Actor James Stacy, star of 1960s Western ‘Lancer,’ dies

Actor James Stacy, best known for portraying the title role in the late 1960s Western TV series “Lancer,” has died in Ventura. He was 79 years old.

The actor died Sept. 9 from an allergic reaction to medication, Variety reported.

Born Maurice W. Elias in Los Angeles, Stacy worked steadily in television during the 1960s. His career was interrupted by a serious motorcycle accident that resulted in the loss of his left arm and left leg. He also encountered a variety of legal problems.

Stacy appeared on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” “Gunsmoke” and “Perry Mason” before being cast in the role of Johnny Madrid Lancer, a half-Mexican gunman, in the 20th Century Fox series “Lancer,” which ran from 1968 to 1970.

During the early 1960s, Stacy was married to actress Connie Stevens, after the two met on the set of the film “Summer Magic.” They divorced in 1966 after three years. A later marriage to Kim Darby (“True Grit”) lasted just a year, ending in divorce in 1969.

After “Lancer” ended, Stacy appeared on other series, including “The Streets of San Francisco” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.” before being struck by a drunk driver in 1973. The accident resulted in the death of his then-girlfriend, Claire Cox, and the loss of his left arm and left leg.

Stacy was bound to a wheelchair after the collision, which led to a lawsuit in which he received damages from a bar that served the driver who struck him.

He returned to acting in the 1975 Kirk Douglas film “Posse” and received an Emmy nomination for the 1977 TV movie “Just a Little Inconvenience,” in which he portrayed a disabled Vietnam veteran. He also appeared in the 1990s on several TV shows, including “Cagney and Lacey,” “Highway to Heaven” and “Wiseguy.”

“I don’t need the money, but I do need the challenge,” Stacy told The Times in a 1990 interview.

In 1996, Stacy was convicted of molesting an 11-year-old girl in the first of a series of legal troubles that included allegations of prowling while he was on bail for those charges.The actor attempted suicide after fleeing to Hawaii before sentencing. He eventually served six years in the men’s prison in Chino.

Stacy is survived by his partner, Antigoni Tsamparlis, as well as a daughter, Heather Elias, from his marriage to Darby, a grandson, great-grandson and a brother and sister.

chris.barton@latimes.com