he co-starred with Peter Falk and Janet Leigh in the Columbo episode "Forgotten Lady". Later in life Payne became wealthy through real estate investments in southern California. Personal life During World War II Payne served as a flight instructor in the United States Army Air Corps. Major Payne received a silver star in 1942 for his actions during a bombing mission of the Italian fleet which allowed British forces to proceed. He was honorably discharged in September 1944. Payne was married to actress Anne Shirley from 1937 to 1942; they had a daughter, Julie Anne Payne. He married actress Gloria DeHaven in 1944; the couple had two children, Kathleen Hope Payne (b. 1945) and Thomas John Payne, before divorcing in 1950. The couple remained on good terms, and on June 27, 1961, columnist Earl Wilson wrote that DeHaven was still concerned over Payne's March 1961 accident, and called him once a week. During the filming of Kansas City Confidential (1952) Payne had a romance with co-star Coleen Gray that continued well past filming. They later appeared together in Tennessee's Partner, alongside future U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Payne then married Alexandra Beryl "Sandy" Crowell Curtis in 1953, and remained with her until his death. His oldest daughter, Julie, was married to writer-director Robert Towne from 1977 to 1982. Payne was a Republican, and in October 1960 he was one of many conservative notables who drove in the Nixon-Lodge Bumper Sticker Motorcade in Los Angeles. Payne also supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election. Accident On the evening of March 1, 1961, when Payne was 49, he suffered extensive, life-threatening injuries when struck by a car when he was crossing Madison Avenue in New York City. It had been raining, and the driver, future billionaire hedge fund manager Bernard Selz, claimed he had not seen Payne. Payne was tossed into the air, and came down facefirst into the car’s windshield, which then shattered, causing extensive facial lacerations, including damaging both his eyes. His left leg was broken in five places, and he suffered a skull fracture. Payne was taken to Roosevelt Hospital (now named Mount Sinai West), where he had facial surgery. He was in a hip cast for five-and-a-half months. He claimed his full recovery was due to doctors telling him that a patient’s attitude is important, and he always remained optimistic. One of Payne's first public appearances