Shelby Grant, American actress (Our Man Flint, Fantastic Voyage, Medical Center), died from a brain aneurysm she was , 74.

Shelby Grant born Brenda Thompson, was an American actress whose credits included Our Man Flint, Fantastic Voyage and Medical Center died from a brain aneurysm she was , 74..



(October 19, 1936 – June 25, 2011),

Early life

Thompson was born on October 19, 1936,^[2] in Orlando, Oklahoma to parents, Lawrence and Mae Thompson.^[1][2][3] She was raised in Wagoner, Oklahoma, and completed high school at Wagoner High School.^[1]
Thompson enrolled at Northeastern State College, now known as Northeastern State University, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she studied drama and speech.^[1] She became Northeastern State's football queen in 1959.^[1] She also won the title of Northeastern Oklahoma Dairy Princess in 1959 as well.^[1]

Career

She appeared in local television commercials for KTUL-TV, based in Tulsa, after college.^[1] In 1962, she moved from Oklahoma to southern California to pursue an acting career.^[1] She initially worked as a teacher of special education and deaf students at Hollywood High School while trying to enter the entertainment industry.^[1]
Thompson was discovered by a 20th Century Fox talent scout.^[3] She changed her professional name to Shelby Grant.^[3] She "drew Shelby Grant out of a hat", according to an interview she gave to columnist, Hedda Hopper.^[3]
Grant debuted in television in a 1963 episode of Bonanza.^[1] She soon became a contracted actor with 20th Century Fox.^[1] Her film roles under contract with Fox included The Pleasure Seekers in 1964, the 1966 science fiction film Fantastic Voyage, Our Man Flint in 1966 and The Witchmaker in 1969.^[1] Her television credits grew to include Batman and Marcus Welby, M.D..^[1]
Grant married her husband, actor Chad Everett, in a ceremony held on May 22, 1966, in Tucson, Arizona.^[1][2] Chad Everett had been on location in Tucson filming the 1967 movie, Return of the Gunfighter, at the time of their wedding.^[2] They had two daughters, Kate and Shannon.^[1] Grant appeared in her husband's television series, Medical Center, where portrayed Dr. Joe Gannon from 1969 to 1976.^[1] Grant largely left acting to focus on philanthropy during her later life. She and her husband sponsored more than twenty heart surgeries for children.^[1]

Death

Shelby Grant died of a brain aneurysm in Westlake Village, California, on June 25, 2011, at the age of 74.^[1] She was survived by her husband of 45 years, actor Chad Everett; their two daughters, Katherine Thorp and Shannon Everett; and six grandchildren.^[1][

 

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