Former son-in-law of Lee J. Cobb, by his marriage to Julie Cobb.
Inducted (as a cast member of "Little House on the Prairie" (1974)) into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1998.
Like his friend Michael Landon, he was a chain smoker.
Son of actor Ted French, grandson of Charles A. French.
Was not diagnosed with lung cancer until May 1989, by which time it was too advanced.