StrawHat
Member
Back then actors were all trained in multiple facets of the stage. At least the successfull ones.
Cagney and Hope were both hoofers also.
Kevin
These guys were in EVERYTHING
- Thread starter bigmtnman
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Back then actors were all trained in multiple facets of the stage. At least the successfull ones.
Cagney and Hope were both hoofers also.
Kevin
Jeff423
US Veteran
Slightly off topic but Law and Order is one of my favorite shows. All seasons are now available on Hulu and I'm working my way through them. I've noticed several character actors that show up in different roles in different episodes. I think I became aware of them because I was watching several episodes in a short period of time.
Arthur Franz.
Character actors
AGREE! My all time favorite film. I commend your taste.
We even have a large framed poster of it on one wall in our living room, which is entirely western decorated.
I am blessed to have a bride who loves westerns as much as I do.
AGREE! My all time favorite film. I commend your taste.
We even have a large framed poster of it on one wall in our living room, which is entirely western decorated.
I am blessed to have a bride who loves westerns as much as I do.
DWalt
Member
Hundreds of "name" character actors, but I would put Jack Palance close to the top, along with Ward Bond.
How could we forget Alan Hale (Sr)?
He was sometimes "second banana" but he was always a comedic character actor.
Speaking of Second Bananas,
Tim Conway
Don Knotts
He was sometimes "second banana" but he was always a comedic character actor.
Speaking of Second Bananas,
Tim Conway
Don Knotts
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Another character actor who seemed to be in everything in the '50's and '60's was John Dehner.
John Dehner was in many episodes of "Gunsmoke". His best performance aired on 11-11-60, "The Badge". After Matt shoots him a few times, Dehner dies more dramatically and realistically than anyone on screen, ever.
Well worth watching if you can find the episode.
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Another character actor who seemed to be in everything in the '50's and '60's was John Dehner.
John Dehner was in many episodes of "Gunsmoke". His best performance aired on 11-11-60, "The Badge". After Matt shoots him a few times, Dehner dies more dramatically and realistically than anyone on screen, ever. He has a half-wit outlaw partner; can't recall his name at the moment, but he played the medic on "Combat".
Well worth watching if you can find the episode.
Don't forget Warren Stevens. Played many parts in300+ movies. And then there is the ultimate actor who was in well over 400 movies, the most ever. Eric Roberts.
Great ones already mentioned. A few of my favorites:
Stefan Gierasch (The Hustler, Jeremiah Johnson..)
Myron McCormick (The Hustler, No Time For Sargeants..)
Murray Hamilton (Anatomy of a Murder, No Time For Sargeants) Jaws..)
Stefan Gierasch (The Hustler, Jeremiah Johnson..)
Myron McCormick (The Hustler, No Time For Sargeants..)
Murray Hamilton (Anatomy of a Murder, No Time For Sargeants) Jaws..)
Walter Brennan could play serious roles too. He was one of the leads in the 1943 WWII thriller "Hangman Also Die"
Hangmen Also Die! (1943) - IMDb
He was in far more serious roles than comedic during his time in the movies.
Iki Clanton in "My Darling Clementine" with Henry Fonda
Judge Roy Bean in "The Westerner" with Gary Cooper
The Minister in "Sergeant York" also with Gary Cooper
Jimmy Stewart's side kick in "The Far Country."
Groot with John Wayne in "Red River."
Iki Clanton in "My Darling Clementine" with Henry Fonda
Judge Roy Bean in "The Westerner" with Gary Cooper
The Minister in "Sergeant York" also with Gary Cooper
Jimmy Stewart's side kick in "The Far Country."
Groot with John Wayne in "Red River."
Ward Bond was in a lot of movies and sadly died while playing Maj. Seth Adams on "Wagon Train." Ironically he was replaced by John McIntire who was in a lot of movies.
Ward was John Wayne's roommate in college and they both played football.
Ward was a favorite of John Ford and was in a lot of Ford movies.
Ward was John Wayne's roommate in college and they both played football.
Ward was a favorite of John Ford and was in a lot of Ford movies.
Absolutely. The best.
JohnHL
Member
The earliest appearance of Walter Brennan that I recall seeing was when he played the train conductor on the very first Three Stooges short, "Woman Haters" in 1934.
John
John
DWalt
Member
Ford had his family of about 20 favored actors that he used in nearly all his movies (not all in the same movie).
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smithra_66
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Ward Bond. He has to be the ultimate character actor. He has the distinction of being in the most AFI 100 movies of anyone in history, and he had his own TV series, and he appeared in 23 John Wayne movies, yet no one knows his name!
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Piwo
Member
George Kennedy was in every movie made, I think, lol.
Piwo
Member
And Ernest Borgnine
OP
My second round of "They were in everything" ......
John Litel
Otto Kruger
Beulah Bondi
Dabbs Greer
John Qualen
"Dabbs" was the first person whose life Superman (George Reeves) saves in the TV series (1951). He also played the "old" Tom Hanks character in "The Green Mile" (1999) giving what I consider to be an absolutely heart wrenching Oscar worthy performance.
John Litel
Otto Kruger
Beulah Bondi
Dabbs Greer
John Qualen
"Dabbs" was the first person whose life Superman (George Reeves) saves in the TV series (1951). He also played the "old" Tom Hanks character in "The Green Mile" (1999) giving what I consider to be an absolutely heart wrenching Oscar worthy performance.
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Ward Bond. He has to be the ultimate character actor. He has the distinction of being in the most AFI 100 movies of anyone in history, and he had his own TV series, and he appeared in 23 John Wayne movies, yet no one knows his name!
He died at the Townhouse Motel on Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas in 1961. Heart attack, I think.
THE PILGRIM
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Of the five listed, I would guess Dabbs Greer had more roles than all the others. Many will remember him in the semi-regular part of the dry goods storekeeper on Gunsmoke.
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
Leo Gordon was an ex-felon who served time for armed robbery in Folsom Prison and was called "the scariest man I ever met" by director Don Siegel. In one movie he acted in was partially filmed at San Quentin where some of the guards remembered him and he was not popular with them.
Actor Ed Faulkner who was in a number of movies with John Wayne said that when filming McClintock...John Wayne asked him if ever met Leo Gordon before. When he replied no...Duke told him to give Gordon "a wide berth".
