Burbank High Blog

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Chuck Hicks, BHS '47 (1927-2021)

Charles "Chuck" Hicks

Dec 26 1927 - May 4 2021

Today Diane Hicks posted the above photo and this sad notice on Facebook...

"We lost one of the really great guys yesterday Chuck Hicks graduated from Burbank class of 1947. He went on to a long and great career in Hollywood as one of their best stuntmen. We will miss him terribly. ❤️ I love this man. He is my husband’s brother (Brian Hicks class of 1960). We had many many years of love."

We found more info below...

Chuck was born in Stockton Ca.and his family moved to the Los Angeles area a year later. Grade School & High School were spent in Burbank where he played a trumpet in the school band but grew practically over night to 6'1 &1/2" and became Burbank's Football Star Running Back. He joined the Merchant Marines and then went into the Navy.

Out of the service, he attended Loyola University on a football scholarship and went on to play with the Eagle Rock Athletic Club -a semi pro team. He tried out with the Rams and the Red Skins but there were no openings so he stayed with Eagle Rock for seven years and was voted the "Most Valuable Player" three of those years. Chuck was also involved in bringing Rugby to So. California in the early 50's. Eagle Rock, Stanford, UCLA and Pepperdine competed in the beginning.

During his football career, he was also a Professional Boxer, fighting under the name of Chuck Daley. The promoters wanted him to fight as "Jack Daley" because it was a tougher Irish sounding name, but when he was 14, he had his name tatooed on his arm and there was no way to get rid of the "Chuck" at that time. He had 8 professional fights, 6 fights at the Olympic Auditorium - 5 one round k.o.'s, in which he broke one opponents jaw, put 1 guy in hospital over night and one in a concussion for week. Chuck boxed on the Card of two Championship Fights. One in Illinois at the Chicago Stadium with BoBo Olsen & "Kid" Gavilon and in Las Vegas Nev. on the Card with Gene Fulmer & Peret .He finished with 2 wins and 1TKO when he broke his hand on the last fight causing him to retire. He was Heavy Weight Champion of the 5th. Fleet in 1946 and also Heavy Weight Champion of Loyola. He made $75 a fight, 1/3 to his Mgr. $10 to a "cut"man and $5 to Corner 2nd.and a percentage to Roger Creed and a possibility of $4,600 a year playing football.

He made more in the motion picture business and so turned his goals towards that direction. Acting, Stunt Coordinating and competing as an athlete playing in the Softball leagues in the Los Angeles Ca. area. Chuck started in the movie business in 1951. His first job was 'Working Her Way Through College" as a football player with Ronald Reagan, Don Defore, Virgina Mayo, and Gene Nelson. He was standing-in and stunt-doubling For Clint Walker, star of "Cheyanne", learning the "Biz" when he was "Discovered" by Lucille Ball on a TV Special -"K.O. Kitty", and signed to be one of the original "Untouchables" for Desilu Productions in the part of "Kane". One of his major Character roles was "The Brow" in "Dick Tracy.

Since 1961 Chuck was a Charter Member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures, Inc., a past president, and 16 yrs on the board throughout the years, including organizing and putting on the Stuntmen's Annual Dinner Dance several times and Director of the 37th.1999, 38th 2000, 39th 2001 Annual Golf Tournament.

Photo below L-R: Hal Baylor, Hans Conried, and Chuck Hicks in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)

Photo below L-R: Anthony Zerbe and Chuck Hicks in The Rockford Files (1974)

Read more about Chuck's Hollywood career here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0382820/

RIP Chuck...

Monday, April 26, 2021

Renee Ayers, BHS '78 (1959-2021)

Renee L Ayers

December 19, 1959 - April 3, 2021

Jennifer Newman posted on Facebook yesterday...

It is with a very heavy heart that I announce the passing of Renee Ayers, Class of 1978. She fought a tough battle against cancer all the way to the end, but so sad that cancer won. R.I.P. Renee