AKA Hugh Marjoe Ross Gortner

Born: 14-Jan-1944
Birthplace: Long Beach, CA

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Religion, Actor

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Former child preacher

Hellfire-and-brimstone evangelical preacher beginning at 3 (three) years of age, and came to national attention after performing his first marriage ceremony the following year. He claimed to have seen God in a vision while his parents were giving him a bath, a story young Gortner often recounted -- but eventually recanted, explaining that his parents had made it up and forced him to memorize and repeat the lie.

Through touring, preaching, and passing the collection plate, he became a millionaire by age 16, when he left his family and became effectively homeless for several years before returning to the ministry in his 20s. After again earning fame and fortune as a celebrity evangelist, he cooperated in the making of Marjoe (1972), a documentary focused on the backstage hypocrisy of travelling revival ministry shows. The film won an Oscar for Best Documentary, and Gortner left the ministry to become a moderately successful actor in film and television. As an actor, he is probably best known for a short stint on Falcon Crest.

Father: Vernon Gortner (preacher)
Wife: (m. 1960, div., one daughter)
Wife: Candy Clark (actress, m. 1978, div. 1979)

    Ordained (1948; age four)
    Risk Factors: Glossolalia

    TELEVISION
    Falcon Crest Vince Karlotti (1986-87)

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Wild Bill (1-Dec-1995) · Preacher
    Fire, Ice & Dynamite (18-Oct-1990)
    American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (24-Feb-1989)
    Hellhole (Mar-1985)
    Jungle Warriors (11-May-1984)
    Mausoleum (1983)
    When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (9-Feb-1979)
    Starcrash (21-Dec-1978) · Akton
    Sidewinder 1 (Aug-1977)
    Viva Knievel! (15-Jul-1977)
    The Food of the Gods (18-Jun-1976) · Morgan
    Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (Mar-1976)
    Earthquake (15-Nov-1974) · Jody
    The Gun and the Pulpit (3-Apr-1974)
    Marjoe (24-Jul-1972)

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