Sam Jones | 6/24/1933 | 88

Sam J. Jones may not have been able to protect all of us. He did, however, play a legendary role who saved every man, woman, and kid on the planet. He was the all-powerful Flash Gordon.

Jones scored his first movie part less than a year after relocating to Los Angeles. In crisis comedy, 10, he played Bo Derek’s surfer husband. It was the year’s seventh highest-grossing film and the top comedy, narrowly beating out The Jerk. Jones gained work on television after the success of Flash Gordon. He became a regular on the show Code Red from 1981 to 1982. Jones struggled to find consistent work for the majority of the decade, despite numerous opportunities. He appeared in episodes of The A-Team, Hunter, and Riptide as a guest star. Jones would occasionally guest on TV shows like Baywatch, Thunder in Paradise, and Texas Ranger. His credits include a Stargate SG-1 episode and the Animal Planet show Hollywood Safari. Jones made an appearance in an episode of the short-lived Flash Gordon in 2007 – which would be his final acting role.