Marjoe Gortner Dies At 82 After Preaching And Acting Career

Marjoe Gortner, the former child preacher whose life inspired an Oscar-winning documentary, died Friday at 82. His wife, Susan Magestro, told Variety he died in Santa Fe, N.M.

Magestro’s memorial notice said Gortner had suffered from years of congestive heart failure. The actor’s career included “Earthquake,” B movies and television appearances, including “Falcon Crest,” according to Variety’s obituary report.

“Marjoe lived an extraordinary life, shaped by his imagination and rare gift for bringing people together,” the statement said.

Marjoe Gortner Let Filmmakers Follow His Final Revival Tour

Marjoe Gortner was born in Long Beach, California, into an evangelical family. His first name combined “Mary” and “Joseph.”

His parents pushed him into preaching as a child. They staged a press photo opportunity when he performed a marriage ceremony at 4 years old.

The family traveled around the country, preaching and soliciting donations. When Gortner was 16, his father absconded with a reported $3 million in donations.

In his 20s, Gortner became disillusioned with the evangelical movement and pursued acting in New York. Documentarians Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan then approached him about filming his revival appearances.

He agreed to let them follow his final revival tour in 1971, partly to publicize his acting career. Their film, “Marjoe,” won the Oscar for best documentary.

Roger Ebert praised the documentary after seeing it at the Cannes Film Festival. He wrote that it generated “the most electric response of anything at the festival.”

The film attracted considerable attention but was later considered “lost” for many years. Kernochan eventually tracked down its owner and obtained the rights.

Earthquake And Television Roles Followed

After recording “Bad, but Not Evil,” Gortner landed a role in the “Kojak” pilot. His subsequent parts included drug dealers, outlaws, fake psychics and preachers.

In 1974’s “Earthquake,” he played Sgt. Jody Joad, a grocery store manager turned National Guardsman. Marjoe Gortner also portrayed a troubled Vietnam veteran in “When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?”

That drama co-starred Candy Clark, whom he briefly married the year the film came out. His other movies included “Bobbie Joe and the Outlaw,” “The Survivalist,” “Starcrash” and Walter Hill’s “Wild Bill.”

His television appearances included “Police Story,” “Airwolf,” “T.J. Hooker” and “Fantasy Island.” On “Falcon Crest,” Gortner played a corrupt psychic.

Ian Ziering Remembered His Charity Events

Actor Ian Ziering remembered Gortner’s celebrity sports invitationals, which aired on CBS Saturdays for years. Ziering said the events brought celebrities around the world to raise money for charities.

Ziering credited Gortner with raising “millions and millions of dollars” while creating memorable celebrity experiences. “I will never forget this man,” Ziering wrote.

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Gortner is survived by Magestro, his fifth wife.