Child Preacher, ‘Earthquake’ Actor Was 82

Key Points:

• Marjoe Gortner, the former child preacher and actor known for roles in films like Earthquake and the TV series Falcon Crest, has died at age 82 due to complications from congestive heart failure.
• As a child, Gortner was a celebrity preacher, ordained at age 4, and featured in the Oscar-winning 1972 documentary Marjoe, which exposed the manipulative tactics of revivalist evangelists.
• Transitioning to acting, Gortner appeared in various films and TV shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw, Viva Knievel!, Starcrash, and guest roles on popular series like The A-Team and Fantasy Island.
• Besides acting, he produced charity events such as Circus of the Stars specials and was married five times, including briefly to actress Candy Clark; he is survived by his fifth wife, Susan.
• Gortner’s unique career bridged religious evangelism and Hollywood, with his early life as a preacher influencing some of his later acting roles.