GORDON JONES

April 5, 1911

Gordon Wynnivo Jones was born on April 5, 1911 in Alden, Iowa. He was best known for playing Lou Costello’s TV nemesis Mike the Cop and appearing as The Green Hornet in the first of two movie serials based on the radio program.

He made his screen debut as an uncredited extra in 1931′s Not Exactly Gentlemen. 

By 1937, he made a film with Lucille Ball for RKO, There Goes My Girl. He was a supporting character, while Lucille’s part was so inconsequential that it got cut out entirely! 

By 1949, Ball was a headliner, and Jones (though still credited) had dropped off the poster for Easy Living. 

He made his television debut on a June 1951 episode of “Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok”.  

In January 1959, he appeared on an episode of Desilu’s “The Ann Sothern Show.”  In October 1959, Lucille Ball will play Lucy Ricardo on the series. 

In February 1963, he did an episode of Desilu’s “The Real McCoys” which also featured Gloria Blondell and Kathleen Freeman. 

He finally was reunited with Lucille Ball in “Lucy Goes Duck Hunting” (TLS S2;E6) on airing November 4, 1963.  He played Charlie Van Tassel, named after writer Madelyn Pugh Martin’s childhood friends Marge and her husband Charlie. Their names also turned up in scripts for Lucy’s radio show “My Favorite Husband.”  

Unfortunately, this was a posthumous appearance for Jones, who died on June 20, 1963 at age 52.  A week later, his final film was released: McClintock starring John Wayne. 

From 1935 to 1940 he was married to Lucile Van Winkle.