Cal Bolder

Cal Bolder (1931-2005) was an American film and television actor. He was active in the 1960s and is known for having appeared in Heller in Pink Tights (1960), One of Our Spies Is Missing (1966) and Star Trek TV series.

Cal Bolder was born as Earl C. Craver on June 14, 1931 to Mabel Mae and Fred Francis Craver, in Elkhart, Kansas He was a middle child of six children.

Bolder joined army and was with the 1st Marine Division and was posted to the newly reformed 9th Marines at Camp Pendleton. After leaving the army, Bolder became a Los Angeles motorcycle policeman.

Working as the police office, in 1959, he issued a traffic citation to Robert Raison who was a Hollywood agent and a friend of fellow agent Henry Willson. Impressed by Craver's imposing stature, Raison imagined an acting career for Bolder and arranged a meeting between him and Henry Willson. Willson changed Craver's name to "Cal Bolder" –– "Cal" for "California" and "Bolder" for boulder, in reference to his large physique. In the past, Willson had created for actors such energetic names as Tab Hunter, Rock Hudson, John Saxon, Clint Walker, Rory Calhoun, Troy Donahue, and Chad Everett. The pattern usually had one syllable for the first name and two for the last.

Willson in an interview explained: 

I try to get a name that looks like the guy...He's a big Western type guy and that sounds it.

Bolder made his acting debut in 1959 in "Like Father, Like Son" episode of television series, The Dennis O'Keefe Show. The following year, he was seen as "Goober" in George Cukor-directed film, Heller in Pink Tights.

In the 1960s he was seen in numerous television shows such as One of Our Spies Is Missing, Bonanza, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Honey West. His appearances in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. were turned into the feature films, One Spy Too Many, and One of Our Spies Is Missing.

In 1966, he played the role of "Igor" in William Beaudine-directed horror film, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter.

Bolder's last role was of "Trapper" in the "Knife in the Darkness" episode of television series, Cimarron Strip.

Bolder died of caner on January 19, 2005 in Royal City, Washington.

Bolder was married to his wife, Billie. They remained married until his death in 2005 and had four children.

Filmography