Jeff was born in Brooklyn and attended Erasmus High School. After high school, he took a drama course and worked in stock companies for two years. His next role would be that of an officer in World War II. After he was discharged from the service, he became busy acting in radio drama's and comedies until he was signed by Universal. It would be in the fifties that Jeff would become a star making westerns and action pictures. He would be nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cochise in Broken Arrow. He would follow this by playing the role of Cochise in two sequels: The Battle at Apache Pass and Son of Cochise. While his premature gray hair and tanned features served him well in his westerns and action pictures, the studio would put him into soaps and costume movies. In his films, his leading ladies would include Maureen O'Hara, Rhonda Fleming, Jane Russell, Joan Crawford, and June Allyson. Shortly after his last film Merrill's Marauders, Jeff died, at 42, from blood poisoning after an operation for a slipped disc.


Jeanne Eagels (1957): $200,000

Died of blood poisoning following spinal surgery in CA. Scar across eye received in a truck accident. Had concurrent success as a recording artist, wrote music, played violin, and own Chandler Music, a publishing company. Daughter Dana born 1948. Tony Curtis was a pallbearer at Chandler's funeral. Both daughters, Jamie (1947-2003) and Dana (1948-2002) died of cancer, as did his mother, maternal aunt, uncle and grandfather. Possessed of a fine singing voice, at the height of his film fame, he recorded several successful albums for Liberty Records. A liberal Democrat, he was part of the Hollywood contingent that worked for the election of John F. Kennedy as President in 1960. Following his Oscar nominated performance as Cochise in Broken Arrow (1950), Chandler carved a solid niche for himself playing Native American Indians, although his movies seldom rose above co-feature level. Daughter Jamie was a teacher. Gerald Mohr was a pallbearer at his funeral. He was very proud of his Jewish heritage.