Character actors often make their careers by losing themselves in side characters or smaller, memorable performances. Such was often the case with James Franciscus, who led a successful film and television career in Hollywood for decades. But one of his most notable roles – that of Mike Longstreet on TV’s Longstreet – caused Franciscus physical discomfort.
James Franciscus starred on ‘Longstreet’ from 1971 to 1972
Franciscus appeared in many movies over the course of his career. But he’s probably better known for his countless television appearances. Among his TV credits were series like Mr. Novak, The Naked City, The Investigators, Doc Elliot, Hunter, and, yes, Longstreet.
Longstreet started with a 90-minute pilot that aired as an ABC movie of the week prior to its premiere. As a series, Longstreet officially debuted on ABC in 1971, and though it only ran for a single season, the series is not without its fans. Franciscus plays an insurance investigator who is blinded by the same bomb that killed his wife.
He continues working with the help of a seeing eye dog named Pax, and each episode sees him tackle a variety of different cases. Notably, Bruce Lee appears in four episodes as Li Tsung, Longstreet’s martial arts instructor.
James Franciscus physically struggled with playing Longstreet
Many actors have taken on the task of playing blind characters in movies and TV shows. And there’s always a certain degree of difficulty built into such a project. With Longstreet, Franciscus similarly found it challenging to remain in character due to his character’s disability.
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According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor had a hard time shooting the series because playing the Longstreet lead required that he keep his eyes unfocused for hours at a time. However, despite the arduous nature of playing Mike Longstreet, Franciscus reportedly found the role rewarding because it was “about a blind investigator, but actually it’s about a blind person who’s trying to cope.”
James Franciscus died in 1991 when he was 57 years old
After more than 30 years in the business, James Franciscus died from emphysema in 1991 at age 57. However, the actor’s fans have a wealth of material to dig into if they choose to do so. In addition to the aforementioned TV roles he played, Franciscus popped up in more than 20 movies released between 1957’s Four Boys and a Gun and 1983’s Great Transport.
In the 1960s and 1970s, he starred in Youngblood Hawke, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and The Greek Tycoon, among many others. He also starred in several Italian films, including Dario Argento’s The Cat o’ Nine Tails and Antonio Margheriti’s Killer Fish.
His final movie project was as screenwriter and associate producer on 1991’s 29th Street, starring Anthony LaPaglia. Franciscus’ last TV appearance was a 1985 TV movie called Secret Weapons.
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