The 1960s TV star passed away at the Marshall Medical Center in Placerville, California on 11 March (15) following a long illness.

Taeger rose to fame alongside James Coburn in gold rush drama series Klondike in 1960, and went on to work together again the following year (61) in the shortlived adventure series Acapulco.

He also starred in a TV adaptation of John Wayne western Hondo in 1967, but the show was axed after 18 episodes.

His other small screen credits include The Twilight Zone, The Six Million Dollar Man and Father Murphy, while he appeared in films such as A House Is Not a Home, Stage to Thunder Rock and The Delta Factor.