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Show By LYN CONNELLY JAN MERLIN, who gained acting act-ing prominence in his co-starring role on ABC-TV's "Rough Riders" series, has now moved Into the spotlight with the leading lead-ing part on each week's story . . . When the series began last fall, the young and handsome Merlin, Kent Taylor and Peter Whitney played equal roles on the series . . . However, Merlin's emergence as a real star recently recent-ly led the producers to feature him, although his co-stars continue con-tinue in the series. Born in New York City April 3, 1925, Jan intended to make a career out of the navy until bitten bit-ten by the acting bug . . . During Dur-ing his four years in the navy he began writing plays which were performed aboard ship . . . The final Influence in his change from the sea to the stage came as a result of his association with a theatre on the outskirts of Hiroshima, Hiro-shima, Japan . . . Back to civilian life. Jan entered the Neighborhood Neighbor-hood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York ... He played four seasons of stock and then made his broadway debut in "Mr. Roberts." Television he has about 500 credits and movies followed . . . Married to the former Patricia Dati, whom he met at the Neighborhood Neigh-borhood Playhouse, the Merlins live In Hollywood Hills In a house friends describe as "Early Mau Mau" because of the large collection col-lection of African weapons, skins, horns, hides and other lure , . . Jan is real gone on Africa, so much so, in fact, that a few years ago he took hia savings and his bride and went there for a trip ... He later returned to make the movie "Women and the Hunter," and fully Intends to take another trip to the dark continent just as soon as TV and movie schedules sched-ules permit. His movie credits Include "Day of Fury," "Six Bridges to Cross" and "Illegal" . . . Animals play an important part in the life of the six-foot actor . . . Currently be has four cats and 12 parakeets. |