Kirby Grant
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Kirby Grant, real name Kirby Grant Hoon Jr., was born on November 24, 1911, in Butte, Montana. A long-time B movie actor, Grant is remembered mostly today as playing the title role in the television series Sky King.
Grant was a child prodigy violinist, a singer and one time led a dance band.
He began playing cowboys and mounties--seldom singing--in mostly forgettable films starting in the 1930s--over 50 in all. His second movie was "Red River Range" with John Wayne and Ray "Crash" Corrigan.
Until 1945 he used the name "Robert Stanton." That name was also used by actor Robert "Bob" Haymes.
In 1951 he took the role of Schuyler or Skyler (Sky) King. The show was filmed in black-and-white during three periods as sponsors changed: 1951-52, 1955-56 and 1957-62. It continued in syndication for years afterward and Grant became an icon to the aviation community.
In it Grant played Arizona rancher-pilot Sky King, who fought bad guys and rescued people in trouble using his airplane. In real life Grant was a pilot and in the first few years the series used Grant's personal plane.
In the series the plane was named the "Songbird." Sky King's ranch was named the "Flying Crown."
Grant did little acting after the show ended although he and co-star Gloria Winters were in demand for personal appearances at fairs and aviation events. He also traveled with the Carson and Barnes circus from 1967-70. Grant retired that year.
Grant and his wife, Carolyn, had three children. In the early 1970s they moved to Florida from California.
The couple founded the nonprofit Sky King Youth Ranches of America, which provided homes for throwaway kids. He had plans to resurrect the Sky King series with the Flying Crown Ranch becoming a home for throwaway kids and telling their stories, but it never materialized.
Grant died in a car accident on October 30, 1985, near Titusville, Florida. He was on his way to watch the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger at Cape Canaveral, where he was also to be honored by the astronauts for encouraging aviation and space flight. He was 73.
Grant was buried at Missoula, Montana.