Dean Turner, a veteran actor on stage and in films, died Dec. 28 at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center. He was 84.

Turner had been battling diabetes for several years but succumbed to respiratory failure, said his partner of 40 years, actor Richard Pellett.

"He was in Kaiser and he went peacefully," said Pellett. "He told the nurse to call me to come over, and he said it was time. We said our goodbyes."

Turner had been an Island resident for 30 years, performing in about 35 stage productions at Army Community Theatre, Diamond Head Theatre, Manoa Valley Theatre and other theater groups.

He was born on Sept. 7, 1922, in Pocatello, Idaho. His parents were vaudeville performers who traversed the Western circuit, so by 5, he was appearing with them.

Early in his career, he was a contract actor for 20th Century-Fox films, where he appeared with the likes of Jane Withers and June Haver.

"He helped June Haver with her screen test," said Pellett.

Turner joined the Navy during World War II, temporarily halting his acting career.

He ventured to the stage and wound up in a couple of short-lived endeavors — but also in a Broadway hit, "Lute Song," which starred Mary Martin, Yul Brynner and Nancy Davis (who later became Nancy Reagan). As Brynner's understudy, he once got to perform duets with Martin.

He and Pellett met through friends in San Francisco, where they lived before venturing abroad, even forming a theater group in Beirut to stage shows. They lived in Lebanon for a decade, before the outbreak of civil war. Global treks also took Turner to London and North Africa before he settled in Hono-lulu.

Turner also tried modeling, working as the Pepsodent boy for a year, and was photographed by the renowned Richard Avedon. He also sold real estate in San Francisco, acquiring, fixing up and then reselling those Victorian gingerbread homes that are fashionable in the City by the Bay.

Throughout his life, he frequented both sides of the theatrical footlights, since he enjoyed watching as well as being in plays.

He was a frequent performer in Readers Theatre staged readings at Army Community Theatre. Over the years, Turner also wound up in roles on "Magnum, P.I.," "Blood and Orchids" and other locally filmed TV shows.

As part of his wellness effort last fall, he attended his last show, "Annie," at ACT's Richardson Theatre. "Our good friend, Shari Lynn, was playing Miss Hannigan, so he wanted to go," said Pellett. "We hired a van and a nurse and he enjoyed the show."

Turner's lone survivor is Pellett.

"I'll miss his sense of humor; it was just absolutely wonderful," said Pellett. "He wasn't a religious man. He had religion stuffed down his throat. So he didn't want a big hoopla, a memorial service."

Turner's remains were sent to the University of Hawai'i's John A. Burns Medical School in Kaka'ako.

Services are not planned, said Pellett.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.