Pete Duel was the coolest man on Earth in 1971. I don’t remember a single kid in my elementary school who didn’t know Pete Duel in 1971 courtesy of his starring role in the tragically short-lived TV show Alias Smith and Jones. That comedy-drama was the last great western TV show before the genre died forever the day after Star Wars was released into theaters. Alias Smith and Jones would have died quickly as the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ripoff it would have been had it not for the presence Pete Duel.

Editor's Note: Although this article claims to have conducted this interview "just days before" Pete died, it was, in fact, taken sometime in October 1971, roughly two months before he died. His sideburns, in particular, were nowhere near their length as they were in the last episode of Alias Smith and Jones. Further, these were not the last photos taken of him — nor were they his last words. Rona Barrett's Hollywood, May 1972 Just days before Pete put a bullet through his brain, we talked to him about life... love... and his three wishes. Here are the last photos taken of ... Read More

The rewards of being a successful, famous actor can be big but the chances of reaching that goal are very small. Think about all the preparation involved, the expectations and the inevitable disappointments. And the ever present elements of luck, talent and timing that can make the difference between getting a part or being rejected. And once you’ve gotten the role, is it in a worthwhile vehicle or something that can stall your ambitions even before they start? And then if you catch the public’s eye and imagination you are suddenly under a microscope.

"It's Just Natural for Me..." by Art Zolan; Movie World, January 1972 After searching through the large sound stages of Universal Studios, I finally found the Alias Smith and Jones crew shooting on an outdoor set on the back lot where Pete Duel was working in an amusing but exhausting fight scene. It had been a few years since I had seen Pete; in fact, the last time was when he was starring in Love On a Rooftop. Pete certainly is a different man. I noticed the change immediately. He had even changed his name from Peter Deuel to Pete Duel. As I ... Read More

Read All the Facts Teen Pin-Ups, January 1972 PETE DUEL: One of Pete's childhood ambitions was to become a pilot and he grew up learning everything he could about planes. In high school, however, his dream was shattered when he was told his vision wasn't good enough to meet the requirements for flying. Shrugging off his disappointment, he set his sights on acting. And today he's walking on air instead of flying through it!

by Marvene Jones; Movie Life, July 1972 When MADLYN RHUE told JOANNA PETTET she heard Joanna and ALEX CORD were divorcing due to Joanna's prior romance with the late PETER DUEL, Joanna quipped, "Peter was not my type. Besides, Alex and I filed for divorce a year ago and then never bothered to do anything more about it."

by Michelle Blackley; The Penfield Post, June 21, 2001 Nothing stands in the way of Pat Oliver and the legacy of actor Peter Deuel — not even the Atlantic Ocean. Oliver, of Stockton, England, made her second trip to Penfield last week, with her husband John Oliver, to pay homage to 1960s actor Peter Deuel, in recognition of the 30th anniversary of his death. Deuel — who had a reoccurring role in Alias Smith and Jones, grew up at 1790 Penfield Road, now Northfield Coffee Co., and attended Penfield High School — died in the 1970s, playing Russian roulette [untrue]. He is ... Read More

Superstar, July 1972 Peter Ellstrom Duel was born on February 24, 1940, and died in his Hollywood home a star, on December 31, 1971, just a couple of months before his 32nd birthday. Apparently, he died by his own hand and for his own reasons, although his friends and relatives did not seem fully aware of how deep his intense depressions were. Pete enjoyed playing the character of Hannibal Heyes. He used to say "Heyes is hunted by every posse yet he is still able to laugh. It's something that I love him for. I try to be like that, but with ... Read More

FLIP, flipflap section, May 1972 The world has lost one of its greatest actors. He will be missed by many. I would like to suggest that you dedicate a page in FLIP in memory of Pete Duel. Maybe it could consist of pictures of him from his many roles on TV, or something else you feel would be fitting. But please, please, don't ignore the subject of his death just because it was a probable suicide. Pete was a great man and an excellent performer, and he deserves some sort of tribute for the joy and happiness he brought to his ... Read More

Woman's Own, June 29, 1974 by Fenton Bresler Until I went to Hollywood to research this series, I had never heard the phrase, "It'll blow your mind, man!" Now it seems an entirely appropriate way to describe that crazy, weird, unbelievably sick town. But nothing was more incredible than the quest that took me to that alien setting beneath the bright Californian sun... On the night of December 31, 1971, 31-year-old Pete Duel walked naked into the front room of his home — and blew out his brains. 'Cerebral destruction' were the grim words of the police report that I read in the ... Read More

CLICK HERE FOR THE SPANISH VERSION Translated by Google Translate, so please forgive the awkwardness. TODAY, FIRST CHAPTER OF "TWO MUSKETEERS" by J.M. Baget; Sunday, December 31 [1972] 4.00 "Tarde Para Todos" In the last day of the year, we offer viewers the first episode of the series "Alias Smith and Jones," which so successfully reached its still recent pass by Spanish Television. Thus know how Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry went on to become "Smith" and "Jones," two former bandits in search of a better and more peaceful life. What this program offers is generally cheerful on this carefree day of December 31 — ... Read More