing imitations of singers. After dropping out of high school
at age 15, he worked in several jobs. In 1955 he won a recurring role
on the CBC television program Burns Chuckwagon from the Stampede
Corral. After guest appearances on television shows during the late
1950s, he received his first lead role in the 1959â€"60 CBC program
R.C.M.P., playing Constable Bill Mitchell.During the 1960s he had
roles on the American television programs Mission: Impossible,
Jericho, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, and Mannix. His
most famous film part was in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of
Finian's Rainbow. He acted on Broadway in On a Clear Day You Can See
Forever and Kelly. In 1969 he rejected an offer to work with Katharine
Hepburn in Coco, her only stage musical.In 1962 Francks led Three, an
avant-garde jazz trio with Lenny Breau on guitar and Eon Henstridge on
double bass. The band performed regularly in Toronto and New York City
and appeared in the National Film Board documentary Toronto Jazz.
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