Biografi
John Vivyan, born John R. Vukayan on May 31, 1915, in Chicago, Illinois, was the son of Serbian immigrant parents. During World War II, he served with Company "E" of the 132nd Infantry Regiment in the U.S. Army during the Guadalcanal campaign, where he sustained a leg injury. Utilizing the GI Bill of Rights, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and adopted the stage name Vivyan. He made his stage debut in the late 1940s before moving into film and television. His first screen appearance was in the 1949 Studio One episode "Two Sharp Knives." Vivyan appeared in numerous television shows, mainly westerns such as Colt .45, Sugarfoot, Yancy Derringer, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Tombstone Territory, Bat Masterson, and Maverick. However, he is best remembered for his leading role as the charming gambler in Blake Edwards' series Mr. Lucky (1959-1960), alongside Ross Martin as Andamo. After 1970, his appearances became rare, with his final roles including the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1982) and the detective series Simon & Simon (1983). Vivyan passed away on December 20, 1983, in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 68, and is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
