Remembering Beloved Disney Actor Dean Jones

Actor Dean Jones

known for his strong faith and friendly smile 

passed away on September 1, 2015.

He had Parkinson's Disease.

Anytime I would see Dean Jones in any other movie or show, he always brought joy to my heart, and took me back to my remembrances of his Disney days. I'm sure many of you feel the same, as you've watched these movies, over the years, with your families.

Those classic roles he portrayed will forever be cherished in the classic Disney vault of films. From 1965-1977, he held the leading role in numerous Disney movies, including The Love Bug (Which I recall seeing for the first time on video in the 3rd grade! I loved it!), That Darn Cat, The Ugly Dachshund, The Million Dollar Duck, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, The Shaggy D.A., Snowball Express, and so on!!!

Dean Jones with Michelle Lee

Dean Jones with Hayley Mills

Dean Jones with Don Knotts

Jones also co-starred in 1997 remake versions of both That Darn Cat and The Love Bug.


Here's a clip from the Turner Classics Documentary "The Age of Believing" featuring the story of Herbie "The Love Bug":




Dean Jones was married to Mae Inez Entwisle in 1954. They had two children together and divorced in 1971. Around 1973, before his father's death, Dean Jones became a devout born-again Christian. Following that he took roles in several Christian films. Dean was presently married to Lory Patrick Jones. They were wed in 1973 and had one son.

"In 1998 (via wikipedia) Jones founded the Christian Rescue Committee (CRC), an organization that helps provide a "way of escape to Jews, Christians, and others persecuted for their faith."

Jones last film was Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, in 2008. In classic Dean Jones "Disney" style, it is a decent family friendly film, which gives an exciting lesson on history and life, with a mix of mystery, faith, and drama.

In 2001, Jones starred as Scrooge in a classic adaption of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" TV mini-film, titled Scrooge & Marley.

You can watch it here:


Jones also narrated and starred in a stage production, tiled The Gospel According to Scrooge, that can be seen on the iTBN web-site.

Beyond the stage and screen, Dean Jones does a spectacular performance in the audio drama narration of the first book in the delightful Jan Karon Mitford book series, At Home in Mitford. Jones gives voice to the lead character, Father Timothy. After listening to the first story, my family fell in love with the entire Mitford series.

You can read more about Jones personal story of faith... via Christianity Today, in which is shared... "Though he'd grown up in a religious home and even briefly attended Asbury, a Christian college in Kentucky, Jones had rejected the faith of his family. After his near-death (car) accident, he was ready to stop running from God. After his conversion, Jones felt a peace he'd never known before, and he felt whole for the first time. He righted his blighted relationships, remarried, and began seeking out projects on and off screen that he could do for the glory of God."

 

 

Our heartfelt prayers and sympathy

go out to his dear family and friends.

 

We will forever be blessed

and hold dear in our hearts all of these wonderful

Dean Jones family films.