LOS ANGELES -- Actor-director Victor French, who played an angel's ex-cop sidekick in NBC's 'Highway to Heaven,' died Thursday of cancer, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 54.
French, who got his start in Hollywood as a stuntman on 'Gunsmoke' and later appeared in the TV series 'Get Smart' and 'Little House on the Prairie,' died at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital at 7:50 a.m., the spokeswoman said.
French was hospitalized June 7 following a prolonged bout with lung cancer, she said.
Born in Santa Barbara and raised in the San Fernando Valley, French followed in the footsteps of his father, a Hollywood stuntman.
In the 1960s he appeared in 25 episodes of 'Gunsmoke,' some of which he directed, andplayed Agent 44 in 'Get Smart.' He also had roles in the series 'Bonanza,' and 'The Hero.'
Through 'Bonanza,' French met actor Michael Landon, who later signed him to play Isaiah Edwards, the Ingalls' best friend on 'Little House on the Prairie.'
After four years of co-starring and directing a number of episodes for 'Little House,' French left the series to pursue other activities, including the starring role of Chief Roy Mobey in 'Carter Country' from 1977 to 1979.
In 1984, Landon drafted him to play his 'Highway to Heaven' sidekick, ex-cop Mark Gordon, a character French once described as 'the closest thing to me that I've ever played -- he shares the same feelings, frustrations and joys that I feel.'
French also had roles in the movies 'Choices' and 'An Officer and a Gentleman.'
In his spare time, French worked at Theatre East, lectured at colleges and taught acting classes.
He was also co-owner and chief promoter of the Ten Goose Boxing Club in Van Nuys.
French, who was married in the 1970s to actress Julie Cobb, is survived by twin daughters, Lee Tracy and Lee Kelly, and a son, Victor Allyn, a stand-in on 'Highway to Heaven.'
