Marjoe Gortner, child preacher turned actor and subject of Oscar-winning documentary, dies at 82
Marjoe Gortner, who was a child evangelical preacher, the subject of the Oscar-winning 1972 documentary "Marjoe" and later an actor, died Friday aged 82 of congestive heart failure.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2Marjoe Gortner, a former child evangelical preacher who became an actor, died on Friday at the age of 82. VarietyLC “Marjoe Gortner, whose childhood as an evangelical preacher was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Marjoe” and who went on to have a career as an actor, died Friday. He was 82.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Gortner died Friday of complications from congestive heart failure, his family announced.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1His wife, Susan Magestro, told Variety he died in Santa Fe, N.M.; her memorial notice said he had suffered from years of congestive heart failure. VarietyLC “His wife Susan Magestro told Variety he died in Santa Fe, N.M. Her memorial notice said he had been suffering from years of congestive heart failure.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Born Hugh Marjoe Ross Gortner on Jan. 14, 1944, in Long Beach, California, he took his middle name from a combination of "Mary" and "Joseph". The Hollywood ReporterLC “Hugh Marjoe (a combination of Mary and Joseph) Ross Gortner was born on Jan. 14, 1944, in Long Beach, California.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 2His parents had him ordained as a preacher at age 4, when he performed a marriage ceremony for a Paramount newsreel. The family travelled the US holding revivals and collecting donations, reportedly amassing about $3 million, which Gortner said his father took before he turned 16. The Hollywood ReporterLC “had him ordained as a preacher at age 4, when he performed a marriage ceremony for a Paramount newsreel.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “when Gortner was 16, his father absconded with what was reported to be $3 million in donations.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2In 1971 he let documentarians Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan follow his final revival tour. The resulting film, "Marjoe", debuted at Cannes and won the Oscar for best documentary. In it he describes how he and other evangelists manipulated people at revivals, and he is shown counting collected money. VarietyLC “The resulting documentary, “Marjoe,” won the Oscar for best documentary.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “talks about how he and other evangelists manipulated regular folks during revivals, and he’s seen in his hotel room counting the money he had collected one day.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2Variety quotes Roger Ebert calling it the sensation of Cannes, and says the film was later "lost" for years until Kernochan obtained the rights. The Hollywood Reporter quotes the New York Times critic Vincent Canby calling it "less a documentary" than "a feature-length screen test for a career in showbiz". VarietyLC “it was later “lost” for many years until Kernochan was able to obtain rights to the film after tracking down the owner.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “In his review for The New York Times, Vincent Canby described the film as “less a documentary about Marjoe’s final weeks” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 2He recorded the album "Bad, but Not Evil" and won a Universal Pictures contract. His screen debut was in the 1973 telefilm "The Marcus-Nelson Murders", the pilot for "Kojak". The Hollywood ReporterLC “made his onscreen acting debut as the junkie Teddy Hopper in the 1973 Joseph Sargent-directed telefilm The Marcus-Nelson Murders” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “After making a record “Bad, but Not Evil,” he scored an acting role in the pilot for “Kojak.”” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2He played Jody Joad, a grocery store manager turned National Guardsman, in "Earthquake" (1974), and other roles included "Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw" with Lynda Carter, "Viva Knievel!", "Starcrash" and, in 1995, a preacher in "Wild Bill". The Hollywood ReporterLC “Gortner also starred with Lynda Carter in Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976), appeared in the daredevil biopic Viva Knievel! (1977) and toplined a low-budget space opera, Starcrash (1978).” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “In 1974’s “Earthquake,” he was the unhinged grocery store manager turned National Guardsman Sgt. Jody Joad.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2On television he appeared in series including "Police Story", "Airwolf", "The A-Team" and "Fantasy Island". In 1986-87 he played Vince Karlotti, a faux psychic, in 17 episodes of "Falcon Crest". The Hollywood ReporterLC “Gortner drew on his real-life experience to portray to play Vince Karlotti, a colorful polygamist and faux psychic medium over 17 episodes.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “Police Story,” “Airwolf,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Street Hawk,” “Otherworld,” “The A Team,” “Fantasy Island” and “Falcon Crest,” as a corrupt psychic.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1Actor Ian Ziering paid tribute to his charity work, noting that Gortner produced celebrity sports invitationals that aired on CBS and raised millions for charities. VarietyLC “This man raised millions and millions of dollars for different charities while providing some of the most incredible celebrity experiences of my lifetime.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2He is survived by his fifth wife, Susan; The Hollywood Reporter says they married in 2019. He was briefly married to actor Candy Clark, his co-star in "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?". The outlets date that film and the marriage differently: Variety says 1969, The Hollywood Reporter says 1979 and the late 1970s. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Survivors include his fifth wife, Susan, whom he married in 2019.”“When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder? (1979).” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “The drama co-starred Candy Clark, to whom he was briefly married the year the film came out.” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both trade outlets run straightforward obituaries that lead with the Oscar-winning documentary and his acting credits.
- Emphasis
- Variety stresses the family statement, Ian Ziering's tribute and his charity work. The Hollywood Reporter stresses his early life, his Universal contract and critical reception of the film.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Variety omits his birth date and the cause-of-death wording from the family. The Hollywood Reporter omits the charity work and the place of death.
- Charged language
- “force of nature”“colorful polygamist”
- For example
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“Marjoe Gortner was a force of nature.” — Variety
“a colorful polygamist and faux psychic medium over 17 episodes” — The Hollywood Reporter
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Gortner died Friday aged 82.
- He was a child evangelical preacher and the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary "Marjoe".
- He later acted in "Earthquake" and "Falcon Crest".
- His fifth wife, Susan, survives him.
Where accounts differ
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Year of "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" and Gortner's marriage to Candy Clark
- Left
- Variety gives 1969 for the film and says the marriage was the same year; The Hollywood Reporter gives 1979 and says the late '70s.
Left2 articles
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Sympathetic Obituary led by his wife's statement and Ian Ziering's tribute to his charity work.
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Marjoe Gortner, Child Preacher and ‘Earthquake,’ ‘Falcon Crest’ Actor, Dies at 82
Neutral Detailed career obituary covering his childhood ministry, the documentary's reception and his screen credits.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 4 Oct 16:49 First VarietyLC Marjoe Gortner, Preacher and Actor Who Was Subject of Oscar-Winning Doc and Appeared in ‘Earthquake,’ ‘Falcon Crest,’ Dies at 82
- 4 Oct 17:40 +51m The Hollywood ReporterLC Marjoe Gortner, Child Preacher and ‘Earthquake,’ ‘Falcon Crest’ Actor, Dies at 82
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.