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Actor Peter Breck was born in Rochester, New York, on March 13, 1929. He was best known for his portrayal of "Clay" in Western TV show 'Black Saddle', appearing for a total of 44 episodes between 1959 and 1960.
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Before his acting career took off, he lived in Rochester along with his parents and younger brother George.
However, at age 8 they divorced and Peter went on to live with his father, notable jazz musician Joe Breck. As for his brother, he accompanied their mother, resulting in the siblings' separating for over two decades.
They reunited in 1959, 22 years later.
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Breck attended the University of Houston, where he studied English and drama, at the same time he worked as a ranch hand.
He had a brief sports career, as he played professional basketball for the Rochester Royals during the 1948–49 season.
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1958 marked Peter's acting debut as "Mooney" in the film 'The Beatniks', which was however, released in 1960.
That same year (1958) he played an uncredited role in the film 'Thunder Road', and appeared in the 'Gunsmoke' episode 'The Patsy' as "Cowboy Fly Hoyt."
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One of Peter Breck's most notable career highlights took place from 1959 to 1960 in 'Black Saddle', where he portrayed the lead role of "Clay Culhane", sharing screen with Russell Johnson and Anna-Lisa.
On the small screen, he also appeared as "Nick" in 'The Big Valley' and played "Jess" in the 1964 'The Virginian' episode 'Rope of Lies'.
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Peter's first lead role in film took place in 1962 in 'Lad: A Dog', where he portrayed "Stephen".
The following year he took over the main roles of "Johnny" and "Steve" in 'Shock Corridor' and 'The Crawling Hand', both directed by Samuel Fuller.
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Due to his great acting skills, Peter and his family moved to Vancouver, Canada, as he was hired to teach film technique there. What started as a once-a-week class became a full-time acting school: The Breck Academy, operated by himself for a decade.
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When it comes to his love life, the 'Black Saddle' actor married dancer Diane Bourne in 1960. The couple shared a son named Chris, who unfortunately died at age 30 following a leukemia diagnosis.
Peter and Diane remained married until his death.
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Quick facts about Peter Breck:
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In 2010, Peter Breck fans were left saddened after the actor's wife announced that he wasn't able to sign autographs anymore, as he had been battling dementia. She mentioned, however, that he was still reading and enjoying their letters.
On February 6, 2012, she announced Peter's death. He died from the illness at age 82 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Beloved actor Peter Breck was best known for his roles in series 'Black Saddle' and 'The Big Valley'. With countless TV and film appearances, the star was also a talented film technique teacher.
Sadly, Peter died in February 2012 after battling a heartbreaking illness. This caused his death.