There are many genres of movies out there, but if you like a good western, especially an older western, you will probably recognize L.Q. Jones. Jones was best known for his role in the 1969 film “The Wild Bunch” where he played bounty hunter T.C. Other film credits include “Hang ‘Em High” in 1968, “Casino” in 1995, and his last film, “A Prairie Home Companion” in 2006.
On the small screen, Jones played a ranch hand named Andy Beldon on the series “The Virginian.” He also played a sheriff on the primetime soap “The Yellow Rose.”
Jones died Saturday July 9, 2022, at the age of 94. Cause of death was reported as natural causes. Jones was born in Texas and worked in the film and TV industry for over 5 decades.
He was born in Beaumont, Texas, on August 19, 1927. His full name was Justice Ellis McQueen Jr. His dad was a railroad worker. His mother died in an automobile accident when he was a child, so he was raised by his relatives.
Jones grew up around horses, and Westerns felt natural to him. He explained, “I had a horse by the time I was 8 or 9 and grew up around tough rodeo people — my uncle was into roping — so Westerns were easy and fun.”
Before starting an acting career, Jones joined the Navy and then studied law at the University of Texas. It was his college roommate, Fess Parker, who got Jones into acting.
After college, Jones tried to make a living by growing beans and corn on a ranch he bought in Nicaragua. Meanwhile, Parker moved to Hollywood. He acted in a few films and sent his old roommate a copy of the novel “Battle Cry” which was about to be turned into a movie. Parker was cast as a soldier in the film.
Jones explained that Parker “encouraged me to come out and drew me a map on the back of a laundry-shirt stuffing showing how to get to the studio.” He added, “Within two days of arriving, I had the part of [Pvt.] L.Q. Jones in Battle Cry and probably would never have been in the business had it not been for Fess.”
Jones used the name of the character he played in the film as his stage name for the rest of his career.
Jones is survived by his children Randy, Steve and Mindy.
Do you like Westerns? What’s your favorite film that Jones stared in?
